•To screen In America: Story Of The Soul Sisters next month

A motion picture reenactment of the pains of Nigerians, who travel abroad in search of greener pastures, has become a campaign tool for the Ministry of Information and Communications, which a planned screening of In America: The Story of the Soul Sisters, at the National Press Center, Radio House, Garki, Abuja on Thursday August 7.

The campaign is akin to the Mass Mobilization for Self Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery (MAMSER) campaign of the 1980s, one of which had the late veteran actor, Enebeli Elebuwa playing the role of Andrew in a short TV jingle against human capital flight.

The Andrew No Check Out: Nigeria Must Survive campaign was timely at that time, when travelling abroad became the fad among Nigerian youths. But with the catchy phrase; “I’m checking out”, the camoaign seemed not to have achieved, because the young ones appeared to relish the snobbish mien, as against the dangling carrots in that campaign for patriotism. The number of Nigerian emigrants has been on the rise, till date.

“In the past they were forcing us into slavery, but today we’re voluntarily selling ourselves into it,” observed Sade George, about In America: The Story Of The Soul Sisters, the feature film by Rahman Oladigbolu and winner of the “Best Film by an African Abroad” at the 2011 Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA).

Although the movie had a limited preview in Nigeria, it is being returned for special screening by the Ministry of Information in partnership with Oracle Films

Starring Jimmy Jean-Louis, who is famous for Phat Girlz and Heroes, the flick tells the story of Sade through her struggles for love and green card, her inspiring friendship with African-American Sonya Muhammad, her marriage to African-American Curtis Anderson, and her relationship with her old neighborhood uncle Tai Ojo.

Sade, a Nigerian medical student seeking better professional opportunity in the United States finds herself caught up in the American immigration war. With the political heat mounting on illegal immigrants, she faces a dilemma: she either continues to live on the fringes of the American society, where there’s no hope for her career goal, or give up all hope on the “American dream”. Tai Ojo, her so-called “uncle” who has been struggling in America for more than 15 years, thinks this may be an opportunity for him to do something good for someone in his life, but the demons in his own life are up against him, and they would test his will as he shares a roof with the new immigrant Sade.

“In America is a movie that speaks to two worlds at the same time: Africa and America”, says Rudolf Okonkwo, a New York based syndicated columnist and an actor in the movie, “and it does this by unfolding the iconic experience of a Nigerian immigrant, a character that all African immigrants in the United States easily recognize.” In the on-going evolution of global economy and culture, people of African descents have a lot to prove and contribute, and Rahman insists that “we’re not letting others do it for us.” With In America, he intends to be a voice that tells the African immigrant story, and of reconciliation in the complex relationship between African immigrants and African-Americans.

Going by its thematic appeal, the movie has also featured at many festivals across the United States, Canada, Europe and Africa, winning other accolades, including “Best Emerging Filmmaker” at the Roxbury International Film Festival.

On the much-coveted AMAA award, Rahman confesses that it feels great to win the award, but he sees it more as a challenge to do better in the future.  “AMAA is not only a celebration of African films; it’s also an encouragement to make films that both compete and lead in the world. It’s a challenge to think farther ahead and that’s how I welcome it.”

Rahman said the film has also been shown at many schools in the United States, including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Hampton University, and students from Nigeria and other African countries have found it very entertaining and inspiring.

“This movie needs to be seen by our youths at home in Nigeria. The lure of life abroad has been confusing to many of us, and, for many who are able to travel out; they painfully learn that life abroad does not always justify its promise,” he said.

The Agip Recital Hall of the Muson Centre, Lagos, yesterday, played host to notable Nigerians from the political, business, academic and movie sectors, when young filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, launched a book version of his award-winning flick, The Figurine.

It was not a run-of–the–mill event, judging by the stance associated with poor reading culture. But the presence of filmmakers, actors and other entertainers gave it the glitz, comparable to any A-list event.

Entitled Auteuring Nollywood: Critical Perspective on The Figurine, the literature was edited by the filmmaker’s brother, Dr. Adeshina Afolayan of the Department of Philosophy, University of Ibadan. The book follows the life and creative work of the auteur in a critique that underscores him as a new generation filmmaker who is redefining the Nigerian motion picture industry otherwise called Nollywood.

With comic start-off by notable comedian and master of ceremonies, Gbenga Adeyinka, the mood appeared assuaged for the critical review of the book by Mr. Ikechukwu Obiaya, Director of Nollywood Study Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

“This is a highly impressive book. Hope it will be the first of many more to come of Kunle Afolayan’s works,” said the reviewer who also praised the quality and outlook of the book.

Incidentally, Obiaya had reviewed the movie when it was released years back. According to him, the book provides other insights into the artistic life of the filmmaker, which he finds commendable.

Speaking about the unusual transition of having a film adapted into a book, the filmmaker said the need was initiated by his brother, as a way to satisfy other educational purposes.

The Figurine tells the story of the myth surrounding the history of ‘Araromire’, a clan whose fate of ups and downs is determined by the figurine.

Afolayan, who had since shot two other well-acclaimed films, Phone Swap and October 1, described the book as a novelty.

