The Nation Newspaper

Category: Celebrity

  • New lease of life for Oghogho Asemota

    The path to a new beginning has opened for Oghogho Asemota and she is toeing it without the baggage of the past. One admirable trait about Oghogho is her ability to maintain a cheerful mien even when her world comes crashing down. When her decade old marriage to Prince Ayo Adedoyin crumbled to her dismay, Oghogho refused to sink into gloom. To rue her marital loss, she took a sabbatical from the social scene.

    The dark-skinned beauty is happily single and has moved on with her life. Though the end of her marriage caused quite a stir on the social scene, Oghogho emerged stronger than ever. The third daughter of Chief Sunny Asemota and wife, Ireti, she now radiates beauty hitherto unseen of her. It will be recalled that the Managing Director of Aralia by Nature, a landscape and plant-scape design company, hosted many of her equally silver spoon-fed colleagues to a birthday bash when she clocked 40 last year.

    The soiree had quite a number of Lagos rich and happening babes in attendance. Victoria Island was shut down for Oghogho at her disco party, which was held at a popular fun spot. Oghogho is happy at the moment and she does not look like someone ready to try her hands (or heart) on any emotional entanglement soon.

  • Vivian Chilogi out of social radar

    Close watchers of high society are anxious to know what has become of Vivian Chilogi. Although nothing bad is heard of her, her sudden disappearance and unusual silence have caused many to wonder what she has been up to. She is now the subject of discourse in social circles.

    From being a prominent player on the social scene, her reign is fast fading into distant memory. She is irrefutably one of the best-dressed single ladies around, and she makes heads turn whenever she saunters into any gathering. Flaunting a preference for pricey clothes and accessories from the stables of world-renowned designers, her astute understanding of trends makes her a winner everywhere she goes.

    But while her life seems perfect, her love life is lagging. Since her romance with the owner of a luxury goods store went sour, none of the men desiring her company has succeeded in securing her consent. Lately, Vivian has recoiled into her shell.

    Many would attribute it to the fact that she lost her younger sister some time ago. Reports said she was devastated by the unfortunate incident.

  • Okey Nwosu out of social radar

    Sometime you have to fall off the rope in order to get up again and reach heights that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Perhaps this explains Okey Nwosu’s sudden decision to stay off the limelight. The former Managing Director of First Inland Bank Plc and maverick banker who left indelible marks on the nation’s financial sector while he held sway at the bank that later transformed to Finbank Plc, has disappeared from the social scene like the early dew that disappears at the blaze of the morning sun.

    Okey has not been seen for quite a long time. He was last visible towards the tail end of last year in those trying days while he was fighting tooth and nail to exculpate himself from the grip of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged financial impropriety in office.

    After the Court of Appeal in Lagos stopped breathing hell down his neck and ended his ordeal by striking out the charge of stealing Finbank’s N10.9bn preferred against him by the EFCC, Okey heaved a sigh of relief and crawled into an anonymous cocoon. It will be recalled that just a few years ago before his EFCC travail, Okey’s was a name, which titillated dreams and awakened the passion of many success hopefuls who were driven to be like him. His sudden disappearance has been a cause of concern to many and it has elicited speculations about his whereabouts.

  • Scott Tommey remembers mum… 30 years after

    The bond between mother and son is special. It cannot be changed by time or distance. It is the purest kind of love  unconditional and true. It understands every situation and forgives every mistake. It transcends the realm of the living and blooms even after life.

    The foregoing explains the hurt Scott Tommey is still feeling even 30 years after his mother’s death. The boss of Osmoserve Group sees his mother as a benevolent woman who lived striving to be the best in whatever she ventured into. That is why even in death, she retains a big portion of her billionaire son’s heart.

    Scott loved his late father too, no doubt. But he had a special admiration for his mum, which he still cherishes. A disciplinarian of note, the late Madam Modupe Tommey moulded the Seina Marine boss into every mother’s joy. Under the watchful eyes of his mother, Scott grew into who he is today. After all, men are what their mothers make of them.

    While a lot of people have passed through Scott’s life, the one who seemed to have the most impact on his life was his mother. The late woman never hesitated to drop everything else to rush to Scott’s side whenever he needed her. Interestingly, she was able to manage such a show of affection among her kids to the best of her ability, which makes her a mother to die for in the estimation of Scott and his siblings.

