Author: The Nation

The beautiful coal city of Enugu is poised to reverberate in March 2023 as filmmakers from different parts of the globe will gather for the third edition of the annual Coal City Film Festival.

The festival, according to the founder, Uche Agbo, opens from March 23, through to March 25, in Enugu and will feature a series of events including film screenings, master classes, panel discussions, city tours, palm wine and bushmeat round table, award/gala night and after party.

New additions to this year’s edition include Old Skool Fashion Night and South East Entertainment/ Media Night. This, Agbo said is meant to encourage local participation during the 3-days event, which will also have film makers from 26 countries in attendance.

Agbo who’s also Secretary General of the Directors Guild of Nigeria,DGN, hinted that this year’s edition offers a great opportunity to celebrate and honour key industry stakeholders while learning how to improve their arts and business knowledge.

Prominent actors and groups within Nollywood have thrown their support behind Desmond Elliott’s re-election bid to represent Surulere Constituency I at the Lagos State House of Assembly.

In a joint statement, the Nollywood Mandate Group and Code Door2Door Initiative praised Elliott for his activities in his constituency.

“We are proud to endorse Desmond Elliott to continue the good work he is doing representing Surulere constituency 1,” said Francis Onwochei, the coordinator of Nollywood Mandate Group. “He is a talented, selfless and dedicated leader who has demonstrated his commitment not just to our industry but to his community time and time again. He is an outstanding public servant and we are confident that he will continue to push for improved quality of life for residents in Surulere constituency 1.”

In the same vein, Moji Oyetayo aka Mama Ajasco and Coordinator of Code Door2Door Initiative noted that Elliott’s candidacy is a testament to the growing influence of the Nigerian film industry on the political stage.

Her words: “Desmond Elliott is a role model for many Actors, producers and directors. He has represented us well and carried everyone along. He has also shown that with talent, hard work, and dedication, you can achieve great things both in and out of the film industry. We are thus excited to see him take his leadership skills to the next level and make a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians.”

To mark the landslide victory of the president-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Fuji maestro, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal aka KWAM 1 and Afrobeat sensational Abolore Akande aka 9ice have hit the studio to work on a joint record.

The record, according to KWAM 1’s media aide, is entitled: ‘Balablueee to the seat of power.’

The two music stars spent time together in a studio to release the song ahead of the May 29 presidential inauguration ceremony.

In the song, K1 described the former Lagos State governor as someone who is embellished with three-power.

“Tinubu is powered by the Yoruba people, the late Obafemi Awolowo and M.K.O Abiola,” he enthused in the song.

The singer, who recently celebrated his 66th birthday, took to his Instagram page to share a clip of the studio session with 9ice.

“Let the message flow, New Era is here,” he captioned.

KWAM 1 has continued to show his support and loyalty to Tinubu and other candidates including the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is seeking a second term on March 11.

Nigerian singer and songwriter Godillac has affirmed that his recently released single ‘Gbera’ which features Terry Apala will become a global hit in no time.

The Ondo State indigene expresses optimism over the new single produced by Daihard Beatz.

He noted that the upbeat music has all the required elements to rule airwaves in Nigeria and beyond while also riding on the influence of the success of Afrobeats globally.

“From the start of the song alone, you already know what’s about to hit your speaker. ‘Gbera’ is a tsunami in the music industry trust me and it will hit the global charts very soon,” said Godillac.

“Gbera is my first single in 2023 and my expectations are high for the song. Fans are also ready showing massive love by streaming, you can tell by the number so far but I need more streaming and support from everyone. The goal is to make it a global hit which I am quite positive about. A big shout out to my bro Terry Apala for his contribution to this song.”

On his plans for the rest of the year, Idan of Lagos, as he is fondly called said, “my fans should expect more hood music as usual. I’m also working on another Extended Play (EP) and subsequently an Album. I look forward to working with major people in the music industry. It’s gonna be a big year I promise, it’s no more business as usual.”

Ayotunde Sobowale has won  the winner of the MTN Best of the Streets music competition.

Sowunmi defeated top nine talents to walk away with a coveted cash prize of N1.2 million.

The competition, which had over 300 young Nigerians participating saw the young Sowunmi expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to be at the competition.

Expressing his elation, Ayotunde stated: “I am really excited to win this competition because I was not confident after seeing great talents perform, but I had faith in my abilities, I am grateful to MTN for providing this platform to support great talents like mine; it has given me more belief that I will be successful if I pursue a career in music.”