Citing events that led to the decision to have the film in a book form, the auteur said the idea was first muted by his elder brother, with whom he had not been acquainted for years, owing to their ideological differences.

“We used to fight a lot when we were kids, and this was because when our parents were away for their Yoruba travelling theater business, monies for upkeep were usually in the custody of my elder brother, who would spend most of the money to buy books and newspapers. He was so addicted to books and that didn’t go well with me. One day, I gathered the books and newspapers and sold them to a boli (roast plantain) seller in return for some snack. That caused a fight between my brother and me. So, upon the completion of this book on my movie, The Figurine, he brought a copy for me to see and I shed tears. It was tears of joy, partly because this is about me and my work, and because I have never read a book so detailed in its analysis.”

The event was chaired by Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, former Minister of National Planning. Soft-spoken, Gbadamosi led the pact of accolades that poured in for the filmmaker. He praised the ingenuity of the Afolayans as people who have challenged many in the creative industry.

For Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, CEO of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), other young filmmakers should follow the footsteps of Kunle, whom she described as a thorough and dedicated filmmaker. She, however, expressed worries that while Afolayan struggles to get money to make his movies, those who could not make good movies find money easily because of who they know.

According to the AMAA boss, “Kunle Afolayan’s film, Irapada, was the first film from Nigeria to make it to major international film festival circuits.”

In the same vein, foremost stand-up comedian, Atunyota Akporobomerere, aka Ali Baba, while eulogising Afolayan for his works, decried a situation whereby most Nollywood filmmakers were not original in their works. He said: “The art of filmmaking is not a joke,’ adding that “comedy itself is a serious business.” According to the comedian, it is worrisome how some of the jokes he had done years back, are still being recycled in Nollywood films today.

The demand for the story in book form may not be unconnected with the success of its motion picture, after five years of cinema and home video exposure and winning five awards, including Best Film category at the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), while also making impacts at film festival circuits.

Afolayan noted that a critical work of art goes beyond mere rhetoric and images on the screen, saying: “Releasing one’s movie to scholarly interrogation like this is one of the next levels for our film industry to climb and I’m excited that this is already happening through my film.”

Packaged by Relentless Media, in conjunction with Golden Effects Services, the event was also attended by Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable Adeyemi Ikuforiji; Chief Samuel Adedoyin, Chairman of Doyin Group of Companies and Prince Deji Oni, representing the governor of Kwara State.

Others are notable filmmakers Chief Tunde Oloyede, Tunde Kelani, Mahmood Ali-Balogun and comedians such as Babyface and Kofi.

With the foreword by Prof. Jonathan Haynes of the Long Island University, USA, the book, a collection of scholarly essays, is the first of its kind that is devoted to the work of a single Nigerian film director. It interrogates the thematic focus and cinematic style employed in The Figurine, while also using that singular work to engage the new trends in Nollywood.

Other contributors to the 455-page book include Dr. Sola Osofisan, Dr. Dele Layiwola, Dr. Chukwuma Okoye, Jane Thorburn, Matthew H. Brown, Gideon Tanimonure, A.G.A Bello, Foluke Ogunleye and Prof. Hyginus Ekwuazi.

An ‘Afterword’ on “Neo-Nollywood and its Other” by the prolific scholar, Dr. Onookome Okome, is also provided in the book, in addition to a series of interviews with key actors and technicians who featured in The Figurine.

Nollywood star, Ngozi Nwosu, famously called Peace, has remained relevant in the nation’s movie industry, more than two decades after she launched her acting career. But there was a kind of twist in her hitherto inspiring tale when she was laid up with a kidney-related ailment. As expected, it was a trying period for her. But God intervened in her plight, as she was literally rescued from the vice-like grip of death. Today, the fair-complexioned acting delight is back to the profession that has given her fame and fortune. Her new looks even easily betray her peace of mind. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, the actress speaks on life after the ‘storm’, among other things.

YOU don’t seem to have any trust in the Health Insurance scheme for Nollywood practitioners, do you?

When you hear Health Insurance scheme, what comes to your mind is that you are ‘covered’, no matter the nature of your sickness.  But it becomes a different ball game when you now realise that you have to pay a certain amount of money, even though they will still tell you it doesn’t cover this or that. So, what am I paying for? I might as well go to a hospital, pay from my pocket and move ahead. Even tuberculosis and diabetes that are treated free-of- charge in most government hospitals, some HMOs (Human Maintain Organisation) will tell you that you are on your own.

 Are you fully returned to acting?

Well, I have been on some locations. But as it is now, I have to take my time. It is no longer the tough roles for now. I do jobs that I know are not too strenuous. Jobs that are challenging have a way of taking a toll on you physically; so, for me, nothing challenging for now. And to God be the glory, I just got back from location some two weeks ago. It’s a gradual thing for now, but I will be back. If I don’t know my limit, after all I have gone through, then, it means I’m crazy. I know what I ought to do and what I ought not to do.

How long do your fans have to wait before you get back to your good old self? They have come to know you to play some very cantankerous characters like Peace in Fuji House of Commotion.

