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Category: Entertainment

  • I’ve never wanted to be married- Michael Ibru’s daughter Elvina

    I’ve never wanted to be married- Michael Ibru’s daughter Elvina

    Back in England two decades ago, Elvina Ibru won an unusual beauty contest. She was crowned the Miss Big and Beautiful Competition UK. Apart from being beautiful, to win the equally prestigious beauty contest, Elvina had to be on the big side. At her peak, Elvina weighed all of 210 kgs.  And that really is big. Along with her sisters, Gloria and Obukome Ibru, they remained three of a kind! The famous daughters of an equally famous father, Olorogun Michael Ibru, Elvina has had life as rosy as it possibly could be. And she openly agreed to this, when she boldly declared, “I have always had everything I wanted. I have not really ever thought about not having anything I want.” But Elvina also agrees that life is not a bed of roses! With a rich father who has been under health care over the years, living a quiet life at an ocean front in America, Elvina says life has taught her to be passionate about the things that mean much to her. Elvina explains it all in this interview with PAUL UKPABIO.

    What has been happening to you of late Elvina?

    I have been around, though in the last four years, I have been shuttling between Nigeria and the United State of America where my father is.

    So how is your dad?

    He is fine, still fresh and very handsome. It’s difficult to bring a good man down. He, however, has to stay in America because of the kind of care that he needs. There are some certain factors that scare us a little bit about him coming home here. Little things, I mean things that seem little, but are crucial. For instance, the hectic traffic. If he was to be here and he has a small infection, he might be stuck in traffic, you know. So unfortunately, he is still in America but doing very fine. My sister is there with him and we take turns to go there and be with him. We rotate our visit.

    My sister, Osio, is the one that stays permanently with him. She is based in America. All other of his children take turns to be with him. We try and make sure that one of us is always there. For instance, Oscar is there right now. By the time that Oscar is coming back, someone else will be on the way there. He stays at the ocean front. All our properties are by the water or close to the water for obvious reason. There is definitely a connection between our businesses with the sea (laughs).

    How is your son?

    He is good; he is the best thing that as ever happened to me. His name is Elisha and there are so many things attached to that name. The literary meaning of his name Elisha in Hebrew means ‘my God my salvation.’ So he’ll grow up never to forget that without God he is nothing. Then there is the story in the Bible about the great prophet Elijah who God was going to take into heaven. God told him that his time would soon come. He gave him a message for Elisha that asked Elisha what he wanted and Elisha said that he wanted double anointing. So if Elijah was a great prophet and Elisha now had double, you can imagine how great Elisha turned out! So I think for my son, the sky is the limit.

    Remember what God said, that Elisha had to be there when Elijah was leaving before he could get the anointing. You know what that meant; Elisha placed Elijah on permanent watch. He was usually there 24/7, close to Elijah so that he didn’t miss the opportunity. The name shows a man of determination, which tells me that there is nothing that you want to do, if you really put your mind on it and the thing is good, you will achieve it.

    Also, the name has a lot of meaning to me because before I had him, I had a miscarriage that I went through before I eventually had him. I was pregnant with twins, which meant double. So when he arrived, it was like God had given me double anointing back. You know God doesn’t cheat anybody. He gives you what you really need at the time you need it.

    How about his dad?

    His dad is fine. He is in Port Harcourt. We are not together anymore. But we are very good friends; in fact he got married last December to a very nice girl. So Elisha has a very beautiful, lovely step mom that I am very close to. We are trying so hard to be a unit, even though I am in Lagos and he is in Port Harcourt. But Elisha comes first. He is a good dad.

    We heard somewhere that you in a relationship…

    (Laughs) there is always talk of me being in something. Yes, talk about me being in one relationship or another. Frankly speaking, that remains my business. So it’s sweet sometimes when you actually sit back and hear all those things people are saying about my love life. But the truth is that, I keep a mystery to my love life these days. People make up their stories, and create imaginary characters around me.

    You won an international beauty pageant because of your big size, why are slimming down?

    I think Gloria, my elder sister, started it. Initially, she was the biggest amongst us all. She started losing weight first. Then I was getting bigger by the day. So two years ago, after Gloria inspired me with her gradual weight loss, I started telling myself that I could do it too. I guess what eventually triggered it off was that I had been big all my life but I never had any sickness or illness. It got to a point when I was beginning to feel sluggish. I felt I was suddenly trapped in my own body. There were some things that I had always loved to do, but my body was just not responding.