    Madam Modupe died on May 5, 1986, but Scott still reserves a special place for her in his heart.

  • Arinola Adeniyi becomes wellness queen

    Courage does not always roar. Sometimes, it is the quiet voice saying, “I will try again”. Cool-headed Arinola Adeniyi is not one to give up easily. She follows her instincts and sees each day as a new opportunity to make a difference. She keeps on pushing and striving until her goals are accomplished.

    This spirit of perseverance has yielded Arinola, owner of Venivicci spa and fitness centre in Lekki, Lagos, good success. The pretty lady is now the Queen of wellness in Lagos. Her spa and fitness centre is now the second home for the rich and famous who care about fitness. The former banker has now changed the face of wellness business in Lagos.

  • KUNLE AFOLAYAN HOLDS PRESS SCREENING FOR ‘THE CEO’

    FOR 45 minutes, man of the moment filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan screened his latest production, The CEO, to the members of the fourth estate, eliciting testimonies of another blockbuster to have come out of Nigeria.

    Held at the Silverbird Cinema, City Mall, Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday the screening was also witnessed by fans, friends, and sponsors who cheered every moment as the tape rolled.

    Speaking after the press screening, Afolayan revealed details of the much anticipated in-flight premiere of The CEO aboard an Air-France trip to Paris, where the film will headline the prestigious NollywoodWeek Paris, a film festival organized by the French-based association Okada Media, headed by Serge Noukoué and Nadira Shakur.

    Come June 1, he said, his team shall be having the first-of-its-kind premiere of The CEO aboard Air France to Paris, France.

    “This special premiere will begin with a Red Carpet show at the Check-In Counter at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport. There shall be the best of media coverage from partners such as Africa magic, Silverbird Television and other broadcast and print media who have shown us tremendous support from the past. For our sponsors, partners, the cast and crew of The CEO and those accredited to attend NollywoodWeek Paris, the fun continues with a Cocktail Party at the Boarding Gate. We will run a red carpet into the plane. Thereafter, the movie will be screened onboard the plane where other passengers will partake in the show. It is going to be a complete event show with the usual razzmatazz. Just imagine an After Party happening 35,000ft to 40,000ft above the sea level. It is sure going to be a unique experience. It is also good to know that our fans will be waiting for us in Paris where the film has been slated for a special premiere at the NollywoodWeek Paris, taking place from May 2nd to 5th at the popular Cinema l’Arlequin,” Afolayan said.

    Corroborating Afolayan’s disclosure on the premiere, Commercial Manager, Air France/KLM Arthur Dieffenthaler noted that there had never been an in-flight premiere of such, even in Hollywood or Bollywood. The initiative, according to him represents some of the big ideas that Air France/KLM and Afolayan’s Golden Effects company stand for. He disclosed that this is the first time a Nigerian film will be shot at the Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris, France, expressing optimism that the partnership will go on for a long time.

    Some of the top dignitaries expected as part of the in-flight premiere are the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, Commercial Manager, Air France/KLM Arthur Dieffenthaler and Acting Managing Director of Bank of Industry, Mr. Waheed Olagunju.

    Others include officials of DStv, Peugeot Automobile, Adron Homes and Properties, Inagbe Grand Resorts and Leisure as well as several notable filmmakers and actors in Nollywood.

    The impressive cast of The CEO who will also be joining the flight in Lagos include, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and entertainer from Benin Republic, Angélique Kidjo; Haitan actor and model Jimmy Jean-Louis; consummate actor, Wale Ojo; French-Ivorian actress and model, Aurelie Eliam; South African actor and presenter, Nicolaos Panagiotopoulos; Nigerian actress, Kemi Lala Akindoju; Moroccan star, Fatim Layachi; Kenyan actor Peter King, Nigerian actress, Hilda Dokubo as well as  Nigerian singer, Adekunle Gold and Moroccan Afrobian artiste, Ahmed Soultan who made cameo appearances in the film.

    Speaking at the conference, the Director, M-Net West Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu said: “The CEO promises to be unlike anything we have ever seen from Africa. We are familiar with the stellar work that Kunle Afolayan does with his Golden Effects company and were therefore more than excited to jump on board The CEO project right from its inception. This partnership is in furtherance of our continued drive to support Nigerian and African cinema by investing in people, ideas and talent, and we can’t wait for fans and lovers of good cinema to watch this movie.”