I am still active. But as I said, I can’t do any strenuous job for now on health grounds. If you look at me, you will see that I am wearing a pair of sandals.  But this is not me; it is for health reason. When I am okay, I will be back to myself.

In those turbulent moments, what was on your mind?

In those turbulent moments, I wasn’t thinking of having this or having that. It was a prayer of staying alive and I just want to give Him the glory. Looking at me today, you will never know that this is the Ngozi that the whole country gathered to pray for me. And I am happy that their prayers were not in vain. A lot of people went through what I went through and they didn’t live to tell the story. Some didn’t go through half of what I experienced and they are gone. Some just slept and they never woke up. So, in everything, one should give thanks to the Maker, the Creator of heaven and earth, which is God.

You are a very fashionable person. Do you miss wearing some things you used to wear back then?

Yes, I’m very fashionable. But if you look at me now, I am an orobo. There are no two ways about it. It is because of my health. I am an exercise freak, but because of my health, I cannot exercise for some time now. By the grace of God, when I’m back to myself fully, you will see the Ngozi you know.

You still look really radiant; so, how do you handle male advances?

How will you handle it? You have to be cheerful. It’s only a dead meat that doesn’t have admirers. So long as you are in the public eye, men will admire you. You are bound to be admired by the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s for you to say, ‘Thank you! It’s all good! It’s well.’

Who is your ideal man?

My ideal man, frankly, is a man that has the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. If a man doesn’t have the fear of God, forget it! Every other thing you are doing is rubbish. And between you and me, how many men have the fear of God?

What about the physical attributes?

 I believe in the school of thought that says if you want to eat frog, eat the one that has eggs. I love men who are handsome and brainy. If you are ugly and you’ve got something upstairs, you are welcome.  But I don’t want a fine man without brains.

Is that the reason you are still single?

No, there is no complete being in life. It’s just about knowing what you can put up with and what you cannot.

Would you say, ‘Yes, I do’, if you find the right person now?

Yes, of course! Why won’t I say, ‘Yes, I do’?

You are in your 50s; so, what are your wishes?

My desire is that the Lord should keep me and the usefulness that He has given me should not depart from me; that God should grant me the wisdom to know Him better and that He should always guide my footsteps.

When are you going to produce your own movie?

That’s something I’ve been doing. I was the producer of Onga Seasoning, a radio programme, for four years. But I have not produced my own movie before. The only movie that I know I have co-produced was the one I produced with Okechukwu Ogujiofor and K.O.K, after Living in Bondage. For me, it’s one thing at a time. I don’t believe that because everybody is producing, then I should produce. There is time for everything and when it gets to that time, I will produce mine.

How would you rate the administration of the AGN under Ibinabo Fibresima?

I must say Ibinabo has done exceedingly well for herself and as president of AGN, unlike the past leaders. Although no one is perfect, she still has one or two things to do.

What areas would you want to see some improvements?

Oh! There are so many, but it is not something we can be talking about today.

How do you unwind?

Sometimes, I go to my friends’ places and hangout. Sometimes, I’m at home; and when I’m home, I stay glued to Telemondo. My home is my comfort zone. The truth of the matter is, when you watch Telemondo, you will find out that nobody is perfect. You see their mistakes, but they have good stories. In Nollywood, you will see our mistakes and we don’t have good stories. All our scriptwriters have gone to bed. They are busy recycling stories. I mean there is no substance in most of our movies. And that’s why I don’t really watch Nollywood movies these days.

How do you start a regular day?

A regular day, for me, is when I wake up. Immediately I rise from the bed, I give thanks to God. I take a cup of coffee and then, I drink water, so I can remove all the waste products from my system. A lot of people do not know that when they wake up, they should drink, at least, a glass of water.

Among all your movies, which one would you say you hold dearly to your heart?

Well, I would say the beginning of Nollywood industry, which is Living in Bondage. Though it was produced a long time ago, it’s a movie that has stood the test of time.

IT was a day of glory for Nollywood actress, Judith Audu, as her advocacy flick, Not Right, was screened at the recently held movie festival organised by the Nigerian film Society at the Old Film Unit of the Nigerian Film Corporation.

The third film and the only Nigerian movie screened at the event generated a round of applause by the audience.

Didi Cheeka, curator of the film screening, commended the actress for the courage to screen the flick and embark on an advocacy drive against domestic violence.

Producer of the 10-minute short film was given the floor as the movie generated a heated debate among the audience, even as kudos was given to the technical handling of the movie.

“A lot of people don’t know that men are not supposed to hit their wives. But some women believe that a man who loves them is supposed to hit them. And I think domestic violence thrives because people make excuses for their spouses. I think it is time we became brave and talked about this topic, while proffering ways of stemming the scourge. The world needs to know that it is ‘not right’ for one to hit his or her spouse. Presently, we are in talks with the government and some NGOs to see how the flick can be adapted as a campaign theme,” Audu stated.