    So I was asking myself, what was happening in my body? Also I was feeling little ache at my back, and I just had a little son. So I asked myself how I was going to be enjoying and playing with my little son when I could not even lift my body. So it was not really about being prettier or being more beautiful that I lost weight. It was more about my health. Though I never had health challenges attached to my former weight.

    At my biggest, I weighed 210 kg and I am 5 feet 11. That is a very large person! But I didn’t have ailments like diabetes, cholesterol or hypertension except for the small ache at my back. I didn’t want a situation where I had to get to where I became unhealthy. So I had to nip in the bud, the overweight. I cannot now talk about my diet because I am not through yet. I still want to go down 16-20 more kg. That is the size I feel I should keep, not because that is what health experts say, but what I feel I want.

    But do you mean that you are still intending to reduce further than this?

    Yeah, but people are asking me why I want to do that, because my size as it is now is quite attractive. I feel better now though; I was weighing 210 kg then. Presently it is 115. So I have lost about 95kg. If I can get to 100kg or 95kg, then I will be very happy. When I get to that point yeah, I can share my diet recipe and perhaps help some other people who are in such situation that I have been. All my life, I have been struggling with weight. It is not easy.

    But with your huge body frame, you won a beauty contest in the UK…

    Yes (laughs), that’s a long time ago. Yes that was the Miss Big and Beautiful competition. But right now, I may be much slimmer than what I was before, but I know that I don’t see myself as a normal sized person, I’m still big. Though much more comfortable. To be honest, I don’t want to be too skinny either. I am still out there for the sisters with curves. Yeah, I am still an advocate for curves. I don’t want to be skinny; I just want to feel good and know that I am healthier. And having no health issues or having worries that the heart could give way any time. I am proud of what I achieved as Miss Big and Beautiful, especially at that time; I was the only African girl in the competition. Just for that alone was an achievement. Having curves is African.

    So how have people been reacting to your new passion of losing weight? And do people still complement you that you are beautiful?

    They still do, but some say I am looking a bit drawn, a little bit tired, I don’t know what they see. They say that before, I was very fresh, that I looked like a baby. However, most people say well-done, you are looking younger and healthier. So it’s a good feeling.

    So people are still ‘toasting’ you for marriage?

    Hmm, ‘toasting’ does not mean marriage at all. Whether you are thin or big, people will still ‘toast’ you (laughs). Even if you are not beautiful, guys will still ‘toast’ you. It has nothing to do with looks. But for marriage, this is one aspect that people see me as being very controversial. I have never wanted to be married. And I do not want to marry presently, and I don’t want to ever get married. But like they say, never say never! I have never ever had the vision of getting married. I have never ever seen myself ever getting married. Even with Elisha who was a planned child, there was no marriage plan. Though his dad wanted marriage, I told him, I love you. I will have your child, you could even be the father of my children, but I am not marrying. I allowed him to understand that it wasn’t that I was against him, but I just didn’t want to marry.

    Do you have any special reason for not marrying?

    If I was born in America or Europe, perhaps I would have been taken to see a therapist. Honestly, I have never ever fancied marriage. They say most little girls have dreams of Prince Charming and their little cottage, a garden and a child or two. I have dreamt of children many times, but never of a little cottage with one man there. That is not for me. So maybe if I see a therapist, they will be able to sort out what is wrong with my brain. It might be related to the fact that I am from a polygamous home. It might also be connected to the fact that my mom was somebody that I can refer to as having been perfect. She was sometimes sad, always had a few issues with my father and his wives. Maybe it has to be that. My mom was who I called a renaissance woman.

    She was beautiful, educated; she made my father what he became. She was hard- working, domestic, and when it came to being social, she was very social. She was a generous person, she had seven healthy babies. If it was to cook, she was right there, and when it was groove time, she was there and ready. So if a man was not satisfied with her, I don’t know who they will be satisfied with. I don’t know. I have friends, girls who are married and to be honest, I don’t think that any of them can honestly tell me that they are completely happy with their marriages. So that makes marriage scary to me. So they ask me, ‘Elvina how come you are still looking fresh? And I reply that it is because I didn’t get married and twisted.’

    What if another opportunity to have another child comes?

    I wouldn’t hesitate. I have always loved children. A lot of people were surprised that I started late. They thought that by the time that I had Elisha, that I would probably have had like five or six children because, I had always wanted children. But you don’t just go and have a child for just anybody. One has to be careful. For instance, even though Elisha’s father and I are not together again, we are still good friends and he is a good father to his son. That is the important part.

