The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • Oyegbile earns AMVCA nomination for Brukaci

    Oyegbile earns AMVCA nomination for Brukaci

    By Omolara Akinloye 

    Renowned actor, director, and medical doctor Jide JBlaze Oyegbile has been nominated for Best Short Film at the upcoming 2025 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) for his work on Brukaci. 

    The nomination is a testament to Oyegbile’s creative talent and dedication to storytelling, having been a key figure in Nollywood for over a decade.

    Oyegbile’s directorial skill in Brukaci has drawn praise from critics and audiences alike, highlighting his ability to craft deeply emotional narratives. 

    The short film has positioned him as one of Nollywood’s most respected voices in the film industry, adding to his established reputation as an actor.

    Read Also: ‘Only one per cent of rich Nigerians pay tax’

    However, despite the celebration surrounding Brukaci, there’s been some shock in the industry due to Oyegbile’s exclusion from the AMVCA nominations for his supporting role as Olaotan in the hit movie House of Ga’a. 

    His compelling performance as the layered and emotionally charged character was lauded by fans, who were surprised to see him left out of the running. 

    Many expected Oyegbile to receive recognition for his standout role in the blockbuster movie.

    Despite the snub, Jide JBlaze Oyegbile’s AMVCA nomination for Brukaci reflects his enduring influence and versatility in Nollywood. 

    He continues to captivate audiences both in front of and behind the camera while maintaining his career as a medical doctor.

  • Annie yanks off ‘Idibia’, reintroduces self as ‘Macaulay

    Annie yanks off ‘Idibia’, reintroduces self as ‘Macaulay

    Actress Annie Idibia, the estranged wife of music star 2Baba, has made a comeback on social media after a nearly two-month hiatus.

    In her first post, Annie thanked family, friends, and fans for their unwavering support during the challenging time.

    Notably, Annie retained 2Baba’s name in her Instagram bio but signed off with her full name, Annie Uwana Macaulay, excluding Idibia.

    Read Also: ‘Only one per cent of rich Nigerians pay tax’

    She wrote: “To my family, to my friends who came through for me, the support system I have now, all my amazing family here and all over the world. God bless you for the outpouring of love. I appreciate every single of you and I do not take any of it for granted. May the universe continue to be in your favour. God bless you all. Lots of love. Annie Uwana Macaulay”.

    Annie’s marriage to 2Baba, with whom she shares two children, ended in January 2025 when the singer publicly announced their separation.

    2Baba has since proposed to his new fiancée, Edo lawmaker Natasha Osawaru.

  • What we share remains first in history, Regina Daniels tells Ned Nwoko

    What we share remains first in history, Regina Daniels tells Ned Nwoko

    Actress Regina Daniels has gushed over husband Ned Nwoko’s heartfelt poem celebrating their six-year marriage and announcing their unborn third child.

    On Instagram, Regina commented on his post, praising Nwoko as the greatest man in Igbo land and thanked him for their love.

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    She wrote: “Oooh my king! The greatest man in Igbo land! Dike’m! Obim! Ezigbo dim Oma! What did I do to deserve this honour! 10,000 women by your right, 20,000 by your left and I will stand gidigba because what we share will remain the first in history.”

    Her response comes after Nwoko’s poem, which defended his approach to love and marriage.

    Their romantic exchange puts to rest recent speculation about their marriage.

  • Pasuma, Taye Currency settle rift in Mecca

    Pasuma, Taye Currency settle rift in Mecca

    The rift between two fuji music stars — Wasiu Alabi Pasuma and his former protégé, Alhaji Taye Akande Adebisi (popularly known as Taye Currency)- has been settled.

    The duo, The Nation learnt, met in Mecca at the ongoing Umrah 2025.

    In the now-viral video obtained by The Nation, the Fuji music stars were seen sitting closely, engaging in a discussion.

    Supporters of the musicians confirmed the settlement of rift.

    What was once a mentor-protégé relationship devolved into rift last year with both parties throwing subtle and overt jabs at each other.

    In October 2024, Taye Currency disapproved of fans referring to Pasuma as his ‘father’ in the music industry.

    Read Also: DJ Cuppy hopeful of female leadership in Nigeria after Namibia’s historic feat

    The Ibadan-born singer stated that Pasuma is more like an elder brother to him and emphasised that he can’t father him.

