The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Hyzah levels up with Skinny Love

    Hyzah levels up with Skinny Love

    FAST-RISING Nigerian Afro-fusion maverick, Hyzah, is back at the forefront of heart-melding Afrobeats rhythms with a new song entitled ‘Skinny Love.’

    The track, which kicks off his music run for the year, is poised to be a catalyst for another enigmatic come-up within the Nigerian music scene. Produced by his longtime collaborator, Ogknsteaks, ‘Skinny Love’ soars as an evergreen love record, stamping Hyzah’s melodic prowess which first got the attention of global stars like Drake, The Game, Russ, Burna Boy, among others.

    Read Also: Tems revived Wizkid’s music career, says Daniel Regha

    Laced with gingerly acoustics and sultry percussion, the feel-good record expands the sonic palette of Hyzah’s blooming discography, which kicked off with a faster street pop tempo. It is a stealthy return since his last offering dubbed, “Wine and Colombo”, an infectious duet with US-based rapper Bugus, which was produced by Grammy-nominated act Russ.

    Born Isaiah Ademiju Gbenga, Hyzah’s rise has been marked with the most iconic of motivations. After a brief stint with freestyling to strangers, fortune found him in the bustling slums of Lagos. A fated freestyle video made its way to the social media feed of the Canadian music icon, Drake, who gave the 22-year-old singer a lot of invaluable advice and encouragement. He also received a major co-sign from American fashion giants MSCHF.

  • FAME Foundation partners French Embassy to empower youths through sports

    FAME Foundation partners French Embassy to empower youths through sports

    FAME Foundation is proud to announce its new partnership with the French Embassy in Nigeria, ahead of the Olympic/Paralympics Games 2024. The partnership under the Play it Dream it Initiative, strengthening the inclusion of young people and vulnerable people through sport, will inspire and teach valuable life skills to young people – particularly those that are consistently underserved, excluded, or economically disadvantaged.

    In a press statement released by Communication Officer, FAME Foundation, Inyene Idiong, an agreement was signed on July 1, 2023 serves as part of its commitment to creating more access and opportunity for the youth while there will be the implementation of a wide range of projects aimed at empowering youths, athletes and promoting crucial social causes.

    Far from being limited to the Olympic Games scheduled for the summer of 2024, the French Embassy in Nigeria is committed, in partnership with the NGO FAME Foundation, to uniting young people around the values of Paris 2024: creativity, making the utmost effort and sharing, and thus demonstrate that sport has the power to change everything.

    These projects include, National Breaking Championship across 5 states in Nigeria which will be done in partnership with four different Alliances Française and the Institut Francais of Nigeria in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Rivers and FCT. As parts of line up of activities, a Para Soccer competition, Para Weightlifting competition, Girl-Child Education and Menstrual Health Hygiene Workshop at designated IDP camps and schools, and capacity building seminar for Olympics and Paralympics coaches, ahead of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Tournaments that will take place in France.

    Speaking to the press, Executive Director of FAME Foundation, Ms. Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello said the partnership is an avenue to support Nigerian Youth, Women and Girls, “Through this partnership, opportunities will be created that will contribute to youth, women and girls well-being, creativity, and talent discovery while fostering diversity within the sports and underserved community.

    The Para Sports competition, on the other hand, will provide professional para-athletes the platform to showcase their skills and inspire others to overcome challenges.”

    She continued, “Since its inception, FAME Foundation has partnered with organizations that purposefully use physical activities to positively impact communities worldwide. With a shared belief that sport is so much more than a game, we are happy to collaborate with the French Embassy in its efforts to create opportunities for millions of young people to engage in sports and break down barriers for those who strive for more.”

  • MOTUNDE: Being Mr Macaroni’s daughter

    MOTUNDE: Being Mr Macaroni’s daughter

    OMOTUNDE Sogunle is a Nigerian actress and content creator, who became famous for her role as Motunde, the daughter of Mr Macaroni in one of Nigeria’s most popular skits.

    In an exclusive chat with The Nation, Motunde opened up on how she clinched the role that has got her very famous across the globe.

    “We’eve actually done things together before but that particular father and daughter role started from an advert, the very first one with Baba D,” she began. “He was the one that came up with the idea anyway and the reception was very nice so we just decided to make it a thing so that’s how we came about daddy and daughter.”