    That is the joy of choosing a good father. Not going to have a baby because this boy is fine or this boy has money to spend, or this one comes from a good home. It is more than that. One has to be careful. And the thing you should remember most is ‘what if anything wrong happens to the child. Apart from the obvious, my sisters who are very close to me are capable of being there for me. But anything can happen and he has to go and stay with his father.

    Did you weigh all that well before you had Elisha?

    Of course, do you know how many men wanted me to have a baby with them? They were many who wanted that. They were some who even just after two months in the relationship wanted me to have babies for them. I had to be careful. Elisha’s father has sisters that I am close to. So Elisha has a big family from all sides, not just from mine.

    Another passion of yours is music

    Yes, I haven’t done anything on music for a while now. And that is because I lost my voice. When that happened, I opened a production company called ‘2wice as Nice. We do documentaries.’ Recently I have gone into movies, we also produce TV programmes; we are the first that produced Idols West Africa, the competition that Timi Dakolo won and Omawunmi emerged second; we brought Idols to Nigeria. That is my day job. At night, I work at Classic FM where I am an ‘on air personality.’ I am on air everyday midnight on a show called Melo-Magic. So in the evening when everyone is going home to rest, that is when I pick my bag again and head up to work. But it’s fun. There I express myself. That is what endears me to people.

    I am open. I don’t bottle up. That is the winning formula for my show. I am a real person. Yet I have a third job! You see why I lost all that weight (laughs), I suddenly had too much work to do. So, its work. Hard work. I am presently in a play called Hear Word which will be showing soon. It is being directed by a wonderful lady called Ifuoma Fafunwa. I have the privilege of working with some major names in the industry, Bimbo Akintola, Aunty Joke Sylva, Aunty Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Kate Henshaw and a host of amazing divas on stage. That is coming up in May. So I rehearse in the morning, in the afternoon I come to this our restaurant which we just opened, and in the evening, I’m off to the radio station.

    You are obviously very busy. Do you have time for any relationship now?

    Relationship can wait, this is money matter (laughs), but if a nice enough person comes up that can fit into my schedule, why not? He can meet me at midnight; we go out for a walk and have drinks. If you like somebody, you’ll do the needful. If I am out there at work at midnight, he won’t be asleep; he will be with me (laughs).

    Now you are into restaurant business, taking care of human food appetite. What is this part of you about?

    The restaurant is called Ona’s Kitchen. My father’s name is Onajivwere, a name that I also call my son. Yes, that is his Urhobo name. My brother had a child and called his name Onajivwere too. So we have three people bearing that name in the family. Using the same name for the restaurant is like an ode to my father. We specialise in presenting Niger Delta menu because we are proudly Urhobo girls. Banga is a constant here, Ukodo, Banga rice, and a lot of other Nigerian foods like Ofe Isala, Oha, Afang, Epankukwo, Edikanikong and continental dishes.

    Do you cook?

    My sisters and I really throw down when it comes to cooking. My mom was born in Oron. As a super woman, cooking was one of the many things she could do. We were always in the kitchen with her. Even the boys were usually in the kitchen then too with us. That is why today, the boys are very domestic. That is where we learnt from.

    At some point in the past, you and your sisters were running a night club in town. So with this new restaurant, are you expecting to graduate it into a nite club business in the near future?

    (Laughs) It’s not what I personally always wanted to do. But Gloria yes. However, she doesn’t want a nite club as such now, but a lounge in the true sense of its meaning, with Jazz pianist/singer every evening 7pm to 1am with beautiful cocktail, nice finger food, and once in a while, bring in a popular Jazz artiste from abroad, the real Jazz players. Gloria wants that kind of thing and we are already working on it. We do not want to rent somebody’s property; that is why it has delayed. We want it on our property, which we are building now. She tried renting but we ended up working for somebody else. That was why Gloria decided she wanted it on our property. This present place is not just a restaurant alone, but also has a guest house which is my cousin’s place.

    Your style?

    It is comfort, simplicity, elegance. I like wearing African clothes. I am eccentric about African prints. I like nice Nubian style. You can’t catch me in body hug, body magic. If you do not like me as I am, I’ll excuse you to look in another direction.

    Your mom was not a Nigerian before she married your dad. Where was she from?

    My mom was half Cameroonian and half German which is where my skin colour comes from. But if she were to be alive today, and you asked her, she will tell you that she is a Calabar girl. Or possibly a Bonny girl. She was born in Calabar, raised in Oron and she never knew her blood father. Her mother married Chief Pepple from Bonny. He was the man she knew as her father.

