IT was excitement and fun galore in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Wednesday as people converged on the new fast- growing family entertainment mall, The Ventura, to mark the nation’s independence day.

The beautification of the place with a torch of green white green made the venue, which berthed in May this year, the cynosure of all eyes.

An excited mother, Mrs. Serah Johnson, who brought her kids to have fun at the mall, said: “I am happy that Ibadan is fast developing and what we are seeing at The Ventura today proves that Ibadan has come of age.

Speaking with newsmen at the venue, the Ventura’s spokesperson and consultant, Phizzle, said: ” The Ventura is an exciting, all- encapsulating hub of entertainment. It gives you a new mix of entertainment that has never being so combined because of the unique freshness, the daring environment and the serene airspace that it seeks to create.”

The highlight of the fun-filled day was the raffle draw,  as many went home with exciting rewards.

Where is Bukky Osunkeye? That is a question that has agitated the minds of many society watchers for some time now. After her ubiquitous face on the social scene, Bukky has for some time now become a scarce item in social circles. Her absence is so total that her whereabouts or current engagement is not even within the realm of speculation.

When Bukky, daughter of Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, a former managing director of Nestle Nigeria Plc, entered the social scene with a bang some years ago, not a few people had thought that the self-driven lady would etch her marks in the social landscape.

And she actually did. She made an immediate impact and leveraged on that momentary buzz to open her T-shirt and leather outfit called De’La Zaria on Sanusi Fafunwa Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. But two years after, the once busy celebrity fashion house was closed down. She then moved to television broadcasting as a co-anchor of Style Me, a fashion television programme, for just a season.

She has since given partying or any social outing a wide berth. No one seems to know what she has been up to lately. Could it be that she has found a place in the corporate sector where her dad was a giant and still pulls the strings as a member of the boards of numerous companies in the private sector?

TOUTED as Africa’s first Global Black entertainment and lifestyle network, EbonyLife TV has launched in South Africa and Southern African countries.

The channel is gradually expanding its coverage of Africa, having been broadcasting to DStv customers in 44 countries in West, East and Central Africa since its launch in July 2013.

With over 1000 hours of African programming from a variety of genres  including reality, talk shows, drama, entertainment, food, politics, music, news, lifestyle and comedy shows, CEO of EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu said the channel is aimed at youth aged 18 to 34 who constantly yearn for real African content that speaks to their shared values.

“We are extremely excited about EbonyLife TV’s extension into the Southern African and South African markets, barely a year after our launch. This expansion is due to our success in the rest of Africa. We are proud of the fact that we are a 100 percent homegrown,” she said.

In the words of Aletta Alberts, GM for Content for MultiChoice, “EbonyLife TV is the perfect example of how entertaining local content can travel across the continent. I’m sure our DStv Compact, Extra and Premium customers will enjoy the wide variety of entertainment on this channel  there really is something for every member of the family. This is Africa at its best.”

On EbonyLife this September, viewers across Africa will be captivated with sizzling, spell binding and action-packed dramas such as An African City, the story of five young ladies who decide to return home to Africa, with each episode shot as a pulsating new adventure. In another drama, Dowry, two feuding families are being forced to an uneasy truce by the impending marriage of their children until the groom disappears five hours to the wedding.

In Learning Curves, five first year students at The Providence University in Abuja who have come from different backgrounds and with varying perceptions about life on campus are forced to live together, against their better choices, as part of the school’s research programme. As the quest for power heightens, the search for love increases as the need for acceptance deepens.

Fattening Room follows six extremely beautiful, feisty and modern women from Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Kenya through a compelling journey of self-discovery in the picturesque city of Calabar as they seek to re-discover the magical legacies of the timeless Efik tradition.

THE efforts of Nigeria’s apex movie industry regulator, the National Film and Video Censors’ Board (NFCVB) to redefine the movie sector of the nation’s economy are not going un-noticed by some key industry players.

One of the latest endorsements is coming from multi- award winning filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, who has given kudos to the regulatory agency for the strides being made.

In a letter to the Director-General of the agency, Patricia Bala, Afolayan said: “Your strict enforcement of the Code of Ethics governing film and video production in Nigeria is highly commendable, which has resulted in improvement in quality of moral values.”

The leading filmmaker, who premiered his latest work, October 1, a psychological thriller, on Sunday, September 28, further underscored the impact the regulatory agency is making in the movie industry and by extension, the promotion of arts, cultures and traditions of the Nigerian people and the entire black race.

The city of Ibadan was thrown into mourning with the sudden death of its illustrious son and daughter, Otunba Lekan Abass and his wife, Folake, in quick succession. Ten days after the Ibadan-based socialite gave up the ghost as a result of cardiac arrest, his wife, who had been in coma for weeks, also died.