RENOWNED gospel music producer, Wole Oni, had cause to glorify God recently as he was conferred with both Lifetime Crystal Award and appointed UN Youth Ambassador for Peace. Consequently, he brought friends, fans and family together on Friday, July 25, to celebrate with him. “I’m excited today and grateful to God for His numerous blessings upon my life. Words cannot express my joy. We are here to celebrate my latest additions, my UN Youth Peace ambassadorship and my Crystal Lifetime Achievement Award, which I won penultimate Sunday. “I am most excited about the UN Youth Peace Ambassadorship because I have been looking for such a platform to preach the gospel of peace. Before now, I have been involved in peace initiatives at the grassroots, but this is a whole new ball game,” he said. On how he intends to use his UN platform to promote peace, Oni said: “Music is a powerful tool and without peace, there cannot be any development; so, we need to sensitise people and let them know that they can be what they want to be.With peace, you can change the world. We need to create songs that can change people’s attitudes. It’s all about those extra-ordinary things that ordinary people do,” he said. With a career spanning over 20 years, Oni has won numerous awards. Some of his hits include Igwe by Midnight Crew, Ko Si Oba Bi Re by Folake Umosen and Onyeka Onwenu’s Goodluck Jonathan Peace Initiative song, among others.

GOtv, a new digital pay television offering on the digital terrestrial television platform, at the weekend, launched its services in Abeokuta, Ogun State, offering exciting programming for the indigenes.

The General Manager, GOtv Nigeria, Mrs. Elizabeth Amkpa, said: “GOtv is enabling the Nigerian government to achieve a speedy migration from analogue to digital broadcasting, using the latest technology DVB-T2.”

According to her, digital migration will change the outlook to television entertainment in Nigeria.

Digital terrestrial television, she added, offers access to more channels, clearer pictures, better sound quality and electronic programme guide, which are provided by GOtv.

“With up to 41 channels on GOtv, our subscribers are spoiled for choice. GOtv’s channel lineup includes: AfricaMagic, AfricaMagic Movies, AfricaMagic World, AfricaMagic Yoruba, AfricaMagic Hausa, E! Entertainment, Discovery World, eTV Africa, Vox Africa, SuperSport Select and SuperSport Blitz, Al Jazeera, CNN, Channel O, MTV Base, Disney Junior, Nickelodeon, JimJam, Islam Channel, One Gospel, Sound City and Black Belt TV which gives families a great selection.

“The world cup may be over, but GOtv continues to keep families entertained.   While men look forward to the start of a new football season, the month of August sees the coming of exciting new programmes to GOtv, especially tailored for the viewing pleasure of women and kids”, she said.

According to her, “From August 4, kids can catch new episodes of Kung Fu Panda on Nickelodeon and the first ever Disney Junior Original Movie Lucky Duck, which premieres on Saturday, 23 August. MTV Base sets aside August 9 to 10 as Women’s Weekend with Whitney Houston, Riri’s Rockin Records, Official Nicki Minaj Top 20 and 20 female artistes who changed the game. Viewers can Tweet request using the hash tag, #LADIESOFHIPHOP.

“For the romantics, Broken Angel premieres on Telemundo will premiere on August 18.  On Monday, August 25, the Primetime Emmy Awards will kick-start the 2014 awards season. Therefore, GOtv subscribers can be part of the excitement as Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic report live from the red carpet on E! Entertainment. Also, on E!’, the ‘Fashion Police’ serve up ‘best’ and ‘worst’ dressed at the 2014 Primetime Emmy Awards & Video Music Awards, as legendary comedienne Joan Rivers and her team of fashion experts review the styles from the red carpet, passing their verdict on the fashion hits and misses on Wednesday,  August 27.”

About two months after he was appointed the acting Director of the Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF), Fred Amata, a veteran actor, director and producer, seems to have been having a brainstorm on how to raise the profile of the festival founded 11 years ago by Fidelis Duker.  In particular, the award-winning thespian is interested in changing the face of the festival by making it truly international.

Speaking with reporters recently in Port Harcourt, Amata, who will be co-hosting the coming BON awards with OAP Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi, said: “The good thing to know is that the vision of the Abuja International Film Festival is very clear. Over the years, there have been challenges to actually attain it. So, my task is actually pursuing that vision and bringing new twists to it. For instance, we have decided that because Nollywood is such an influence on the society today, we want to have an opening night at the highest possible level.  We are looking at hosting it at Presidential Villa. Also, we know that there are several movies still in the works in Nigeria today and we have sourced one of them, 1987, a film by my colleague, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen O’dua. We are positive that it will be the opening film of the festival. It will be premiering to open the Abuja International Films Festival. For us, that is the way to go. The world over, the biggest films try to go to the biggest festivals for their premiere before they get to the market place.

“We have another film coming from collaboration between myself and some international companies, including Akon who has now gone into film-making. Apart from this, we are hoping that we can get collaboration with the Chinese government to bring some of their major stars and movies. We have a major china movie with Jackie Chan in it and it will be showcased at the festival. We are hoping he will grace the ceremony, barring any logics problems. That is the path that any film festival must toe, if it must become truly international. So, that is what we are trying to achieve.”