    So putting all that together, how does it affect your origin?

    I am an Urhobo girl! Please what is my business with German or whatever, my father is from Delta State, Agbara-Otor, Ughelli North, and that is where I am from. I am an Urhobo girl that likes to turn Banga and starch well (laughs).

  • Gulder Club Ultimate goes to Enugu

    Gulder Club Ultimate goes to Enugu

    The coal city of Enugu will come alive today as the third edition of the Gulder Club Ultimate holds at the Polo Park Mall.

    The event, which will be anchored by award-wining artiste, Darey and Cool FM’s Freeze, will feature celebrities such as Naeto C, J Martins and Tony One Week, among others.

    Meanwhile, both radio personalities, Tobe Dadiva and Lorenzo Menakaya, will play host on the red carpet.

    It was further revealed that DJ Neptune, DJ Caise, DJ Spinall and Big N team will behind the turntable to dish out delightful tunes.

    The Gulder Club Ultimate, according to the organisers, has become a popular virtual club hotspot, where celebrities and party-goers frequent for relaxation.

    It will be recalled that it has played host to the likes of Genevieve Nnaji, Jay Jay Okocha, Tee A, Alex Okosi, D’Banj, Dr Sid, Denrele, Tee-Y Mix, Kunle Afolayan, Tunde Ednut, Yaw, JJC, Weird MC, Toni Khan, Black Magic and Zania, among others.

    Marketing Manager, Gulder, Emmanuel Agu, said: “It’s an honour to be able to share this life-changing experience with Enugu. Gulder continues to dominate experiential activations nationwide and I’m confident that Club Ultimate will go down as the greatest event Enugu has seen yet.”

  • Being a father has made me responsible – Terry G

    Being a father has made me responsible – Terry G

    In the eyes of many, Gabriel Amanyi, popularly known as Terry G, is an eccentric. But there is much more to him than his seeming weird lifestyle.  At the moment, he is currently involved in a lot of projects that are dear to his heart. In this recent encounter with DUPE AYINLA-OLASUNKANMI, he talks about a number of interesting issues, including his involvement in a new talent hunt contest and fatherhood.

    WHAT is your level of involvement in the Street Champ project?

    I always love to give opportunities to new talents. So, it is the kind of things I get involved in. At the end of the day, there is always the feeling that I did the right thing by bringing hope to someone’s dream.

    As a busy person, how do you intend to mentor these young champs?

    It is all about time. We have done the press conference now to make the idea behind the project known. So, the next will be the date when the auditioning will be taking place. But I have to travel for my own engagement too. So, it is all about proper planning and understanding.

    I can see you are wearing a new look today. Could you explain the reason for this?

    It could be because you have not seen me, apart from my music. Terry G is different from Gabriel Amanyi. It is all about showbiz; I just do Terry G to make money.

    Does this have anything with your new status as a father?

    Yes, it has to do with my background too. I grew up in a God-fearing background. When I am home, I am a different person from when I am on stage.

    But your style doesn’t seem to be in sync with your background?

    Yes. However, you don’t judge a book by its cover. At other time, you just find yourself in a position that you can’t take away. I used to do good music back in the days; but now, I just do entertainment for the people. But I have been able to diversify the two personalities.

    What happened to your group, House of Ginjah?

    Let me say I was not capable enough to carry the group. Considering what groups cause in the entertainment world today, I just felt it was not the right time.

    Did you form the group because others were doing it at that time?

    No. This is how the group started. When you have friends and families that need you to help them with their dreams, the only way you can help is to try to bring them together. That was what I did at that time.

    Recently, you started the pure water business…

    In two months’ time, the NAFDAC number will be out and we can clearly go into the market system fully. We have done the necessary things like test-run and verification. But what is holding us back now is just the NAFDAC number. I want everything to be properly done. Apart from the pure water business, I am working towards other projects like the bakery and block-making factory. Also, I will be venturing into energy drink soon.”

    Why pure water business?

    I checked online and found out that, out of all the successful business we have, the water business is the most successful because no one can do without it.

    When are you releasing another album?

    That will be in five year’s time. Presently, I do not have any plans to release an album. I will be in your face doing other entertainment stuff, but I do not wish to release any album now because it does not make sense to me now. However, I will be releasing my singles, as I have been doing in recent times.

    Why?