Otunba Abass’s death was said to have occurred after a call he received from his sister-in-law telling him that Folake’s health had seriously deteriorated. As he drove to the hospital in company with some friends, Otunba Abass reportedly developed partial stroke. His condition deteriorated so rapidly that he lost control of the car he was driving and it crashed into a wall. The first aid assistance his friends gave was futile as he breathed his last a few metres from the closest hospital.

The tragic incident was compounded by the eventual death of his wife who was said to have fallen into coma after some drugs were administered on her to manage her deep vein thrombosis (blood clot). Folake died penultimate Friday after two weeks in coma.

GHANAIAN actor, Chris Attoh, has earned himself another opportunity to star in a new movie, Zombie Ted, which will be shot in the United States.

The Tinsel star, who just got off the set of another movie, The Rangers, said he had been offered another opportunity to “rub shoulders with and get to work” with some more international movie makers.

“We had a producer on set who offered me another audition. In May 2015, I’m shooting a movie titled Zombie Ted,” the actor revealed.

Although Attoh did not reveal the details of the movie, he was so excited about the opportunity, saying: “I have been rubbing shoulders with the stars, indeed. I’ve always been putting Ghana on the map. It’s always good to hear people ask ‘Where is he from?’ and having them say ‘Ghana’.”

He had a son with his fiancée, Nigerian actress Damilola Agbite, recently.

At 68, ace Juju musician, Sunday Adegeye, aka King Sunny Ade (KSA) is still a busy bee. The Ondo State-born singing sensation and respected guitarist still commands a lot of respect, as he still clinches product endorsements and serenades his fans, at home and abroad, regularly. The famed King of World Beat recently spoke with some select journalists, including VICTOR AKANDE, on a number of issues that make him tick in the industry. Excerpts: 

THE thinking among your fans is that you have finally relocated to your home town, Agba, in Ondo State. How true is this?

I haven’t relocated to my country home yet because all my affairs, including my houses, businesses, major contacts, are still situated in Lagos. I’m still working out the modality and trying to tie up every loose end towards my eventual relocation here. The serenity of this place does me a lot of good every time I am here.

You still look fit and almost energetic, even as are now advanced in age. Could you tell us the secret?

I am grateful to God for keeping me fit, healthy and alive. Actually, all my exercise routines are mostly done when I’m performing on stage. I don’t have a personal gym in my house here in Ondo or in any of my houses in Lagos. I, however, do have a swimming pool, squash court and basketball court here in my country home, which I use regularly when I am around.

You are an energetic dancer and you keep a very busy schedule always, which should ordinarily be taking a toll on your health. So, how do you normally create time for medical check?

Yes, I do have medical check twice every year. But I have not been able to do that at all since last year. I am always very busy all year round and I practically have no breaks at all due to booking demands. It’s always one show, event or occasion after another all year round. I plan to start taking an annual vacation too, as I grow older. But for now, I’m really too busy to do that.

One easily noticed that you enjoyed every single moment with Bez while shooting a recent Glo commercial. Are you considering doing any collabo with him or any of the new generation of artistes?

What most people don’t know is that I am also a new school artiste or musician! Moreover, I perform at events regularly with these artistes and we get along pretty well. I performed with Olamide, Wizkid and others at Mo’Abdul’s 50th birthday celebrations recently and we had so much fun. So, I am very open to doing collaborations with anyone who’s willing to work with me.

Why are you not part of the Coke Open Studio Season 2?

That is totally the decision of the organisers who are at liberty to determine who gets to be a part of the project. However, I feel there could be a rotation policy involved in the selection. Besides, they could also look out for the choice or clamour by fans to base their invitation or re-invitation per season. Anyway, I had a truly awesome time during the first season. I did represent my crown well and did my fans world over proud.

How will you rate the music industry in Nigeria today?

I want to give all the glory to God almighty because it gladdens my heart a lot when I see how much ground our indigenous songs have gained over their foreign counterparts. I especially like the fact that Nigerian artistes are projecting their cultures and languages a lot more these days, rather than copying everything they see abroad. They have also managed to create a respectable style for themselves, which is very impressive.

How do you think Nigerian artistes can be more accepted abroad?

If there’s anything that I think could help improve on this, it lies majorly on the influence of the Nigerian media and how well we hype and project our own to the international community. It’s still hard presently for a Nigerian artiste to go to Europe or America and do sell-out shows or concerts at large venues. What they mostly do these days are shows in clubs and at small events abroad. I believe it all boils down to acceptability. So, the Nigerian media has a very big role in helping to create that international acceptability to the desired level.

What has changed about your stage performance now that you are 68?

Nothing has changed about my performance on stage or my style of music at all. I am 68 years old now; but as you can see, I am still looking quite young and healthy. Age is a limitation that affects a mind, which is set on it. Since I started my career, my own parameter on stage has always been the utmost joy and satisfaction of my audience and fans.

From your experience in the past years, what does it take to keep a band, for that matter, as a musician?

