The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • Abike Dabiri fetes Asisat Oshoala

    Abike Dabiri fetes Asisat Oshoala

    The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is reputed for walking the talk on any issue that captures her attention. Unlike most Nigerian politicians, she seems to detest building castles in the air. She would go to any length to demonstrate her passion for humanity. Little wonder she was appointed the chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora.

    Last Thursday presented the broadcaster-turned-politician an opportunity to feed a young heroine with her milk of kindness. She organised a reception for an illustrious daughter of Ikorodu, Asisat Oshoala, whose exploits at the just concluded FIFA Under-20 Women World Cup, hosted by Canada, earned her the much coveted Most Valuable Player award. The Falconets striker was hosted by Hon. Dabiri-Erewa at the Ikorodu Town Hall.

    It will be recalled that Oshoala also won the Golden Boot, having scored seven goals and provided two assists at the tourney. The event saw many notable indigenes of Ikorodu in attendance as Abike extolled the virtues of the shinning soccer star. Abike vowed to do everything within her power to make sure that Asisat realises her full potential.

  • All set for Kayode Are’s daughter’s wedding

    All roads lead to Lekki, Lagos today in honour of one of Nigeria’s finest intelligence officers, Col. Kayode Are. The former Director of the Department of State Security (DSS) will be giving his daughter’s hand out in marriage. Aminat Aderonke Are will be united in holy wedlock with Olabode Idris Adekeye, a scion of Vice Admiral Adekeye (rtd).

    The ceremony is billed for an event centre in Lekki, Lagos, and it promises to be a gathering of eminent personalities. Top military men will surely be in attendance Are pulls all the strings to make the event a memorable one.

    The Owu-born intelligence officer has played a major role in the security of the country since Nigeria returned to civil rule. He was said to have been recommended by Gen. Aliyu Gusau to former President Olusegun Obasanjo for appointment as Director of Department of Security Service in 1999. In April 2010, he was appointed the Deputy National Security Adviser by President Goodluck Jonathan. When Aliyu Gusau resigned as National Security Advisor (NSA), Kayode Are took over as Acting NSA. He has since retired from service.

  • Kuku is over the moon

    THE Special Assistant to President Goodluck  Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs and the Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, is presently in a happy mood.  His enthusiastic state and delightful moment is on the account of the success just recorded by some students under the amnesty scholarship programme in Poland.  On Tuesday 2nd September 2014, over 20 indigent non-militant youths,  who had scaled the selection process for scholarship on the amnesty scheme and subsequently got sponsorship to Poland to acquire skills and cutting-edge training in marine technology and operations, graduated in flying colours in their diverse trainings and courses at the Officers’ Training College of the Gydania Maritime University, Poland.

    Beyond the marine protocols and rules that interestingly distinguished the graduation ceremony as noted, the occasion seemed like a day earmarked for a special rendition for Kingsley Kuku on his stewardship and particularly in the management of the affairs of the usually erratic youngsters in the government programme. From the Dean Faculty of Navigation Gydnia Maritime University,  Prof Henryk Sniegocki , to the Nigerian Ambassador to Poland, Dr. Samuel Jimba, accolades were poured on Kuku for his physical connection with the students throughout the two years spent on the course in Poland.

  • Joan Rivers passes on

    Joan Rivers passes on

    Joan Rivers has passed on at 81.

    “It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends. My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother.” said Melissa Rivers, her daughter said in a written statement.

    Melissa Rivers also added that she and her son, Cooper, who is Joan Rivers’ grandson “have found ourselves humbled by the outpouring of love, support and prayers we have received from around the world. They have been heard and appreciated. My mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon.”

    Joan Rivers, was very popular for her quick tongue while co hosting “Fashion Police, a show on E! which critiques celebrity fashion.

    On Aug. 28, however, she was in New York City having surgery when she suffered cardiac arrest. She was rushed to the hospital, where she arrived unconscious and doctors kept her sedated. On Sept. 2, her daughter, Melissa Rivers, revealed that she had been placed on life support.

    “My mother has been moved out of intensive care and into a private room where she is being kept comfortable,” she added in a statement the next day. “Thank you for your continued support.”