    As I said earlier, I will still be on your face and be giving you singles. The reason I said this is because the Internet has taken over now. Everyone can go on the Internet and get any song he or she wants. So, getting to the CD will take time to end process. How many people want to buy? If they do, they burn it on the system and that is it. So, the Internet has made everything easy and accessible, meaning the market of CDs is dead.

    Are you saying the Internet has done more harm than good to the music industry?

    No, I am not saying that. It has done us good. What I am saying is that, it is faster than CD. What they need is just for you to give them good music and it is everywhere. It has done real good to the industry and I am sorry for the marketers.

    At the moment, almost all the stars are brand ambassadors. So, why have you not got any brand endorsement?

    These are the reasons you know. They say your past will haunt you (Laughs). Maybe I should say I have been unlucky. But I thank God, in spite of it all. I don’t really think about it. It is just on such a period as this when the question pops up that I get to think about it. Anyway, when I started, I had so many issues and controversies. Then, when I really started to make impact in the industry, there were so many distractions. So, I feel my past is part of the reasons for the layback, but I have started endorsing myself.

    You mentioned good music from entertainment. Could you explain better?

    The market is what we are looking at. All that you are doing is for the people. You are not doing the music or songs for yourself. For instance, the winner in this contest that we are trying to do now will be determined by the street.

    Before I bring out any hit song, I go to the street to study what people are saying and enjoying at that time. Nko ti awo eyan so, ni emi nko (it is what people are saying that I sing about). That is how I get the slangs that I use in my songs. It is not about love and girls.

    Taking about love, has it affected the way you now relate to your female fans?

    Yes, you are right. I think I am mature now. I was not patient before and I thought everything was sharp, sharp. I have now learnt that everything is a process. In other words, you have to be patient to observe and be patient to get anything you want.

    Are you actually married?

    No, but you should be expecting that.

    You are so much in love with your son the way you flaunt him all over the place. Could the same thing be said about his mother and when do you intend to tie the knot?

    By God’s grace, we are making plans for that and when it is time we will let you know. But expect baby number two before that.

    What is new about Terry G?

    Now, I have a child and I’m a father. He has given me a new life as a father. This has made me to see the other side of life. It has put me in my right place because when you are thinking about tomorrow, you will want to be more responsible. His birth has helped me a lot and even helped me to stay away from the negative things in life. Also, I’m now focusing on my brand to make it accessible, while trying to shoot musical videos.

    You have been keeping a low profile in recent times, what is happening to you?

    It’s just that it gets to a level where maturity comes in and you just have to slow down on some things, unlike when you were still a teenager. So, now that one is mature, those things one indulges in have become distractions .I became responsible since I had my kid. Now, music is no more a pleasure, but a business for me.

    How are you coping with fatherhood?

    It has been fun and I think I am now cool. It has given me the chance to relax and think of a positive life as a father. It has helped me to scare away negative friends, among other advantages.

  • Fans seek inspiration behind Davido’s Aye

    Fans seek inspiration behind Davido’s Aye

    Since sensational singer, David Adeleke, otherwise called Davido, released his hit song, Aye, tongues have been wagging about what or who could have inspired the party song.

    Interestingly, fans, who have been trying to unravel the seeming conundrum, claimed the song might have been inspired by his recent romance with Adeola Bamisile, daughter of the ex-Ekiti State Chief Judge. Indeed, it is being rumoured that he wrote Aye, his love single released during last the Valentine Day celebration, for Bamisile.

    According to reports, the two are said to be fond of each other. The lovebirds, according to reports, have been spending quality time with each other.

    Even after the hectic Esther shows, Omo Baba Olowo, as he is fondly called, still reportedly made out time to chat and crack jokes with Adeola,

    Meanwhile, Adeola, who is said to be currently studying for her Masters’ degree in the United Kingdom, has been enjoying the company of the Skelewu crooner.

    A source, however, claimed that neither Davido nor Bamisile would want to comment on their love affair for now, for fear that it might be blown out of proportion by the press.

    However, Davido, it was further gathered, might be travelling to London to be with his ‘heartthrob’ now that the Easter holiday is over.

  • Ice Prince to perform at ex’s wedding

    Ice Prince to perform at ex’s wedding

    WONDER, it is said, will never cease. This aptly applies to the tale being woven around the life of award-winning rapper, Ice Prince, who has reportedly been booked to perform at a wedding involving his ex-girlfriend.

    Although he didn’t disclose the identity of his client, Ice Prince posted on Twitter that he is scheduled to appear as a surprise performer for the bride.