Of course, I still maintain a large band. My band presently averages between 23 and 50 members, depending on the size and requirements of the show or event. I have been moving a large band for decades and I am quite used to it by now. However, the major challenge these days is the economic situation in the country, which greatly determines the number of personnel on the band that travels with me when I’m going to perform abroad in present times. Back then, I could move everybody comfortably. But these days, we just leave a few members behind, in order to minimize the expenses.

It was once reported that some of your band members absconded while you were on a foreign tour. What really happened for the records?

Yes, I have had that in times past. What I usually advise all of the band members before we travel is to consider their actions well enough before doing something that will jeopardize their lives. If you don’t have all the required documents to stay in a foreign country, you will eventually be apprehended and deported one day. In that kind of situation, you can never come back to be a member of my band or even have the life you once had here before you made such a move. Most of the guys who travelled with my band and absconded in the past are back home in Ondo today roaming around and trying to make ends meet, while the wise ones who have stuck with me are doing pretty well today in their fatherland.

Could you recall if any experience had made you think of quitting the profession?

A man is destined to face many ups and downs in life.  So, I have had several of such times in my long career and life, but I have never thought of quitting music. Not even once! Besides, I have not found another occupation or any other thing I could call a means of livelihood; so, why would I ever think of quitting music.

Would you agree that Juju music is on the decline in Nigeria today?

I strongly believe that Juju music is not the only genre of music suffering in the country today. Nigerian music in general needs a doctor, and I’ll explain my point to you. Most musicians in this country right now can’t even afford to purchase the musical equipment they play because they are too expensive. A very good guitar, for instance, now goes for a minimum of about Sixty Thousand Naira (N60, 000) and Seventy Thousand Naira (N70, 000). Every genre of music in Nigeria is suffering because of the economic imbalance in the country.

It is totally false to think that Juju music is gradually dying out in Nigeria. A lot of people feel and actually claim that Fuji music is doing better than Juju these days, but the fact is simple: Fuji music and musicians are much louder and less sophisticated than their Juju counterparts. This is why Fuji seems to be everywhere. Of course, the calibre of people who listen to and patronize Juju music cannot in anyway be compared to that of Fuji music. Besides, Juju music can never die, as it has continued to influence a lot of other music genres, especially in the gospel music circles, in Nigeria today.

You were awarded an honorary Doctorate degree by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife a while back. Chief Ebenezer Obey too recently got the same honour from the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. How do you feel about these developments?

Thank you.  A lot is expected of us by these universities. We are expected to contribute immensely in every way we can to the development of music in these institutions by impacting both the knowledge and experiences we have garnered on the privileged students of music in these institutions. I did extend my warm congratulations to Chief Ebenezer Obey when I heard about his award. But I remain very proud to be the first Nigerian musician to be awarded this honour in the country.

How do you create time for your family, given your busy activities?

This is another area of my life that I am deeply grateful to God for because He has really helped me to maintain a balance and harmony that I otherwise might not have been able to achieve on my own. Over the years, my busy schedule has taken its toll on my family, as I’m seldom ever available. It has been God’s grace that has held the family together. Over the years, I have made sure to create more time to attend to my children, grandchildren and family members, especially anytime I retire to my country home here to relax and just enjoy a bit of leisure time these days.

IT was, undoubtedly, a glorious moment on Sunday, September 28, when the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN) held a three-one event, amidst pomp and circumstance, at the Hall of Grace, Jogor Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

On that historic day, the association held its national executive inauguration ceremony, swearing in of states’ executives and N50 million fund-raising for the completion of the national secretariat.  For majority of the members who came from across the country, it was another day with history, as they converged on the beautifully decorated hall, looking so glam and with great enthusiasm in the uniform Ankara dress. The event was chaired by Deacon Olatunde Oladokun.

Although the event, which was ably anchored by the duo of top broadcasters, Bashir Adisa, aka Baba Gboin, and Olasunkanmi Adebayo, aka Joge, kicked off some hours behind schedule, the hall soon came alive immediately His Royal Majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, the Alaafin of Oyo, arrived  in company with two of his adorable wives and a retinue of aides. As a mark of respect, ace Juju musician, King Sunny Ade, who had arrived a few minutes earlier, mounted the stage to welcome the Royal Father with a great performance. It was vintage KSA who sang to the delight of the Alaafia who was supported by his two Olori. They not only danced, but they also ‘sprayed’ the King of World Beat generously with some crisp naira notes before they took their exit in style.