    Taye Currency’s remarks ignited a flurry of online discussions, with Pasuma’s fans criticising him for the comments.

    In response to the backlash, Taye Currency, in a viral video, said his words were misinterpreted and expressed regret for any offence caused by his remarks.

    He apologised to Pasuma and anyone hurt by his statements regarding the 56-year-old artist.

    He acknowledged the ‘Recognition’ hitmaker as his superior, emphasising that he never insulted him.

    He affirmed respect for Pasuma and commitment to him.

  • DJ Cuppy hopeful of female leadership in Nigeria after Namibia’s historic feat

    DJ Cuppy hopeful of female leadership in Nigeria after Namibia’s historic feat

    Disc jockey DJ Cuppy has expressed optimism about Nigeria’s potential to elect a female President, drawing inspiration from Namibia’s recent achievement.

    Namibia made history by becoming the first African country to have a female President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and a female Vice President, Lucia Witbooi.

    This milestone has sparked hope for DJ Cuppy, who believes it could pave the way for women in Nigeria to take on leadership roles.

    Read Also: Why I tagged my event ‘Back to Origin’ – EmmCee RNB

    Namibia’s achievement is a significant step forward for gender equality in Africa, and Nandi-Ndaitwah’s leadership is expected to bring about positive change.

    DJ Cuppy said on social media: “Namibia just made history… Africa’s FIRST country with BOTH a female President AND female Vice President. Maybe there’s hope for Nigeria one day after all…”

  • GWR: Alma Asinobi takes Nigeria’s flag to seven continents in 71 hours

    GWR: Alma Asinobi takes Nigeria’s flag to seven continents in 71 hours

    Alma Asinobi, a Nigerian travel content creator, has made history by becoming the first person to travel to all seven continents with a Nigerian passport.

    Her journey, which took 71 hours, 26 minutes, and 25 seconds, was marked by challenges such as visa issues, flight delays, and travel restrictions due to her Nigerian passport.

    She wrote: “Our Nigerian flag is officially the first and fastest flag to visit all 7 continents! I guess my work here is done. I cannot wait to be homeeeee.”

    Asinobi’s achievement is notable, not just because of the feat itself, but also because it highlights the difficulties faced by Nigerians when traveling abroad.


    Read Also: How Cuppy is Leveraging Philanthropy to Drive Educational Equity for African Students While Representing Nigeria on a Global Stage

    “Gosh… Continent 8 (Dreamland) was kind to me. No visas needed, no flight needed, just a bed. To be honest any bed would have been fine. I just needed my swollen feet to not move for a few hours and all I can say is… mission accomplished.

    “As I was sleeping I heard ‘this is the final boarding call…’ and I jumped out of bed startled only to realize it was only a dream. That’s not normal,” she wrote.

    Although Asinobi did not break the existing Guinness World Record of 64 hours set by Johnny Cruz Buckingham, her achievement is still historic.

    She is looking forward to her homecoming event on March 30, where she aims to break another record by gathering Nigerians to sign the flag she carried across the world.

  • Femi Lazarus defends $150 fee after Dakolo’s criticism

    Femi Lazarus defends $150 fee after Dakolo’s criticism

    Popular cleric Femi Lazarus has responded to criticism over the $150 fee for the school of ministry, which offers training and education in spiritual leadership and development he runs. 

    The controversy began when Lazarus condemned gospel singers’ high performance fees, sparking a reaction from singer Timi Dakolo.

    Dakolo pointed out that Lazarus charges a fee for his school of ministry, seemingly contradicting his stance on gospel singers’ fees.

    When questioned by a netizen, Deeemaths, about the fee, “But you charge $150 for your school of ministry? Please can you shed more light on it sir? I thought it’s ministry?”

    Lazarus simply stated: “Yes o, it is a school”.

    His response implies the education and training provided by his ministry school warrant compensation.

  • Rita Dominic denies obstructing reporters in Ghana

    Rita Dominic denies obstructing reporters in Ghana

    Seasoned actress Rita Dominic has denied that she prevented reporters from doing their job during a birthday celebration in Ghana.

    Taking to her Instagram story, Rita dismissed the rumours as “entirely false” and “lame”, emphasising that as a public figure, she values the importance of the press and would never intentionally hinder their work.