The 11th Abuja International Film Festival AIFF is scheduled to hold between September 23 and 26 at the Prestigious Silverbird Cinemas, Abuja.

It will feature the screenings of over 60 cutting-edge films from around the world, with a special focus on films from the Nigerian movie Industry, otherwise called Nollywood, and Africa.

For the first time in the history of air travels, Emirates Airline has now introduced Audio Description on movies for visually impaired customers on its in-flight entertainment system, information, communication and entertainment (ICE) Digital Widescreen.

By this arrangement, visually impaired persons from Nigeria travelling to Dubai or any part of the world on Emirates Airline will henceforth enjoy great moment of entertainment on board.

Emirates’ ICE, which  was recently awarded the ‘World’s Best Airline In-flight Entertainment’ award at the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards for the 10th consecutive year, now offers Audio Description soundtracks on 16 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures films, including Frozen, Saving Mr. Banks, Cars 2, Monsters University, Marvel’s The Avengers, Toy Story 3 and all four Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Audio Description, increasingly common in cinemas and TV, is a recorded narration explaining the scene during the gaps in dialogue, while the film soundtrack continues at its normal pace.

“Our focus is not just the depth and diversity of our on-board entertainment, but also relevance. Making entertainment accessible to our diverse customers is very important to us. It was our motivation to introduce movies that can be enjoyed by customers with visual difficulties. Our greatest satisfaction comes from delivering an exceptional customer experience, which we hope our constant innovation fulfils. In future, we want to add more content with Audio Description, so visually impaired passengers can be entertained with an even wider choice of contents when flying with us,” said Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ Vice President, Corporate Communications Product, Publishing, Digital & Events.

Emirates’ award-winning ice Digital Widescreen offers a staggering choice of over 1,800 channels of entertainment, including over 400 movies from around the world, hundreds of hours of TV and thousands of hours of music from contemporary to classical.

In 2007, Emirates also worked with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures to introduce Closed Captions, the technology used by the hard of hearing, for the first time in in-flight entertainment. It also involves showing the actors’ dialogues in subtitles and references to sound effects used in the movie.

According to her, the ICE Digital Widescreen this month will offer over 50 movies with Closed Captions.

•Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, Fred Amata to host awards

Again, it is evident that the organisers of the sixth edition of the annual Best of Nollywood (BON) awards are set to put up a spectacular show on Saturday, October 4, as the nominees were unveiled last Friday at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, amidst palpable enthusiasm.

The nominees’ unveil, which was one of the pre-awards events to gather momentum for the ceremony in October, was, undoubtedly, the culmination of over three months of very engaging critical reviews by the Screeners’ Committee led by Niran Adedokun, a Marketing Communications expert and entertainment enthusiast.

Hosted by Nollywood star, Bayray Mcnwizu, who looked dashing in a yellow sleeveless short gown, the nominees’ unveil, a wholly media event, kicked off with the speech by the Founder/ Executive Producer of the awards, Seun Oloketuyi, who expressed gratitude to Governor Rotimi Amaechi for his support towards the coming awards ceremony that will be hosted by both Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi, a popular on-air personality, and Fred Amata, a respected Nollywood star. “It is a day for producers, filmmakers who have worked tirelessly and invested their monies in the year under review to make us happy. It is also to appreciate their hard work and ingenuity to make Nollywood better. Though getting finances to organise the event is very tough, we are focused on what we set out to do. Besides, we are lucky to have people who have always bailed us out at the last minutes,” said Oloketuyi, who is also a publisher.

According to Adedokun, about 150 films were entered for the 32 professional categories this year, out of which 23 were short films, while 20 were disqualified for various reasons, ranging from inability to meet the terms and conditions set by the organisers to failure to submit the required number of copies.

Adedokun, who emphasised that the nominees represent the best productions shot or released in Nigeria in the past 12 months, further said: “Over the past years, BON has set for itself a mission of encouraging  various participants in the film industry  to not just be at their best, but to aspire to be the best possible. This, no doubt, shows in the progressive improvement that we have continued to see in the quality of films produced in the country as well as the quality of professionals that have emerged over  the years. The BON idea is that we don’t have to wait until we have the best before we celebrate what we have. The idea is to celebrate what we have currently, while working with every other stakeholder to ensure that we get to where we should be. While we are not where we should be, we certainly are not where we were before. From the entries we got for this year’s awards, we can boldly say that filmmaking in Nigeria has moved from the era of mere mercantile enterprise into an enduring era of competence and professionalism.”

As part of the vision of the organisers, a new award category has also been created to encourage the development of indigenous movies in the three main Nigerian languages: Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. Adedokun, however, lamented that only one Igbo film was entered this year. “But we hope the situation will be different in subsequent years,” he added.  Also, another development in the awards, according to him, is the introduction of two new categories: Best Television Series award and Best Documentary award.

A Nollywood enthusiast, he urged filmmakers, whom he said are now telling good stories, to endeavour to marry the technique and language of filmmaking with their stories.   What we need to do is to find a way to marry our technical and professional capacity with the latent and unused business potentials available to us as a people,” he stated.