However, even in the midst of the jollity, the incumbent president, Yemi Sonde, took the enthusiastic audience on what he called “The journey so far”. His speech, to put it mildly, centred essentially on the history of the association. Having duly recognised the presence of his predecessors, including Aare Olalomi Amole, Alhaji Fatai Adeniyi Dan Kazeem and Dr. Ambrose Somide respectively, he said:  “On Sunday, January 19, our great association conducted an election that ushered in the new national executives of FIBAN. Our election was a harbinger of good fortunes and pleasant surprises, as one of the friends of the association, Engr. Taiwo Kadri, MD/CEO, Katawa Properties Ltd., donated four plots of land to our association: two plots in Ibadan and two plots in Abeokuta. This, undoubtedly, was a great starting point, which propelled us into action. Thereafter, we held our first national executives meeting, where a roadmap was chattered for the administration and we resolved to work selflessly to move the association forward. At this inaugural meeting, the sum of N51, 000.00( Fifty One Thousand Naira) was raised as individual donations to open the first corporate account for proper accountability.

“With this determination, a re-branding of the association commenced and it started from our logo, colour scheme and to repositioning to reflect our essence.  Conscious efforts have been taken to change the orientation of members in order to move our great association forward. On April 2, 2014, the national executives were sworn in. We, therefore, swung into full action to achieve our goals. I say many thanks to Deacon Olatunde Oladokun, Executive Programmes Director, Self-Reliance Economic Advancement Programme (SEAP), who gave us the first N500,000( Five Hundred Thousand Naira). As if that was not enough, the humble and successful managing director of Chemstar Paints Industry, Mr. Remi Awode, also encouraged us by giving the association its first N1million( One Million Naira). In the same vein, my able immediate past president, Dr. Ambrose Somide, gave the association the sum of N50, 000(Fifty Thousand Naira). These donations gave us the impetus to start the construction of our national secretariat on our two plots in Ibadan. Within four months, the foundation was laid and the building is now at the roofing level. Let me acknowledge another donation of N1million each from Mr. Remi Awode and Deacon Olatunde Oladokun.”

Sonde, who disclosed that he would not re-contest for a second term, further disclosed that the association believes so much in human capacity development. “For the records, we have sent eight of our members from across the country to Radio Nigeria (FRCN) training school in Lagos and they have all graduated.  Another batch of members will be enrolled in January 2015. We have also successfully conducted states elections and so the newly elected states executives will be sworn in today… We all have uniform identity cards across the states. It is also worthy of note that we have embarked on spreading our tentacles to more states across the north and east. This is just the beginning. We still need N50million to complete the ongoing project and many more.”

FIBAN was initiated 14 years ago by the late veteran broadcaster, Prince Gbenga Adeboye.

UNILEVER Plc. has announced the call for applications to attend the Academy of African Filmmakers (AAF), a new initiative by Unilever designed to help filmmakers excel in their chosen field.

It is a partnership between Unilever and UK-based organisation, MOFILM, and is open to young African filmmakers between ages 18 and 30 seeking opportunities to improve their skills in storytelling and filmmaking.

According to the Vice President, Brand Building, Unilever Plc., Mr Robert-de Vreede, the partnership, which was inaugurated last August, is an opportunity for young African filmmakers to develop their skills and to excel in their chosen industry.

He said the project was to empower and celebrate young African filmmakers and that a South African director, producer and movie lecturer, Bearthur Mgoza Baker, had been appointed as leader of the facilitators that include Akin Omotoso, the award-winning Nigerian writer.

“In Unilever, we celebrate and treasure partnership, as it gives us strong footing in the industry. Nigeria has become the biggest economy in Africa as a result of the contributions of the creative industry. We strongly believe that this will create further job opportunities. We live on the fame of our brand and we use films to promote our brands. With the Academy, we want to support them in training and how to improve their skills in producing new films we can use to promote our products,” Vreede said.

To participate in the Academy, prospective candidates are expected to create contents for Lux, Knorr and Sunlight brands and they can apply for production grants to help create their entries.

Briefs for each brand can be accessed at www.MOFILM.com/AAF. Applications will close by mid-October, while briefs are expected to reach Unilever by end of October.

The Academy, which will hold in Lagos, Cape Town and Nairobi in    December this year, will involve a three-day intensive session during which candidates are expected to develop their storytelling skills and learn to identify, shape and articulate their professional vision.

“Specific curriculum topics will include ‘Your signature as a director and storyteller: How do you develop one? Who is your client and what are their expectations? And Dialogue in communion or conflict with your visuals: What works?,” he said.

UK-based MOFILM representative, Silja Frey, disclosed that 30 candidates would be selected for the three- day intensive session designed to improve the storytelling ability and how to make such stories interesting.

Also, a representative of MOFILM, Kerry Gafney, said the winning filmmaker for each brand would be flown to Cannes Lion Film Festival in France, where they would be celebrated.

The Manging Director of Unilever, Yaw Nsarkoh, said Unilever Plc. was not oblivious of the challenges of piracy, noting that it would be confronted, even though it is a global problem like counterfeiting.

•Dame Abimbola Fashola, Toyota boss laud filmmaker’s skill

THE Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, last Sunday, played host to notable Nigerians and foreigners from the political, business and movie sectors, when filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, premiered the much-anticipated film, October 1, a psychological thriller centered on the independence of Nigeria in 1960.