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    She urged her followers to disregard the baseless rumors.

    She wrote: “Duh a person who does the job i do and is out in a public place would not stop the press from doing their job. That’s lame stop making up stories that doesn’t make sense.”

  • I’m still not rich by Nigeria’s standards – Jide Kosoko

    I’m still not rich by Nigeria’s standards – Jide Kosoko

    Veteran actor Jide Kosoko shares his thoughts on his over 60-year career in Nollywood, revealing that despite his fame, he hasn’t achieved significant wealth by Nigerian standards.

    He spoke in an interview on The Honest Bunch podcast.

    The 71-year-old Kosoko, who began his acting career as a child actor in 1964, has appeared in hundreds of Nollywood movies.

    However, he believes that piracy has had a devastating impact on the movie industry calling for harsher penalties for pirates.

    “The punishment in the copyright law for piracy is still not strong enough as far as I am concerned. Somebody who has been pirating people’s works for years is a billionaire, so how much do you want to fine him?

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    “Fine him N500 million, and he will just bring it out of what he has sold. But if you attach a 20-year jail sentence to it with no option of a fine, people will refrain from piracy,” he said.

    Kosoko’s comments shed light on the challenges faced by actors and filmmakers in Nigeria, where piracy remains a significant obstacle to success.

    Despite his success, Kosoko remains humble and grateful for the opportunity to do what he loves.

    “I have been in this [movie] industry for this long. I thank God that I can eat three square meals. But can I claim to be a rich man by Nigerian standards? No,” he said.

  • AMVCA unveils list of 2025 nominees

    AMVCA unveils list of 2025 nominees

    The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has revealed its highly anticipated nominees for the 2025 edition.

    The announcement celebrates outstanding achievements in film, television, and digital content produced and released between January 1 and December 31, 2024.

    This year’s nominees include top contenders Lisabi: The Uprising, Skeleton Coast, House of Ga’a, and Freedom Way, which garnered multiple nominations across various categories, including Best Movie and Best Director.

    The acting categories feature notable talents, with Gideon Okeke, Stan Nze, Femi Adebayo, and Adedimeji Lateef competing for Best Lead Actor.

    Meanwhile, Chioma Chukwuka, Bimbo Ademoye, and Uche Montana are among the nominees vying for Best Lead Actress.

    Public voting is now open and will conclude on May 4, 2025.

    The winners will be announced during the live broadcast of the ceremony on May 10, 2025, across all Africa Magic channels on DStv and GOtv.

    Below are the nominees:

    Best Digital Content Creator

    Iyo Prosper Adokiye

    Maryam Apakagi-Greene

    Elozonam Ogbolu, Hoviare Freedom, Chiamaka Uzokwe

    Jide Pounds Ibitoye

    Ariyiikedimples, Brain Jotter

    Best Multichoice Talent Factory Movie

    Gone (West Africa)

    Everything Light Touches (West Africa)

    The Immersive Alarm (East Africa)

    Deadbeat (East Africa)

    Mwananga (Southern Africa)

    Rivals in Time (Southern Africa)

    Best Unscripted M-Net Original
    Nigerian Idol –

    Pastor Wants A Wife (Zambia)

    Overall Best

    Husband Material

    The Queens of Kopala

    Best Scripted M-Net Original

    Uriri

    All Mine

    My Fairytale Wedding

    Italo

    The Caller

    Kam U Stay

    Read Also: Jide Kosoko speaks out on alleged s3xual exploitation in Nollywood

    Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)

    Seven Doors

    Lisabi: The Uprising

    Kaka

    Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre

    Mai Martaba

    Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa)

    The Caller

    Makosa Di Tangu

    Sabotage

    Wa Milele? (Forever?)

    Best Indigenous Language Film (South Africa)

    Walvis Tale

    The Vow

    Mwizukanji

    Man of Gold

    Lukas

    Best Indigenous M-Net Original

    Mai Shayi

    The Caller

    Show Me The Way

    Ebighi Ebi

    Subterranea

    Onye Agbata Obim

    Amoanimaa’s Era

    Best Short Film

    Sukari

    Brukaci

    What Are You Truly Afraid Of?