    Read Also: Mr Macaroni, ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’s’ Frank Edoho crack ribs in latest skit

    The beautiful role interpreter, who has gone ahead to feature in various full feature films, admitted that playing the role of ‘Motunde’ has catapaulted her fame and career saying, “Positively, it has really put me out there and the fact that I am using my real name I feel like I created a connection between me and people who get to see me and they get to call me, I feel like they know me. It affected my life positively.”

    On if the role has had any negative impact on her person and career, she said, “Negatively, I don’t think so. I’ve not had any so far but I am very grateful for the role and I tell him (Macaroni) everytime because it has opened doors for me, I walk into a space and people know me.”

    Inquiring further, Motunde explained the similarities between the Motunde in skit and in reality.

    “The Motunde in the skit is very happy and I am also a very happy person in reality. The things I do in the skits are just like my natural self, the responses, the gestures and others are my natural self and yes there might be some similarities but I might not particularly actively be looking for a husband but yea I want to settle down.”

  • Last Man Standing premieres in Lagos

    Last Man Standing premieres in Lagos

    On Friday, June 30, Ultimate Communications, producers of ‘Last Man Standing’, a film on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, held the Lagos premiere of the film at the Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos.

    Present at the event were Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, ably represented by Jaiye Opayemi; the Deputy Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Mojisola Ojora Meranda, the former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, AIG Hakeem Odumosu, Corporate Pictures Boss, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulrasaq, and Dr Abisoye Fagade.

    Also present were Lateef Adedimeji, Bimpe Oyebade Adedimeji, Shushu Abubakar, Tunde Olaoye, Kofoworola Abiola Atanda, Foluke Daramola and Segun Arinze. Others include Dr Shaibu Husseini, Zeb Ejiro, Kola Dairo, Lukmon Adelagun Odumosu and a host of others.

    Read Also: Lagos Lacks Power to Regulate Films Industry, Amazon Tells Court

    The film, ‘Last Man Standing’, which had previously premiered in Abuja, is a biopic that tells the tale of the flow of events during the tenure of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his eight-year tenure as the governor of Lagos State.

    Speaking at the event, Sanwo-Olu’s representative, Opayemi, stated that the producers deserve all of the support, commendation and applause they can get while noting that Lagos State is not just Africa’s entertainment capital but indeed the bastion of entertainment.

    Dr Fagade, the executive producer of the film noted that the film might look very patronising because Asiwaju is the president of Nigeria today but the film was done long before he won the party’s primaries. Fagade said he jumped on the idea when Seun Oloketuyi conceived the idea while Tope Oyefeso ensured everything went smoothly.

  • Ardova H’ball Premier League: Defenders, Confluence Star record big wins

    Ardova H’ball Premier League: Defenders, Confluence Star record big wins

    Defenders were in brutal form yesterday  as they defeated Police Machine 33-19 at the Ardova Handball Premier League in Benin, Edo State.

    The match started on a fast note with both teams trying to dominate but it was Defenders that got into their stride early as they went on rampage and scoring at will and preventing their opponents from doing same.

    The winners’ defensive play was good and they made use of the scoring chances that came their way. The Police Machine tried hard to keep up with the pace of their opponents, but it was surely their off day as they fell to a heavy defeat.

    Read Also: Lagos teams shine at Ardova H’ball Premier League</strong>

    Confluence Stars also had the better of Corrections boys as they won their encounter 28-19. It was a good performance from the Stars who put their opponents under pressure for most part of the game despite efforts by the Correction boy to salvage some pride.

    Also, Niger United who were shock losers to Lagos Seasiders on Thursday, got back to winning ways as they beat Rima Strikers 24-22. It was a closely fought game but United got maximum for their win.

    In another game, Benue Buffaloes devoured Edo Dynamos as the Makurdi side won 27-22 to better their standing on the log.

    The women teams did not play yesterday  as it was their rest day.

  • Jay Jay: The Chosen One wraps up finale

    Jay Jay: The Chosen One wraps up finale

    The final episode of Showmax’s first Nigerian Original animated series, ‘Jay Jay: The Chosen One,’ has begun showing.