It was not a run-of-the-mill event, as old and young wore dresses that symbolised the fashion of various tribes back in the days. From Afro hairdo to Dansiki, Buba and sokoto sewed with rare stuff, the red carpet stood out, with celebrities wearing pleasantly funny looks. Expectedly, the mien set the mood for the hark-back-to movie, as guests mingled during cocktail, obviously savouring portraits and artifacts that reenacted pre-Independent Nigeria.

When it was time to see the movie, Beat FM’s Olisa Adibua, who was the Master of Ceremonies alongside comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, said he was sure the crowd would love the flick, as he had seen it at a previous press screening. True to the OAP’s words, guests were engrossed for the next two hours, charmed by the drama, comedy, intrigues and lessons of the film, as they laughed and clapped intermittently.

It is September 1960, and with Nigeria on the verge of independence from British colonial rule, a northern Nigerian Police Detective, Dan Waziri, is urgently dispatched by the colonial government to the trading post town of Akote in the Western Region of Nigeria to solve a series of female murders that have struck horror in the hearts and minds of the local community. On getting to Akote, more murders are committed, and with local tension high and volatile, Waziri has a race on his hands to solve the case before even more local women are killed.

Set against the backdrop of the national celebratory mood of the impending independence, Waziri is pulled into a game of cat and mouse as he and the killer try to outwit each other, thereby leading to the climatic end in which the life of a popular local female teacher and village belle, Tawa, is held in the balance. Waziri has to race against the clock to capture the killer, save Tawa and solve the crime before the British flag is lowered and the Nigerian flag raised on Independence Day.

Cast of the movie, most of whom were present at the Lagos premiere, includes Sadiq Daba, Demola Adedoyin, Kehinde Bankole, Kayode Aderupoko, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Bimbo Manuel, Ibrahim Chatta, Femi Adebayo, Kunle Afolayan, David Bailie, Nick Rhys, Colin David Reese, Lawrence Stubbings and Ifayemi Elebuibon.

While the work tries to provoke thoughts about events leading to the inevitable let-go by the colonial masters, the very dehumanizing vice of rape is used in the most decent manner that leaves so much to the imagination of the viewer.

There is a creative chain effect in the drama, and rape is used to carry the message through- from subtle molestation of an unwilling child, a raging anger grows and accompanies him into the future, where he becomes more volatile than valuable to his society.

October 1 is a film rich in the use of language. The language employed in the film is diverse as the characters are. Yoruba is predominantly the language spoken in Akote, but characters like Sergeant Waziri, and the innocent Hausa traveller wrongly accused of killing Chidinma speak Hausa. Okafor, a hunter, whose daughter is the fifth victim of Ropo’s escapade and his other Igbo brothers speak Igbo. These languages bring to light the diversity of a people on the verge of independence.

“It is a fiction set against the backdrop of the independence of Nigeria. It never happened,” said the scriptwriter, Tunde Babalola.

According him, October 1 is a metaphor used in explaining some of the shortcomings of the colonial era, which are rarely talked about.

Afolayan was full of praise for the cast and crew of the movie, whom he said worked passionately to bring the movie project into reality.

Dame Abimbola Fashola, who represented her husband, Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said she enjoyed herself all-through, as the movie met her expectations. She urged other filmmakers to emulate the example of Kunle Afolayan, who is known for producing quality movies. She said she was not surprised that her husband had supported the movie since he (Fashola) is given to any project that projects Nigeria in positive light. “My husband believes that Nigerians are the best people in the world and that there is nothing anyone in the world can do that Nigerians cannot do better,” she said, giving kudos to the cast and crew of the movie.

Chief Michael Ade Ojo, Chairman, Toyota Nigeria, another foremost supporter of the movie, was glad he decided to lend a helping hand, even though he never thought that the movie could turn out to be so deep in subject and entertaining. He revealed that Afolayan was led to him by his daughter, who knows that he is a keen supporter of the arts and culture. “I want to thank God for giving me the inspiration to support. I was blown away by the movie. When I first heard it was a movie on October 1, I thought it was just going to tell the usual story of how Nigeria got her independence in 1960. But we have seen how he (Afolayan) has captured everything and has produced something worth showing to the world. I want to thank you for your ingenuity, and it is my prayer that God will continue to bless your endeavours,” he said.

Some of the celebrity guests spotted at the event are Genevieve Nnaji, Ramsey Nouah, comedian Atunyota Akporobomeriere, aka Ali Baba, Funke Akindele, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Doris Simeon, Segun Arinze and Igwe Gabosky among others.

R/B and Afrolife singer, Poetic Ken, has released another new single titled Melting Point off his anticipated album titled ICT.

Melting Point is coming from the artiste after dishing out tracks like Nwata Missi, Ekwerikwe and Nchoko Nchoko.