The occasion also offered a peep into the background surrounding the relationship between the organisers and the Rivers State government. In his address, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Tony Okocha, who unveiled the nominees on behalf of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, described the relationship with the organisers as reciprocal. According to him, “When a lot of people thought there was insecurity foisted on us circumstantially and when they thought a situation of self-help had been foisted on us, we said it was not true. We kept saying there was peace and tranquility in the state. But the organisers of BON had the opportunity of coming here to join us in our programmes. They moved from street to street with us to the extent that the Governor agreed to the proposal to host a dinner. So, that allayed the fear of people who thought there was no security in the state. As a result, we were able to regain our lost glory, as nobody was kidnapped or harassed. Therefore, when you came to our rescue, I don’t see why we should not reciprocate.”

It was, however, a moment of sober reflection when Kingsley James, Head of Organising Committee, announced plans by the organisers to honour the late filmmaker and director, Amaka Igwe, for her immense contributions to the growth of Nollywood. “We have taken it upon ourselves to continue to remember the late Amaka Igwe; so, we have unanimously endowed the award for the Director of the Year in her name. The award category will now be known as the Amaka Igwe Director of the Year category.”

IT was a most exciting moment last Thursday when Adesoji, a movie that chronicles the grass-to-grace story of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, Governor of the State of Osun, was premiered in Ilesa, Osun State, amidst fanfare.

Adesoji, which has been described as inspiring, stars notable Yoruba actors like Lere Paimo, Kareem Adepoju, Bukky Wright, Adewale Elesho, Alhaji Ade Adenrele and Bola Obot, among others.

The director of the movie, Akin Olu-Philips, said viewers would be amazed with what he described as the untold stories about Aregbosola’s birth, his revolt against cheating while in the primary school, life as a bachelor and how he met his wife, among others.

“This motion picture is an attempt to share with the general public a compacted presentation of some of the life experiences that formed the person of Ogbeni. I believe it will guide the public to have a better understanding of his person and be inspired thereby.”

Also, the executive producer, Mr. Razaaque Animashaun, said: “ It is intended to be a motivating material as it highlights Ogbeni’s struggles to claim back his mandate for three-and-half years, his achievements in the last three years in the State of Osun and, most importantly, to show that our country can actually produce such a visionary leader.”

We basically struggled to break the ice, so we started by sharing our likes and dislikes then our individual experiences. He kept saying ‘…back in school that was when I met this girl or that girl’. So I knew I was right, he was a cute rookie; barely knew anything about relationships. I picked up my phone and sent him a message on Palmchat:

‘Don’t worry dear, I don’t bite…it’s my first date too’.

He simply cracked open and laughed his embarrassment away, that was the peak of the moment and when I fell in love with him. He replied on Palmchat:

‘Thanks dear, I didn’t know it was so obvious…Jblushing face’.

How did I meet Francis? Ok, are you a Palmchatter? If you are then you must have seen the Look-Around feature, right? Cool (if you ain’t a Palmchatter…er, I guess you just have to imagine itJ). I live at Alaka Estate just after national Stadium at Surulere and yeah, one boring afternoon with my friends I was playing on Palmchat with the Look-Around feature then I saw him, he was also within the Estate but I didn’t chat him up right away-naa, my friends Tonke and Mimi coaxed me. They won’t let me be; we were all bored and just didn’t know what to do. That is after of course bringing Mimi out of her sulky mood; she had a fight with her man a night before and we were kind of resolving the issue at my place. That was when they turned on me to get myself a man.

They knew I wanted one and my loveable friends never made me feel bad about my failed relationships (guys if you’re reading this, I love ya…#hugs). It was actually Tonke who suggested ‘we’ (in this case, ‘we’ means ‘I’) try the Palmchat Look-Around feature, that it is cool and since one can really spot the spot the person one is chatting with if close, it won’t be such a bad idea to try a blind date. So, voila I did (lol) hit on Francis using the Look-Around feature and …my god, he responded.

It is been a year and 4 months I met Francis Usoh; a civil engineer with Messrs. Julius Berger and life has been quite a fantasy. Yeah I had been quite bothered; I wasn’t getting any younger, at 32 I felt sometimes that ugly feeling of having missed out, you know, not being part of the lot anymore-old bloody cargo (lol). But it is funny, I am standing in front of the mirror dressed up in a wedding gown, this is the fourth gown I have tested and it still feels like a dream. Well, Francis after the last Valentine night while he was dropping me off sent me a rather…well (chest heaving) interesting message on Palmchat. He asked me to marry him; I looked at my phone, saw the message and tears swelled in my eyes. He was still driving with his face on the road like he didn’t just set the fire within me. Of course I replied:

‘I will Frank, I will…Jblushing face’.

He looked at his phone; saw my reply and heaved a deep sign of relief and then he smiled and turned around and kissed me (if he had crashed our car kissing me, I bet we won’t have noticed). I can never forget that night was; it till causes a stir within me how I met my hubby on Palmchat.