The music competition, which was held at the Abesan Youth Center in Alimosho, Lagos, received over 300 entries for the audition phase, from which the top 30 contestants emerged, demonstrating their passion and determination to compete for cash prizes totaling over N1.7 million.

The top 30 contestants were divided into three groups of 10 and sang for a minute before the audience chose two contestants from each group to advance to the finals using the popular “Waka or Stay” method, while the judges, who included Emmanuella Nnadozie, Head Marketing and Corporate Communications, Mavin Global; Yemisi Falaye, Head Legal & Business Development, The Temple Company; and Kolawole Fashola, Head Business Affairs & Operations, The Temple Company, chose one contestant from each group to progress to the finals.

Expressing her delight over the competition, Chief Digital Services Officer, MTN Nigeria, Aisha Mumuni, said, “Nigeria has a very young population, and our music industry is getting more global acclaim each passing day. We are providing them with a learning platform as well as the opportunity to pursue their dreams through this platform. We are very excited to be here, and we hope to expand our support to other creative industries because we believe in investing in and developing local talent.”

Roland, a talent on The Voice Nigeria Season four, evoked memories of late Michael Jackson when he performed one of his classic hits, “The Earth Song” at the Knockout stage.

The rendition, which was twisted by Roland to offer hope for Nigeria in episode 10 aired on StarTimes, sent chills down viewers’ spines as he offered a fresh take on the classic, as though it was the legendary Michael Jackson’s voice.

Roland, a talent under coach Niyola, was saved for the Battles as his powerful vocals, accompanied by a full band, brought vigour to the stage and created a memorable moment that captivated and inspired viewers.

Season 4 of The Voice Nigeria continues on a high note as contestants unleash the sleeping treasure in them in a struggle to escape The Knockouts stage.

The music reality show airs on StarTimes’ ST Nollywood Plus and ST Nollywood channels on Saturdays. Episode ten was replayed last weekend based on popular demand.

“At StarTimes, we are passionate about celebrating and showcasing our talented Nigerian youths. Rolland’s performance was a testament to the incredible talent we have in Nigeria, and we are proud to be part of a platform that enables young people to showcase their abilities and make a name for themselves. We look forward to seeing more amazing performances from the talented contestants of The Voice Nigeria S4,” Lazarus Ibeabuchi, PR Manager, StarTimes Nigeria, said.

Celebrated queen of red carpets and actress, Queen Florence Okonkwo has added another feather to her numerous caps as she bagged the prestigious Nollywood Entertainment And Leadership Awards (NELAS) in London, UK.

Okonkwo, who is a recipient of various awards has become a force to reckon with in the movie industry as she has been churning out several productions as actor, producer, and executive producer in some cases.

Some of her films have featured Hollywood stars and they include ‘Shot in the Dark,’ ‘This is not About You,’ ‘The Passion’ and ‘Temptations of Queen Cleopatra,’ ‘Top Range,’ ‘Royal Obsession,’ and ‘For the Love of Money’ among others.

One of her movies, ‘Shot in the Dark’ has received a lot of awards that include the British Film Festival, ZAFAA, BEFTA and NELAS.

As the ongoing reality TV show, BBTitans enters week eight, Biggie has unpaired the last 12 housemates.

After six weeks of being paired – a male and female from two different countries – and playing the game for the sum of over N46 million ($100,000), the show has taken a new dimension.

On Monday, March 6, the show’s progenitor introduced another twist to shake up the BBTitans house situated in Johannesburg, South Africa.

First, Biggie introduced the ultimate Veto game, which secures a spot in the finale for the winner as well as the position of the Head of House.

South African student lawyer and housemate, Ipeleng emerged victorious in the game and became the first housemate of the show to secure a finale ticket.

In the same vein, during the nomination process, Biggie jolted the remaining 12 housemates, who went into the Diary Room as pairs but left as individuals, by instructing them to share with one another what they have learned from their partners. This created a sea of tears and emotions were exposed and several housemates shed tears.

With barely three more weeks to the end of the show, Ipeleng has emerged as one of the luckiest housemates in the house – having enjoyed the Head of House luxury several times. In the first week, she was chosen as the HoH’s partner, in the second week, she won the Heads of House title with her former partner, BlaqBoi and in the eighth week, she won the HoH title again to secure a spot for herself in the finale. She has also won other cash and product prizes during games and other activities.

Other housemates that have won cash prizes include Nigeria’s Marvin, BlaqBoi, and South Africa’s Thabang amongst others.

The BBTitans show is scheduled for wrap up on Sunday, April 2 with a grand finale scheduled to hold in the Randburg area of Johannesburg, South Africa.