“Off course, we all know the direction that love inspired by God’s finest creation, a beautiful woman, can take. I decided to experiment by blending pure Afrobeat with a touch of Highlife melody, which came out successful. I want to also use this song to thank every blogger, radio station, OAPs and fans who have shown me love. I say God bless you all,” Ken said.

The artiste described Melting Point as a powerful melodious love song with a striking uniqueness that will get one listening and moving at the same time.

“Once again, I am here to stamp my prowess as a gifted lyricist, delivering my strong deep vocals to suit the rhythm and melody of the song. The song is produced by Ebass, mixed and mastered by Indomix. It is a classic song, which reaffirms my position as an artiste with great potentials,” he added.

BUDDING artiste, Enny Okosun, has released a video titled Wave Your Flag to celebrate Nigeria’s 54th independence.

The song, according to critics, can inspire Nigerians, especially the youth to greater heights.

Enny, who has been singing since 2009, said he recorded the song to inspire patriotism in the young ones, adding that today’s youths are tomorrow’s leaders.

According to him, the song was inspired by South African World Cup 2010 theme song with the same title.

Enny Okosun, who refers to himself as inspirational singer, has recorded other singles like It’s Over, Halleluyah and Ese.

“ I am inspired by the likes of the late Ozidi King, Sunny Okosun, Sam Okposo, Lara George and Psalm Ebube,” he said.

It may no longer be business as usual between the Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN) and media agencies, as its leadership is set for a showdown with some media agencies that seem be a pain of sorts in the heads of its members.

To further underscore its new resolve, the leadership  of the association has directed its members to henceforth discontinue any business relationship with the erring agencies until further notice, as part of the actions being taken by  to get the affected agencies to pay up what it called the “huge debt being owed its members and to begin to project electronic media content owners as vital partners”

In a release, the Executive Council of the association said it was time the media agencies recognised the invaluable contributions of its members to their operations.

The President of EMCOAN, Mrs. Debbie Odutayo, said: “For some time now, the Association has complained about the manner in which media agencies treat independent producers, especially regarding payment. The affected media agencies default with reckless abandon on the agreement signed by both parties, completely oblivious of the harsh terrain, where producers go through thick and thin to produce programmes and battle TV stations to ensure transmission so that advert placements run at all costs.”

The statement further alleged that the affected agencies had owed EMCOAN members millions of Naira for several years.

“Apart from delayed and irregular payments, these agencies demand a ridiculous and unjustifiable 25% volume discounts, even when the contract being issued cannot be said to be in any volume.

In some cases, some of these media agencies take more, even up to 40%, thereby stifling members to run at a huge loss,” the statement further stated.

Consequently, the association has resolved to publish the names of the affected media agencies, if “they refuse to do due diligence within the specified time”

The association started while some notable Nigerian producers were on a trip to Ghana in 2012, with the sole aim of bringing content owners under one umbrella, where their needs and challenges in the industry would be tabled with a view to proffering lasting solutions.

The statement further stated that members of the association had always cried out against alleged injustice in the hands of other players like the media houses, advertising agencies, media monitors etc.

“Television and radio stations demand pre-payment from content owners, knowing full well that the agencies who give them ads to run within their programmes never pre-pay.”

Another challenge we face with the media houses is the non-transmission of programmes without prior information given to the content owners. This causes untold loss of revenues as the advertisements originally scheduled to run on affected editions cannot be billed to agencies or clients.

On the other hand, agencies default on the agreed payment plans, thereby causing content owners to renege on their financial obligations to all concerned. Apart from delayed payments, the volume discounts and other extras they request content owners to oblige them are stifling. This affects profitability and the effect spirals down,” the statement said. The association further alleged that media monitoring agencies oftentimes delay reports and sometimes give error reports.

“A lot of time is wasted on refuting their claims, at the end of which payment time is unduly prolonged or even an outright loss of revenue when stations refuse to produce off-air dub, claiming that the time interval is too long,” it stated.

It was a night of glamour and fun as artistes and fans of The Beat FM 99.9 turned out in style for the celebration of its fifth anniversary tagged The Tripple 9 Concert on Tuesday, September 30, at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The CEO of Beat FM, Chris Ubosi said the concert was held to celebrate those who had supported the station in the last five years.

“We came here with a plan. We knew the circumstances before we entered into the business. With the goodwill that we have plus support from a lot of our friends, we have been able to overcome our challenges. There have been problems, which we will not lie about. But the fact that we were able to get to where we are shows that with hard work and proper planning, everything can go well in this country,”

Also, the station’s Programme Director, Olisa Adibua, described the last five years as “wonderful years”, adding that “It has been a fantastic ride. We have been embraced by the people of Nigeria; we have been surprised at the way they embraced us and we are grateful for the love they have shown us. We hope that we can retain the level and quality of what we started. We are celebrating five years of being in existence in Nigeria and we hope to get better as time goes on.”