    The artiste, who said the groom is fully aware of his past relationship with the bride, also asked his fans whether he should charge the couple or perform free-of-charge. He said:“This guy heart tho! Tryna booked me to perform at his wedding and he’s getting married to my ex. We cool tho but he gotta pay!” Ice Prince tweeted.

    He further sought the opinion of his fans how much they would charge if they were his in shoes.

  • LEGEND EXTRA STOUT: Terry G, Naeto C excite at raffle draw

    LEGEND EXTRA STOUT: Terry G, Naeto C excite at raffle draw

    It was quite an exciting experience for consumers of Legend Extra Stout recently, as wave-making singers, Terry G and Naeto C, thrilled at its promo raffle draw. The event was the first raffle draw of the 2014 edition of the Legend Extra Stout’s national consumer promotion.

    As the celebrity presenters, their first assignment was the official presentation of a dummy cheque to one of the grand prize winners, Mr. Jubilee Diagboya. Diagboya won for himself an all-expense paid trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to shop for items worth one

    million naira. The stage was then set for an electrifying performance first by Naeto C, who got the crowd dancing to some of his popular hits such as Five & Six, the remix of Tony Montana in which he featured D’Banj and Ten Over Ten, among others.

    Almost immediately, Terry G, popularly called the Akpako Master, enlivened the venue with his eccentric performance. He got the crowd miming and dancing to his various hit tracks such as Oga, Yeh Oluwa, Akpako and Run Mad, among other hits. During his performance, he stepped into the crowd to acknowledge select individuals who frantically swayed to the rhythms of his songs. The highlight of his performance was when he took off one of his expensive chains and handed it over to a member of the audience as a gift.

    Thirty lucky consumers will win all- expense paid trips to Dubai and will get the opportunity to shop for items worth N1 million in value at one of the biggest shopping malls in Dubai.

    Winners have started emerging from the consumer promo. Some of them are: Nwala Simon and Aliuhuo Vivian Chinasa, both from Imo State; Bishara Yohanna from Sokoto; Ernest Favour Nzelu from Abuja; Okon John Sampson from Akwa Ibom State; Kazeem Sadiku Gbenga from Ogun State and Okonofua Friday from Lagos State.

  • Nigerian Idol Season 4: Etisalat unveils top 12 contestants

    Nigerian Idol Season 4: Etisalat unveils top 12 contestants

    After the initial auditions in five cities across Nigeria, an exercise that eventually threw up the top 30 Nigerian youths who struggled to be Nigeria’s next big super star, Nigerian Idol season 4 sponsored by Etisalat has finally announced its top 12 contestants.

    The 12 contestants, who were unveiled at an event last Saturday in Lagos, will be housed for another eight weeks to show their musical prowess before the esteemed judges and audience, as they battle for the top prize of N7.5 million, a Galaxy Tab, a Blackberry, an iPod and a brand new SUV car.

    This year’s top 12 contestants are: Zibili Evelyn, Lisa Omoregebe, Elvis Ejiro, Paul Enoma, Odugbemi Idown Sarah, Ogechukwu Okafor, Obed Emmanuel Ogbonna, Ese Idowu, Ese Nyerhovoo, Anthony Akpan, Beebee Bassey and Jesse Okonkwo.

    Speaking at the event, the Director, Brands & Communication, Etisalat Nigeria, Enitan Denloye said: “The concept of unveiling the Top 12 contestants is to formally showcase the talents that the viewers have selected to move to the gala show. We are happy to witness another high point in this season. As we have promised, this season will be more interesting and it will once again empower another set of Nigerian youths, in line with our brand commitment of youth empowerment and development.”

    Also, the Chief Executive Officer, Optima Group, Rotimi Pedro, who took the audience on the journey so far while appreciating the continued support of Etisalat, said: “I must confess that I appreciate the effort of our sponsor, Etisalat in the last four years. We appreciate their investment in this show right from the beginning and we believe that they will continue to do more.

    “Before getting to the top 12 stage, the show has gone through series of stages, starting from the auditioning to the top-100 stage and gradually to the top-30 stage. At the top 30 stage, the contestants were divided into three groups of 10. Nine contestants were selected by the viewers at home through their votes, while the remaining three contestants were the judges’ choice through the wild card show. At this stage, the decision as to who stays or leaves will be fully determined by the audience.”

    Interestingly, the judges shared their joy on the success the show had recorded so far. Nneka, who spoke on behalf of the judges, said: “We are all happy for the choice made and we are confident that the 12 finalists will not disappoint us as we move on.”