    Rivers, who changed her name from “Joan Molinsky” when she entered show business, began her acting career in a play opposite Barbra Streisand before appearing on “Candid Camera.”

  • Star The Winner Is: Contestant shows trait of Jennifer Hudson

    Star The Winner Is: Contestant shows trait of Jennifer Hudson

    It appears that American singer, Jennifer Hudson, has a protégé in Star The Winner Is contestant, Jahtell Ilem, who gave a stunning rendition of Am Changing during the last edition of the show.

    Hudson is an amazing vocalist, a situation that made the crowd to be excited about her the vocal power.

    Jahtell delivered Hudson’s song almost flawless, similar to how the latter rendered it on the musical drama film, DreamGirls.

    In her first duel round of the night, Jahtell also serenaded the audience with a rather astonishing performance of a BoyzIImen classic, I’ll make love to you, which made her a clear winner of the round.

    Consequently, she joins Philip, Brenda, Happiness, Rhema and Naomi ,winners from previous episodes, to battle for N10million and a brand new car in the semifinal round.

  • 50 Cent partners Intel on headphones

    50 Cent partners Intel on headphones

    American rapper, Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent, has launched his SMS Audio, a headphone and accessories brand, in partnership with Intel.

    The move has been touted as the first personal audio system that fuses fitness with technology.

    Technology analysts said the new range of headphones – to be known as SMS Audio BioSport In-Ear Headphones- would hit the market later this year.

    Powered by Intel, the headphones, according to its manufacturers, will integrate biometric sensors with a heart-rate monitor and sync with RunKeeper to empower athletes to collect fitness data and achieve peak physical performance.

    “The wearable technology collaboration between SMS Audio and Intel elevates our capability to bring smart exercise to consumers,” said Brian Nohe, president, SMS Audio.

    “With the introduction of the SMS Audio BioSport In-Ear Headphones powered by Intel, we’re now the first to provide this level of integrated, seamless and helpful biometric information to inspire customers to advance their fitness experiences.”

    Intel and SMS Audio are merging lifestyle requirements with technology innovation to enhance the fitness experience showcased by a patented ear-hook design that ensures a comfortable fit ,while an energy-harvesting audio jack removes the need for extra batteries or chargers.

    This sort of merger by a Hip-hop mogul and a major tech company is not the first as  Andre Young, alias Dr. Dre, a former Interscope label mate of 50 Cent, had his company, Beats Electronics, acquired by  Apple for a highly publicised $3.2 billion price tag earlier this year.

  • 13 families arrive Lagos for Maltina Dance All

    13 families arrive Lagos for Maltina Dance All

    As the popular epic dance battle, Maltina Dance All (MDA) reality show enters its crucial stage, excitement is near for television viewers and lovers of dance genre, as group dancers from 13 families have arrived Lagos.

    The selection followed a rigorous screening exercise on 28 families that qualified from the regional auditions.

    In its eighth edition, the top 13 families stormed Lagos for an exalted slot in the final round of screening to enter the dance academy in September and to learn the new Rhythm of Happiness Dance (RODH) style.

    The families( Unaka, Odigie, Ezekiel, Maisamari, Williams, Utere, Dide, Uzodinma, Leornard, Nwaeze, Oladapo, Abunwa and Awokoya) according to Nigerian Breweries Plc.,  the organisers of the contest,   have scaled through the necessary physical and medical screening and have been deemed fit to compete.

    In a couple of weeks, the contestants will be further proned to 10, who will eventually move to the Academy on September 7, for the final unslaught.

    The competition promises the sum of N10million for the overall winner, while the first and second runners-up will take home N3million and N1million respectively.

    The MDA auditions were held in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt, where the family representatives performed as individual contestants, before being followed home by the Maltina team to perform alongside other members of their families.

    Preparation for the show kicked off with an electrifying performance by the Maltina all-stars made up of past participants of the show.

    Popular comedians, Gbenga Adeyinka and Laffup, as well as host of the show, Osas Ighodaro, introduced the RODH to the audience who were held spellbound by the creativity of the new season.

    The show is expected to start showing on television, on September 7.

     

  • Musicians mark No Music Day

    Musicians mark No Music Day

    The strategic move to stamp the social import of music has been more emphatic in the last couple of years with a No Music Day being declared, once in a year, by the coalition of music industry stakeholders.