Top Nigerian music sensations who thrilled guests at the party include 2face, MI, Ill Bliss, Idibia, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Omawunmi, Waje and Chidinma.

•Invasion 1879 gets special screening

The organisers of the annual Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) have announced The Square, an Oscar-nominated documentary by Egyptian filmmaker, Jehan Noujaim, as the opening night film and Hard To Get, from first-time feature director, Zee Ntuli, as the closing night movie.

The festival’s Artistic Director, Keith Shiri, said during a press conference at the Eko Hotel and Suites, at the weekend, that AFRIFF 2014 would once again celebrate the amazing artistry that African filmmakers are known for.

He said: “Our opening night film is The Square, an Oscar-nominated documentary by the Egyptian filmmaker, Jehan Noujaim. This is a stunning film that charts the course of three years of Egyptian political upheaval that began in 2011. Our closing night film, Hard To Get, is a compact, highly enjoyable, kinetic and action thriller. The young South African director, Zee Ntuli, displays a mastery of the action genre with breezy performances from its main cast.”

Shiri, who was flanked by AFRIFF Founder/CEO, Chioma Ude as well as the festival’s Goodwill Ambassadors, South African actress Xolile Tshabalala and Nollywood star Rita Dominic, noted that this year’s selection is an array of feature films, in addition to “some hard-hitting documentaries and a generous selection of shorts representing over 30 countries from all the regions of Africa.”

According to him, other films that have made it into the festival’s official selection include Gone Too Far, an adaption from Bola Agbaje’s Olivier award-winning play set in London. Directed by Destiny Ekaragha, the outrageously enjoyable comedy focuses on two estranged Nigerian brothers as they meet for the first time.

He further stated: “Difret is another affecting feature debut from Ethiopia, detailing the traumatic experience of an Ethiopian girl accused of killing a man who had sexually abused her. Nigeria is strongly represented again this year with Tunde Kelani’s Dazzling Mirage, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen’s Invasion 1897 and the much-anticipated Kunle Afolayan’s October 1.

“There is equally a feast of compelling stories in the short films category, among which is the African Metropolis’ six short films that examine the complexity of urban life from Abidjan, Cairo, Dakar, Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi.”

Emphasizing Nigeria’s strong representation at the festival, Ude revealed that Invasion 1897, an epic on the historical Benin Empire, would enjoy a special screening at the festival

The film features top Nigerian stars such as Segun Arinze, Paul Obazele, Charles Inojie, the late Justus Esiri and Mike Omoregbe who played the lead role as Omo n’ Oba Ovanrawmen Nogbaisi.

In addition to the wide range of films, the festival also offers industry platforms for skill acquisition, financing, pitching, symposia on digital distribution and piracy.

AFRIFF 2014 is scheduled to take place at the popular Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, Calabar, Cross River State, from November 9 to 16.

Again, the Nigerian entertainment industry recorded another painful loss last Friday when the news of the sudden death of Taiwo Oshadipe, one of the singing duo of the popular Oshadipe Twins broke.

Even as many are still pained about the loss, their manager, Olu Akinsanya, who initially declined any comment on the incident due to shock, has revealed that the actress and singer might have died of complications arising from chest-related pains.

In an exclusive interview with The Nation, he said she was admitted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, about a month ago and was given some medications.

According to him, “The illness wasn’t serious. She felt better when she started taking the drugs. But surprisingly, she suffered a relapse this week. On Wednesday, she called her doctor who treated her at LASUTH and was told to come over to his private hospital, as he wouldn’t be around at LASUTH until Friday.

“She went to the hospital, where the doctor carried out some medical checks on her and gave her some drugs. He also gave her an appointment for Friday. But unfortunately, in the early hours of the day, she started complaining of pains.

“This time, it was very severe; so, her twin sister, Kehinde, decided to rush her to LASUTH. However, upon reaching the hospital, she was confirmed dead. So, by 8.00a.m., Kehinde called me and I had to rush to LASUTH to see her for myself.

“It is still very shocking to me. I saw her on Wednesday and we talked and joked. We even talked about my forthcoming wedding. She promised to play at my wedding, so she asked me not to invite any other musician.

“The autopsy report will be out soon. But I know she had recovered from the illness. The last thing she complained about was the chest pain and that was what led to her death two days after.”

He further revealed that the twins lost their elder brother on the day of their album launch three years ago.

The Oshadipe Twins are known for playing contemporary, inspirational and gospel music. They shot into the limelight with the song, Dide Olorun Mi.

Since the news of her death broke, fans have been posting condolence messages on her Facebook page.

Genevieve known as one of the most fashion forward celebrities, has relaunched her clothing line St. Genevieve.

St. Genevieve was first launched in 2008 and this relaunch features light breezy dresses, blouses and chic ready to wear outfits for all types of women.

St Genevieve partners with ecommerce giant, Jumia for the launch of the collection which she called Philomena.