  • I can get any man I like if…–Nollywood star Aishat Abimbola

    I can get any man I like if…–Nollywood star Aishat Abimbola

    Popular Nollywood star, Aishat Abimbola, aka Omoge Campus, is ravishing. She has been in the warm embrace of stardom, since she acted in one of Wale Adenuga Productions series over a decade ago. Also, she has had her own fair share of the pains and gains of stardom. Therefore, in this no-holds barred interview with BABATUNDE SULAIMAN, she ventilates her anger and joy, while talking about a number of riveting issues.

    AS a member of The Movie Ambassadors (TMA), what specifically are the aims and objectives of the group?

    Basically, we are not saying that the elders have not tried, but we have just decided to break away from the norm. In other words, we are saying that it is time we rebranded and repackaged ourselves. We are saying again that we should do some things differently and see what we can achieve. One of our goals is to reach out to the veterans that laboured so much for the industry, but who have now been forgotten.

    Sadly, nobody remembers them anymore. But when they die, the next thing is that we will start singing their praises- and it will be too late to celebrate them. So, we have decided to celebrate these legends, while they are still alive.

    Who are the people you have visited?

    Actually, I am not part of a particular committee, so I may not be able to give you the details of what happens in any of the committees. But I do have an idea because there is usually minutes of meetings and feedbacks from the various committees. So, the Public Relations Officer, Yomi Fabiyi, will be in the position to adequately talk at length about some of these issues.

    What other things are you also aiming at?

    Well, it is a total package. It is about changing the way we talk, relate, our mode of dressing and our subtitling, among others. It is essentially about repackaging the Yoruba movie industry. Everything about us has to change. We have decided that we cannot just continue to turn deaf ears to the observations and complaints of the people.

    What project are you working on at the moment?

    I have a lot on my hands now. Because of this new arrangement, we have plans concerning our productions. In view of this, I cannot go ahead with whatever I am planning now, except we come to a round-table. It is more complex now. As the vice president of the association, I have to relax a little bit, fix some things and then carry my people along. There is no way I am going to do anything without carrying the other members along. We have to sit down, look at the work critically and repackage well before releasing it to the market.

    I remember you said in an interview that you wanted to open a restaurant…

    (Cuts in) Absolutely, I am interested in it. I love cooking and I am a good cook. In fact, I studied Hotel Management and Catering in the higher institution.

    Are you saying it was not as a last resort?

    My love for cooking made me study Hotel Management and Catering. I had been doing it even before I gained admission into the higher institution. After obtaining my National Diploma, I worked with the UAC Foods for a couple of years before going in for my Higher National Diploma. During my youth service in Yola, my friends knew that I was a cook. I would package food for the corpers who had no canteens where they were serving.

    Which is your first love: acting or cooking?

    (Laughs) I love cooking, but acting is a talent, which I am not ready to give up.

    You just talked about your mum who passed on in 1984. But what do you miss most about her?

    I have not gotten over the shock of losing my mother, even 30 years after. She was a disciplinarian and never left anything to chance. I was in primary five when she passed on. She never separated us from the house helps. We ate from the same pot, slept on the same bed and went to the same school; so, she was just one liberal person. That is one thing I miss most about her.

    Could you recall the circumstance surrounding her death?

    She wasn’t really sick. I remember that after she finished cooking, she went into the bathroom, but she missed a step when she came out. We then rushed her to hospital, where she eventually died.

    Just like that?

    Oh! So, you can now see what I mean?

    Would you say it was not due to any spiritual attack?

    My mother never believed in such things.

    No, I want to know your own view.

    Well, she could be hypertensive, but I am not sure of her medical status as at the time. But you can’t just attribute everything to spiritual attack. What if it was natural? The Bible says you will account for everything that comes out of your mouth.

    Were you closer to your mum than your dad?

    I was closer to my dad than my mum.

    In spite of all you just said about your mum?

    Yes, I was a dad’s girl. But as a lady, when you grow to a certain age, you find out that you need your mother more.

    Why were you closer to your dad than your mum?

    Actually, I am a triplet, but one of us (a male) later died. I think my mother was looking for a male child and she was blessed with three: two boys and a girl. But when she lost one of the boys, the other boy became the apple of her eyes. It is not that she didn’t love me, but you could see that she loved the boy more. But my father said Aishat is his mother’s name, so that kind of made him to love me more. He named me Iyabo on the grounds that his mother had returned, so he pampered me a lot.