    The event, which holds today, is expected to focus attention on the widespread infringement of the rights of composers, songwriters, performers, music publishers and other stakeholders in the Nigerian music industry.

    As usual, the coalition is requesting all broadcast stations and users of music across the country not to broadcast music between the hours of 9am and10am today.

    The group expects all stations to be sympathetic to the flight of the artistes who are known to be devastated by massive copyright infringement. It is their belief that refraining from music broadcast today is a mark of solidarity with the nation’s creative industry.

    Within the specified period, all stations are also requested to dedicate their time to interviews, documentaries, debates and discussions that focus on the rights of creative people and the state of intellectual property rights in Nigeria, while newspapers and magazines are also being encouraged to do special features on the industry to mark the day.

    On its part, the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) said it would commemorate the day by flying its flags at half mast, while there would also be a bonfire of pirated materials at its headquarters in Lagos.

    Speaking on the event, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, said: “No Music Day is a day the music industry in Nigeria comes together to say no to the incessant abuse of our rights. For too long our industry has suffered great loss because of piracy. We have watched big record companies close shops and move away from Nigeria, while our young talents roam the streets looking for record deals. This has got to stop. No more will we tolerate the years of monkey dey work, baboon dey chop. Piracy is a crime against creativity, so it must be brought to an end urgently.”

    The president of Music Label Owners and Recording Industries Association of Nigeria (MORAN), Hon. John E. Udegbunam, urged commercial users of music to acquire the right licence.

    “We want to call on all lovers of good music to join the ‘No Music Day’ campaign as we forge ahead for a more vibrant Nigerian music industry. We appeal to all users of music to ensure that they obtain the appropriate license for the music they deploy. By so doing,  we can ensure that our creativity outlives us,” he said.

  • Bez warms up for new album

    Bez warms up for new album

    Nigerian singer, Emmanuel Bezhiwa, aka Bez, has expressed readiness for the release of his sophomore album.

    Speaking on the album, which is billed to be out in October, Bez said: “I’ve been recording my new album in New York and Houston in the United States. Right now, the album is in its mastering and mixing stage. Hopefully, we are going to have a single coming up next month. Then, we will follow it up with an album.”

    An outstanding talent, Bez creates what he calls  alternative soul, an unusual hybrid of Soul, Rock, Jazz and R&B, that sets him apart from the mainstream Afro-Hip pop movement.

    His debut album,Super Sun, made international critical acclaim, as it was listed as one of  the 2012 Hot R&B/Soul albums on iTunes USA, and was also rated among the Top 10 World Music Albums of 2011 by the US paper, Boston Globe.

    The feat has propelled the singer to other first-rate features on platforms such as Vogue Italia, Essence.com, Rolling Stone Magazine SA, BBC 1 XTRA, BBC Focus on Africa and MTV Iggy Hall of Fame.

  • Atama Attah’s second marriage in trouble?

    Atama Attah’s second marriage in trouble?

    If a post on the Facebook account of Atama Attah, ex-husband of Tundun Abiola, one of the daughters of the late Chief MKO Abiola, is anything to go by, his recent marriage to Josephine Washima, Special Adviser on Job Creation to President Goodluck Jonathan, could well be heading for the rocks. A few days ago, Atama took to the social platform to plead with his ex-wife, Tundun, to forgive him for an offence he did not specify, fuelling earlier speculations that he was having issues with his new wife, Josephine.

    When Atama’s marriage to Tundun collapsed last year, not a few people castigated Tundun because they thought that the break-up might have to do with Tundun’s background as a silver spoon kid. They seemed to forget that Atama is also not from a poor background. And recent events seem to be pointing to the fact that Atama might be the one who needs to sort himself out on certain issues.

    Few months after Atama demonstrated to the world that he was head over heels in love with Josephine with a carnival-like wedding ceremony that drew the high and mighty, the news now is that but for the efforts of key family members, Atama would have since walked out of the marriage. The news would come as a huge surprise to many, considering the fact that Atama is presently in his second marriage. He was said to have earlier been married to a London-based woman who even had a kid for him; a fact Tundun was said to know about only after she had tied the nuptial knots with Atama.v