    Set on a beautiful beach resort on the outskirts of Lagos, Nigeria, The CEO follows five top executives from across Africa who are dispatched on a one-week leadership retreat by a multinational telecommunications firm to determine who gets selected as the new CEO. Things go awry when one by one the executives are eliminated in sudden death circumstances, with the finger pointing to the last two remaining executive as prime suspects.

  • Gbenga James in trying times

    In the business world, what is bad news for one is good news for the other. Gbenga James’ competitors are rejoicing as he struggles to get out of his current travails. On account of his indebtedness to Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), the Ibadan office of the CEO of Avian Specialties was last weekend sealed off by officials of the institution. The businessman was said to have owed about N3 billion, being the debt bought over from Union Bank.

    The matter got even worrisome when Gbenga James, whose poultry business ranks among the biggest in the country, was arrested. In a move that justifies the saying that marriage is for better and for worse, his wife was also arrested.

    According to those in the know, AMCON and the Nigeria police last weekend stormed the Avian Specialty office in Challenge, Ibadan and carted away the company’s property, before they later sealed up the building. The one-hour operation was said to have been led by one Saheed Fasanya, with help from armed policemen. Onlookers had their fill as AMCON agents allegedly stormed the Iyaganku home of the businessman, where they also carted his Bentley and some other luxury cars in his garage. It was gathered that AMCON was also facilitating the process towards taking over all his properties.

    It will be recalled that a few years ago, he had a raw deal with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a poultry project he handled for the Ekiti State Government, through which the sum of N800 million was alleged to have been misappropriated.

  • Fifi Ejindu adopts low profile

    Goddess of high society, Fifi Ejindu, has abdicated her throne, leaving her kingdom in a bleak and gloomy condition. The posh and polished lady boasts a solid pedigree. She is the daughter of the late Prof. S.I. Una, the first Minister of Health in the former Eastern Region before it was divided into different states.

    Fifi, who used to be among the top celebrity women ruling the social space, is no longer regular on the social radar. The reason for the latest moves from the CEO of Building Support Systems might not be unconnected with her alleged tiffs with some of her friends in her close quarters.

    Everyone is wondering when this personification of beauty will resurface.

  • The world waits for Jennifer Obayuwana, Peter Salah

    Jennifer Obayuwana, daughter of Polo Luxury CEO, has generated a whirlpool of feelings among many with the announcement of her engagement to Peter Salah. Her stunning ring has left many awe-struck and sincerely happy for her. Others though offered her congratulatory messages with tongues-in-cheek and quite understandably so.

    Although Salah is the CEO of Tilt Group, there are some cynical parties that believe his engagement to Jennifer is a calculated attempt at consolidating his wealth and not really because he is looking forward to the commitments and sanctity of marriage. The soon-to-be bride has ignored the naysayers and their negative opinions.

    For effect, her birthday was celebrated in style and not without showing off Salah as a romantic man and the pivot upon which her new found happiness rotates. The social media were awash with their pictures, gifts and how much Salah dots over her. The Polo director even posted a photo of how her man woke her up to wash her legs with a bottle of champagne, launching her into a special day with the promise of better things to come.

    The duo did not miss the opportunity to let the world know about the pleasurable time they had in Dubai, a subtle message to the naysayers that their relationship is waxing stronger. Surprisingly the lovebirds could not make good their vow to seal their relationship in November, last year. The month came and went without the wedding bells ringing.

    Naysayers are surely having a swell time analysing why their planned their walk down the aisle is suffering a delay, with Salah’s marital motives the prime focus.

  • Nike Oshinowo, Tunde Soleye re-unite?

    The flame of love can never be extinguished, goes the popular saying. It is always a potent combustion waiting to be ignited into a raging fire at the slightest opportunity. And that may just be playing out in the lives of Nike Osinowo and Dr. Tunde Soleye.

    Recently, the estranged lovers spent quality time interacting and causing high society gossip to project the possibility a reunion. The ex-beauty queen and the Lagos-based medical practitioner reunited recently at a fundraiser for Endometriosis. The event, which held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, offered a rare opportunity for Osinowo and Soleye to bond since their separation in 2012.

    Many people at the event wondered if the estranged lovebirds were at the verge of reuniting, given the affectionate way they related with each other.

    Will the duo get back together? Or did they simply put up a show for the public? Time will tell.