    In Bloom: ‘Afefe’

    The Incredible Sensational Fiancee of Seyi Ajayi

    Best Supporting Actress

    Meg Otanwa – Inside Life

    Tina Mba – Suspicion

    Ireti Doyle – All’s Fair in Love

    Ini Dima-Okojie – Skeleton Coast

    Mercy Aigbe – Farmer’s Bride

    Omoni Oboli – The Uprising: Wives on Strike 3

    Darasimi Nnadi – Aburo

    Best Supporting Actor

    Gabriel Afolayan – Inside Life

    Adedayo Adebowale Macaroni – Lisabi: The Uprising

    Aliu Gafar – Seven Doors

    Femi Jacobs – Freedom Way

    Richard Mofe-Damijo – Christmas In Lagos

    Uzor Arukwe – Suspicion

    Mike Afolarin – House of Ga’a

    Efa Iwara – Princess on a Hill

    Best Lead Actress

    Chioma Chukwuka – Seven Doors

    GbugbemI Ejeye – Farmer’s Bride

    Uzoamaka Onuoha – Agemo

    Uche Montana – Thinline

    Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Phoenix Fury

    Hilda Dokudo – The Uprising: Wives On Strike 3

    Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre

    Best Lead Actor

    Gideon Okeke – Tokunbo

    Bucci Franklin – The Weekend

    Femi Branch – House of Ga’a

    Thapelo Makoena – Skeleton Coast

    Bimbo Manuel – Princess On A Hill

    Stan Nze – Suspicion

    Femi Adebayo – Seven Doors

    Adedimeji Lateef – Lisabi: The Uprising

    Best Editing

    Inkabi

    Christmas In Lagos

    Skeleton Coast

    Soft Love

    Lisabi: The Uprising

    Princess On A Hill

    Best Cinematography

    Yen Ara Asaase Ni (This Is Our Land)

    Inkabi

    The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos

    Skeleton Coast

    Soft Love

    Lisabi: The Uprising

    Agemo

    Best Sound/Sound Design

    Inkabi

    Seven Doors

    Freedom Way

    Lisabi: The Uprising

    Ajakaju: Beast Of Two Worlds

    Suspicion

    Best Score/Music

    Inkabi

    Freedom Way

    Seven Doors

    Soft Love

    Skeleton Coast

    Best Art Direction

    Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre

    Christmas In Lagos

    Farmer’s Bride

    Seven Doors

    The Man Died

    Lisabi: The Uprising

    Best Costume Design

    Toyin Ogundeji – Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre

    Bolanle Austen- Peters, Yolanda Okereke, Juliana Dede, Gloria Oyu – House Of Ga’a

    Oluwatoyin Balogun, Oyeade Adeimpe Adedimeji – Lisabi: The Uprising

    Opeyemi Sogeke – Phoenix Fury

    Adedamola Adeyemi – Christmas In Lagos

    Best Makeup

    Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre

    Lisabi: The Uprising

    Seven Doors

    Farmer’s Bride

    Clarence Peters’ Inside Life

    Suspicion

    Best Writing TV Series

    Untying Kantai

    Tuki?

    Roses & Ivy

    Cheta’M

    Seven Doors

    Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre

    Princess On A Hill

    Best Writing in a Movie

    The Weekend

    Skeleton Coast

    Freedom Way

    Phoenix Fury

    A Ghetto Love Story

    House of Ga’a

    Christmas In Lagos

    Best Documentary

    Walvis Tale

    Dundun

    O.Y.O (On Your Own)

    Women of Salt: The Resilience of Ebonyi’s Women

    I Will Remember You

    Best Scripted Series

    Clarence Peters’ Inside Life

    Seven Doors

    Princess On A Hill

    Cheta’M

    Roses & Ivy

    Best Unscripted Series

    Style Magnate

    Skillers The Builders Show)

    Ebuka Turns Up Africa

    Wa Milele? (Forever?)

    Uzoamaka Tries Palmwine

    Best Director

    Robert O Peters – Skeleton Coast

    Norman Maake – Inkabi

    Bolanle Austen-Peters – House of Ga’a

    Awam Amkpa – The Man Died

    Daniel Emeka Oriahi – The Weekend

    Femi Adebayo, Adebayo Tijani, Tope Adebayo – Seven Doors

    Best Movie

    Lisabi: The Uprising

    Skeleton Coast

    Suspicion

    Inkabi

    House of Ga’a

    Freedom Way

    Christmas in Lagos

    Farmer’s Bride