    Throughout the series, viewers have followed the journey of 11-year-old Austin, who transforms into the masked hero Jay Jay, armed with extraordinary superpowers, to fight against an evil ring of poachers. Together with his group of friends, Austin learned to be a team player as they embarked on a high-stakes football tournament.

    Read Also: Burna Boy to Thierry Henry: picking between Jay Jay, Kanu treacherous

    The finale delivers a memorable conclusion to Jay Jay’s quest as a superhero, friend, and team player. 

    Jay Jay: The Chosen One, a 13-part animated series based on the reimagined childhood of legendary Nigerian and African football star Jay-Jay Okocha, has fast become a family favourite, and ranked as the most-watched kids’ content in Nigeria, Ghana and charted in other East African countries.

  • Golden Terra Oil emerges best cooking oil brand in Africa

    Golden Terra Oil emerges best cooking oil brand in Africa

    GOLDEN Terra Soya Oil, one of Nigeria’s prominent cooking oil brands, has won the prestigious award of the Best Premium Cooking Oil Brand at the recent African Brand Innovation Summit.

    This highly anticipated event brought together industry leaders, experts, and innovators from across Nigeria to recognise and celebrate outstanding brands that demonstrate innovation, excellence, and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.

    This year’s event saw an impressive pool of nominees, all vying for recognition as the top brand in their respective categories. However, Golden Terra Soya Oil emerged as the undisputed winner in the highly competitive Cooking Oil Brand category, solidifying its position as a trailblazer and a paragon of excellence within the industry.

    According to the organisers of the summit, AIPM Nigeria, each brand was carefully assessed based on the set criteria such as innovation, quality, customer satisfaction and market presence. “Golden Terra Soya Oil excelled in all these areas, establishing its position as the leading cooking oil brand that consistently goes above and beyond to meet the evolving needs of consumers by embodying the perfect balance of taste, health and nutrition,” it noted.

    Read Also: Golden Terra Soya oil excites consumers

    Deepanjan Roy, Group Executive Director – TGI says “We are honoured to receive this award and be recognised for our efforts to create a superior value cooking oil, we believe that cooking oil should be more than just a basic ingredient and this award is a testament of our efforts to provide consumers with a healthier heart-friendly cooking oil that they can trust.”

    Probal Bhattacharya, Chief Marketing Officer, TGI Group, upon receiving the award expressed his sincere appreciation, stating, “We truly value this award and do not underestimate its significance. It serves as a reassurance that we are progressing in the right direction towards our goal of offering consumers a quality cooking oil that enhances the lives of the health-conscious consumers in Nigeria.”

    Golden Terra Soya Oil is a premium, all-purpose cooking oil made from 100% pure soya beans, sourced and manufactured in Nigeria. It contains 5x more PUFA (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids) proven to deliver numerous health benefits, like reducing cholesterol, maintaining a healthier heart, enhancing nerve function, boosting brain health and supporting muscle strength.

  • Low contractors turnout for bid of conversion of Shiroro Hotel into Teaching Hospital

    Low contractors turnout for bid of conversion of Shiroro Hotel into Teaching Hospital

    The call for the submission of bids for the conversion of Shiroro Hotel into the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Teaching Hospital has been stalled due to lack of competitive response and low turnout of contractors.

    The call for bids which was opened 19th of June only saw two companies turning in their bids as at Monday, 3rd July which should have been the submission deadline causing the state government to postpone the bid submission deadline till further notice.

    It will be recalled that the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago had announced during his inauguration that he would convert the Shiroro Hotel which had been nonfunctional for several years into a university teaching hospital to boost the health system in the state.

    The Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Mohammed Gana who disclosed this to newsmen in Minna on Monday said that there was no way the state can make the exercise transparent with just two companies competing for the bidding.

    “The idea of open competition is to ensure transparency as well as fairness in the bid process. We want both the local and international companies to compete favorably for the project at hand. 

    “The work ahead of us is a massive project. We said that we want a competitive bidding process and based on this, we have no option but to postpone the entire process because we need more people to apply for the project. These two companies are not satisfactory,” he said. 

    The Permanent Secretary said that to ensure that every bidder would be treated equally in the bidding process, the ministry had constituted an evaluation committee to handle the process stating that the members of the committee would be fair in the discharge of their duties. 