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Amidst all the intense divorce speculations, a New York Post report suggests that Beyoncé and Jay Z may not complete their On the Run tour, slated to run through mid-September due to the relationship problems that seemed to be the talk of the town since the famous Elevator-gate scandal with Solange.

According to The New York Post last Saturday, Live Nation, concert promoter, HBO, and at least four lawyers attended an emergency meeting Thursday to address the marriage issues between the couple as there is around $100 million at stake if it comes to an end.

Even though the concert executives wanted to release a statement, this was not possible as Beyoncé & Jay Z couldn’t agree on the wording.

According to the report Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino and HBO chief Richard Plepler wanted the meeting before “this becomes a public-relations nightmare. Rapino is pissed that everything is so out in the open and things are so heated,” the source said.

Apparently, things have reached such a low between Beyoncé & Jay Z that, while on tour, they are residing in different hotel rooms: “They’re not just staying in different hotel rooms, but they have booked separate hotels, and they arrive separately to each show,” the source claims.

Even though Jay’s “controlling ways” are the source of the blame for the conflict, the source said he doesn’t want Bey playing the victim, as he feels he is justified:

“They’ve had discussions lately about the inevitable sit-down interview when they finally do split, and Jay’s been adamant that he doesn’t want Beyoncé sitting down with Barbara Walters or Oprah Winfrey pretending to be the victim,” the source said.

If Beyoncé and Jay Z will eventually come clean and release an official statement, they have to consider the huge amount of money at stake before any announcement.

Sensational Yoruba rap star, Olamide Adedeji, famously called Olamide, has disclosed that he is done with collaborations with other artistes for the remaining part of the year.

The rapper, who in recent times has been doing collaborations with other Nigerian artistes, said, via the social media, that he wanted to face his personal career as a solo artiste.

He made this known after his recent collaboration with the duo, Skuki, adding that it was his last for the year.

Olamide has done collaborations with other artistes like Wale, Falz, Illbliss, KWAM 1, Lil Kesh and Patoranking, among others.

Icon Weekly, a Nigerian soft-sell publication, has retracted its story concerning sensational pop singer, Tuface Idibia, who was alleged to have been involved in an adultery mess.

In March, the weekly magazine literally sparked off some controversies when it reported that one Teniola, a Lagos-based banker and graduate of the University of Lagos, Akoka, was pregnant for the award-winning music superstar.

In its reaction, 960 Music Group, Tuface Idibia’s management, released a statement refuting the report.

Obviously miffed, the artiste later sued the publication for N100 million.

However, as the publishers of the magazine seemed to desire an out-of-court settlement, they wrote a letter of apology to the artiste’s management.

Upon receipt of the letter, Tuface Idibia’s management released it online for public consumption.

The letter reads in parts: “On behalf of the Management of Tegs Icon Ventures, publishers of Icon Weekly Magazine, I write in respect of our publication of (Vol. 01 No. 09) March 3, 2014 alleging that you were involved in an adultery mess with a Lagos banker.

“We admit that we failed to verify the source or contact your team (960 Media Group) for a response before printing the fabricated story. We have since discovered that the story was( false) and regret the embarrassment it has caused you and your family.

“We regret the indiscretion and hereby sincerely apologise for our errors as our reporter was completely misinformed.

“We hope you would accept our apology and forgive us.”

Ukeje Okechukwu Edward, aka Mr. Raw, has broken the silence on why he has been off the music scene for some time.

According to the Igbo rap artiste, his silence was as a result of his desire to give room for budding singers in the industry to make headway in their careers.

He also attributed his absence to the need to grow his new record label, Raw Deal. “My major project right now is the artistes I want to push out on my label, Raw Deal. I will release their names when the time is right. I am trying to assist other up-and-coming artistes to make it, entertainment-wise,” he disclosed.

Formerly known as Nigga Raw, the artiste also expressed joy over the new development in the industry where, according to him, many are now rapping in indigenous languages.

“It is a plus, which means we are doing more. I started rapping in Igbo when nobody was doing it. It wasn’t that easy then for people to accept it; but now, it makes a whole lot of sense. I actually feel entertained seeing other artistes do what I started. I feel great when I see people like Phyno doing what I started,” he was quoted to have said.

From indications, Hapiness Ayomide, a 28-year-old English school teacher, who resigned her appointment to contest the reality show, Star The Winner Is, knows her onions.

Ayomide, with poise and melody, has moved a nitch closer to the grand prize of N10million and a brand new car, joining previous winners, Philip and Brenda of episode 1 and 2, respectievly.

The teacher, who was most cheered by the studio crowd during last weekend’s game show, proved in more ways than one that, apart from her academic profession, her melodious voice is an added asset.

Clad in a dazzling black and gold dress, Ayomide delivered a vocally outstanding performance of ‘At Last’ by Etta James, making her win the first round duel against opponent, Michael, with a whopping 99 votes from the 101 jury.

“I had to resign my job to come for this show, so that my kids won’t suffer. I am absolutely glad that this has paid off,” she said excitedly.