It was in every word a star studded event with faces like Oluchi Orlandi, Soni and Betty Irabor, Stephanie Linus and Linus Idahosa, Funke Akindele Lola Maja, Ezinne Chinkata, Anita Okoye and so on.

Photos from the launch

Photo Credit: Instagram

The late Ijaw music maestro, King Robert Ebizimor, would be given a state burial by the Bayelsa State Government.

Ebizimor died in a fatal road accident on July 31 along Effurun-Warri area of the East-West Road.

The state’s Commissioner for Culture and Ijaw National Affairs, Dr. Felix Tuodolo, poured encomiums on the late musician.

He described him as the promoter of Ijaw culture through his evergreen renditions.

Tuodolo said: “The government of Bayelsa State, after due consultations with the musician’s families and other stakeholders wishes to state that the burial of the late King Robert Ebizimor will take place on November 7.

“In the light of the above, we are calling on all sons and daughters of the Ijaw nation to come out in their large numbers to give the music icon a befitting burial.”

He said Ebizimor would always be remembered for his philosophical music and how he used it to unite the Ijaw people.

The race for $300, 000 prize money in this year’s Big Brother Africa reality show, tagged ‘Hotshots Edition’, began on Sunday, with 26 contestants from 13 African countries, making their way into the new Big Brother Africa house in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Amidst a spectacular ceremony emceed by Nigerian presenter, IK Osakioduwa, fans of the show, got a glimpse of what ‘Hotshots’ depicts, as each housemate is either a singer, poet, fashion designer, photographer, dancer or model, among several other creative talents.

This was the highlight of Sunday’s show, which saw the housemates, performing to the studio audience, before being ushered into the house by the show host.

In its ninth edition, another notable difference from the previous year’s event is that the contestants have 63 days to spend in the house, as against 91 days.

Performance ratings for the contestants began right from their first appearance on stage, and as they each, performed their one-minute slot. The studio audience had scored each performance with a mark out of 100, and right at the end of the show, Big Brother called the excited housemates together and revealed the reason – the housemate who scored the highest automatically became the ‘Head of House’ and is exempted from being nominated for eviction next Sunday. Tanzania’s Laveda led the Top 6 that included Sabina, M’am Bea, Lilian (Nigerian), Arthur and JJ, meaning she is the only one not in danger of going home next week.

Other countries in the competition are Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Rwanda which is participating in the show for the first time.

The house seems to be full of musicians and singers, with Kenya’s Sabina and Rwanda’s Arthur breaking the mould with comedy routines, Ghana’s M’am Bea showcasing her fashion design talents and Laveda picking up top marks with her saxophone solo. Not to be outdone by the housemates, presenter IK kicked the show off with a cabaret-style singing performance of his own – and the show only got hotter from there.

Keeping the musical theme going were Emmy Gee, AB Crazy & DJ Dimplez with their smash hit Rands and Nairas; South African hip-hop sensation Cassper Nyovest with Doc Shebeleza and Nigeria’s BET Award-winner Davido with Skelewu.

IK promised viewers a host of twists and turns in true Big Brother style, revealing one up-front: during a new Saturday night task, viewers will get the chance to vote to award one housemate with immunity from being nominated each week!

While in the house, the contestants started off by getting to know each other over snacks and drinks laid on by Biggie – and with a first dip in the Jacuzzi.

Voting opened immediately after the launch show and runs until next Sunday morning. Organisers say the more fans vote their favourite nominated housemate, the better their chance of staying in the house and being named as the winner.

Big Brother Hotshots is produced by Endemol South Africa, and airs on DStv channels 197 and 198; with daily highlights on AfricaMagic channel at 20:00 CAT.

Popular Gospel singer, Tope Alabi, has denied the rumour making the rounds that she is a mermaid.

In an interview on the popular radio station, Faaji FM, monitored by our correspondent, the award-winning artiste, who has just returned from a foreign musical tour, expressed her shock at the reports, which has now gone viral on the Internet.

According to her, “I was on a foreign musical tour when someone called and said I had released a new audio, where I confessed to being a mermaid. I didn’t believe it because I felt it was just one of those media stunts. So, I just waved the whole thing aside.

“It was when I got home and another pastor called me and said he just got the tape and that I was the one. I was dumbfounded. So, I asked him to please play it for me. To my greatest surprise, I actually listened to it over the phone and I just sat there. The voice was exactly my voice. But I just can’t explain how the person did it. The only confession I have ever done and will continue to do is the gospel of Christ.”

The artiste, who had earlier been in the news over an alleged romantic affair with her former ‘spiritual father’, the late Pastor Elijah Iretiola Ajanaku, further revealed her greatest inspiration. “I usually get inspiration for my songs from what I see around me and people’s experiences.”

Tope Alabi, also an actress, started out as a member of the Jesters International comedy group. She later went into gospel music after she became a born-again Christian.