    The Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Public Procurement Board, Shehu Jibril explained that the postponement was because the number of firms on ground was not up to the target of the state government as they have made a target to shortlist no fewer than six firms after the pre-qualification exercise.

    He said that for all the three bids, the state government had adopted a two-stage bidding process to ascertain the competence and qualification of the companies bidding for the contracts. 

    “The bid is divided into Lots 1, 2, and 3 which would be for the refurbishment and upgrading of executive structures, the construction of new buildings, infrastructure, and external works, as well as a bid for equipment and installation.”

    Speaking to journalists shortly after the program, one of the bidders, Idris Saidu representing Sanjir Excellence Production Limited said that his firm had accepted the government decision saying that the process followed by the way the government wants it would be transparent and competitive.

    “In the interest of fairness and transparency, we are okay with the government’s decision to want more submissions,” he said. 

  • Kano drops suit seeking to stop Ganduje’s probe

    Kano drops suit seeking to stop Ganduje’s probe

    •Court stops ex-gov’s arrest

    Kano State Government has officially withdrawn its lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking to stop it from probing the immediate past Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje.

    The government’s decision was revealed in a letter addressed to Sanusi Musa, SAN, and submitted before the Federal High Court in Kano. The letter, dated July 4, 2023, was signed by Haruna Isa Dederi, Kano Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

    In the letter, the Attorney General stated, “We write to notify you that Kano State Government and the Attorney General of Kano State wish to debrief you of the earlier instructions, given to you to handle the case NO: FHC/KN/71/2023 between Attorney General of Kano State and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).”

    He further instructed the legal counsel to refrain from taking any further steps in the case, including appearing in court or filing any additional processes.

    Court restrains Kano Anti Graft Agency, Police from arresting Ganduje

    A Federal High Court sitting in Kano yesterday granted a request by the immediate past governor of Kano State,Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje  to restrain the Police and the Kano Public Complain and Anti Corruption Commission from harassing, arresting, inviting, or detaining him.

    The interim order covers Ganduje’s  family members, and  appointees who served under his administration.

    The order issued by Justice A.M Liman restrained the Nigeria Police,the Inspector General of Police,the Kano State Police Commissioner,the State Security Service,Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Attorney General of the Federation,Attorney General of Kano State  and the Kano Public Complain and Anti Corruption Commission “ whether by themselves or acting through their officers, men, operatives, agents, or any persons or group of persons howsoever described, from harassing, intimidating, detaining the Applicant or his children, or any member of his family, or any appointee who served under the administration of the Applicant, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion.”

    The court said the interim order would remain in operation until the hearing of the motion for the enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights scheduled for July 14, 2023.

    The Kano State Public Complain and Anti Corruption Commission  had invited Ganduje over a video recording allegedly showing him receiving  dollars from some people during his tenure.

  • Chips redefines music landscape

    Chips redefines music landscape

    NIGERIAN singer, songwriter and music maker, Chigoziri Mark-Princewill aka Chips is carving a niche for himself in the music industry.

    From humble beginnings of crafting melodies in the sanctuary of his own bedroom to ascending the pinnacles of music charts, Chips has traversed an awe-inspiring trajectory in a remarkably short period. Yet, his artistic vision extends far beyond personal triumph; it encompasses a mission to instil unwavering belief and self-empowerment in every listener.

    Unconstrained by the limitations of waiting for opportunities to knock, Chips took matters into his own hands, Chips has gone ahead to release songs that include ‘Know This,’ ‘Momma,’ ‘Feel It,’ ‘Chase,’ and ‘Bumblebee.’

    Read Also: Tems revived Wizkid’s music career, says Daniel Regha

    According to those close to him, what fuels Chips and propels him forward is his unshakable belief in the purpose he seeks to fulfil. He wholeheartedly comprehends the transformative power of music, serving as a catalyst for change, inspiring and empowering others to embrace their individual journeys.

    In the realm of record labels, Chips remains steadfastly focused on the profound bond he shares with his fan base and community. He recognizes the transformative significance of direct communication, sharing his music and messages with unwavering dedication. While he doesn’t seek validation from a record label to affirm his talent or vision, Chips remains open to opportunities that align with his core values and amplify his reach.