The final duel round of the episode between Happiness and Chize Ordu gave the judges a tough time selecting a winner. However, Happiness emerged victorious with an impressive soulful rendition of Alicia Keys’ ‘Brand New Me’.

With great songs from astounding artistes such as 2face Idibia, Onyeka Onwenu, Praiz, Barrywhite,Whitney Houston and others, all the contestants, Ayomide, Chize, Oluwaseyi, Micheal, Victoria and Brigid had delivered a thrilling show that kept the jury members and audience at the edge of their seats.

Sponsored by Star Lager, a brand of Nigerian Breweries Plc., The Winner Is airs on Saturdays on African Magic at 10:00pm; Sundays on AIT Network at 10:30pm; Sundays on WAP TV at 10:30pm; Thursdays on ONTV at 10pm, as well as other stations nationwide.

Fresh from touring the U.S., where he performed with international acts like Akon and Wale, Nigerian music sensation, Wizkid, has revealed that he has some cards up his sleeves.

The hit maker, who has been basking in the euphoria of his successful tour, announced at the weekend, via his twitter handle, that he had a surprise for his fans.

He tweeted: “I’ve got a big, big surprise for my fans in Lagos come December! Big show! Big surprise!”

Immediately after he made the announcement, twitter fans bombarded the artiste with predictions on what his intention might be. Many, however, were of the opinion that the music rave might be releasing his long- awaited album. But, of course, Wizkid is keeping his plans close to his chest and only time will tell, if some of his fans were actually right about their predictions.

With a never-say-die attitude, former General Manager of National Theatre of Nigeria, Professor Ahmed Yerima, has continued to promote the stage play culture, going by his latest work, The Wives, scheduled for performance in October.

The show, which is planned as a continuum of the October 1 Independence Day celebrations, will feature veteran artistes such as Joke Silva, Kate Henshaw, Jide Kosoko, Iretiola Doyle and Lala Akindoju.

Presented by The Make it Happen Productions, producers of Open Mic Theatre and V-Monologues, the play will be showing at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, on October 9, 10 and 11.

Ther Wives, in the words of the producer, Kemi Lala Akindoju, focuses on the intriguing character called Chief Theophilus Gbadegeshin Olowookere, his sister and his three wives, Angela, Cecilia and Tobi.

“We are excited about this play,” said Akindoju, who is also the Creative Director of Make it Happen. “These are immensely talented members of cast and the audience is going to leave the play thoroughly entertained,” he added.

According to Akindoju, “The question: ‘can a man keep his most cherished secrets forever?’ is the central theme of the play,” she said, adding that “there lies a sordid little secret and no one wants to talk about it. It is a dark comedy rich in sensuality and scathing humour.”

The author, Yerima, is also a former Artistic Director of National Troupe of Nigeria.

Del-York Creative Academy (DCA) has commenced its 2014 hands-on intensive film-making workshop tagged Film Made in Nigeria.

Tailored towards improving the skills and creative capacity of filmmakers and broadcast journalists in Nigeria, the four-week programme, which holds at Digital Bridge Institute, Lagos, will feature intensive hands-on courses  on producing, directing, acting, digital film-making and broadcast journalism, among others.

According to the management, only select members from the Directors Guild of Nigeria, The Nigerian Society of Editors, Creative Designers Guild of Nigeria, Screenwriters Guild of Nigeria, Nigerian Society of Cinematography, Actors Guild of Nigeria and the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) will enjoy first-class training from tutors of the Del-York Creative Academy.

“With a penchant for quality training, the Academy engaged trainers from Los Angeles and New York who have since arrived Lagos and are excited and overly ready to impact the students and expose them to high-tech equipment and methods that will make them equal contenders with their international counterparts,” said Linus Idahosa, CEO of Del-York International.

Del-York international in partnership with the New York Film Academy has, so far, trained over 650 aspiring and professional filmmakers, some of whom have either received or been nominated to win several local and International awards.

This year’s programme is supported by the Project Act-Capacity Building Fund, which is dedicated to supporting skills acquisition along the entire value chain of the Nigerian entertainment industry.

If efforts by the Sakara Music Fans Group (SMFG) are anything to go by, then, this seemingly ‘eclipsed’ genre of Yoruba music, Sakara, may soon regain its relevance in the Nigerian music industry.

In line with this vision, all roads will literally lead to the Feminar Hall, LTV Ground, Ikeja, Lagos on Sunday, August 17, as the SMFG holds the Sakara legends Day.

According to the organisers, the forthcoming event, which is being supported by Intercontinental Distillers Limited( IDL), is designed to celebrate the memories of Sakara exponents like the late Yusuf Ajao Olatunji Ojuroungbe, aka Baba L’egba, and Lefty Salami Balogun, for their contributions to the development, sustenance and promotion of Sakara Music in Nigeria.

In a release, Hakeem Adenekan, Group Secretary, SMFG, said:  “We shall be honouring these legends in different award categories, including Sakara Lifetime Award and Sakara Legends Award.”

Adenekan, who is also the CEO of Commstrat Communications, said the event, which is already generating buzz among Sakara enthusiasts, would also feature presentations by Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL) and Ijebulawa teams.