    Are you from a privileged background?

    My mum was a cook, but my father was into fishing. He was a big fish seller and people used to come from Idumota and Isale Eko to patronise him.

    So, you have never tasted poverty?

    When I lost the two of them, I suffered a lot. When my mum died, my dad couldn’t raise me all by himself; he was scared of raising me in Idumota, where we lived.

    Why?

    It was because I was a girl and there was this population explosion in Idumota then. People were just trooping into the Island then. In the 1970s, you would agree with me that Idumota was not as populated as it is today. We knew practically all the houses then. After the boom came and we started seeing people, tall buildings and so on. At that time, when people started trooping in, my father got scared, wondering how he would be able to train me there. So, he had to look for his sister and some other women to train me and that was the beginning of my trauma.

    How?

    Hmm! Though I have forgiven them now, I went through tough times in the hands of the people I lived with.

    What did they do to you?

    I have forgiven them, so I won’t like to discuss this again. The Bible says all things work for good for those who love God. So, I want to believe those things happened for a reason and maybe I am now realising the reasons they happened.

    Do you have any regrets coming from a polygamous home, as some are wont to lament?

    How can you say you regret being born into your family?

    It may be as a result of their experiences.

    Yes, but they went through it for a reason. So, I don’t regret coming either coming from a humble background or polygamous home.

    But you just said you had some nasty experiences.

    Yes. But even some rich girls go through bad times. In other words, the rich also cry. Have you not heard about that before? It is just the way it was ordained to happen and I have successfully passed through it. So, why should I regret being born into the family?

    If you have to write the story of your life in a book, what are the significant events that will be highlighted?

    The deaths of my father and mother will take prominent chapters. Besides, I will talk about the fact that I had to raise myself through school by engaging in commercial activities.

    Was your father not helping out?

    Would he kill himself? My mum left five kids for him before she died. He was aging; he didn’t have the strength he had in the 1980s; so, I had to support him before he passed on in 2002.

    But when did your romance with acting actually start?

    I told you it was right from when I was in primary school. In secondary school, it grew because I was a member of the literary and debating society and we were always partaking in cultural events. By the time I got to the higher institution, I joined one or two groups. But professionally, it was when I was in my HND in 2000/2001.

    What was your first acting role?

    It was Awerijaiye by Deji and Ayo Etiwe, when they were still a couple. I played the younger wife to Olofaina, while Yetunde Wunmi was the senior wife; Moji Olaiya was my stepdaughter.

    How did you get that role?

    When I acted in one of the series of Wale Adenuga Productions, I got the contacts of both Mr. Wale Adenuga and Uncle Anta Laniyan. So, I was always calling them afterwards. Then, one day, Uncle Anta called me and asked if I had Arabic knowledge and I told him yes, that I attended an Islamic and Arabic school (Ile Kewu). That was how I got the role in the movie.

    It is obvious you are from a Muslim background. But today, you are a Christian. So, could you tell me why you converted to Christianity?

    It is a private thing that I will not want to discuss. I know God is one and He is alive.

    Would I be right to say you were probably a nominal Muslim before you became a Christian?

    I am not talking about religion. Already, the country is almost divided over religious issues, so don’t let me talk about religion.

    But this is a personal matter?

    I don’t want to talk about religion.

    Okay, in 2012, you were appointed the face of De javu, a hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos. Are you still the hotel ambassador?

    I am still with them, but we are trying to review the contract. If it goes well, I will continue; otherwise, someone else will step in.

    But it was rumoured that you were having a sizzling romance with the owner of the hotel, which facilitated the endorsement.

    This is also a private thing. I am not talking about my relationship with people. I was the face of Dejavu, so what business does anyone have with that? If I have to date anyone, it is my business and not theirs. Even if it is my relationship, I don’t want to talk about it.

    Why?

    No reason, please.

    Do you realise that it is the celebrities who give room for rumours about their lifestyles? I am saying this because if you give them an opportunity to react to an issue, they don’t, forgetting that they are indirectly giving room for rumours.

    For crying out loud, how many people will one date? He is a very close friend of mine and that was even the last time I saw him. It is crazy when people see a lady with a man and they conclude that they dating. Also, when they see a lady with another lady, they say they are dating. What sort of crazy thing is that? I am a beautiful woman and I can date whoever I want to date; so, it is my business. If it is not happening, why will people rumour it? They have given me too many husbands now, including Uncle Jide kosoko. I beg make dem no spoil people home o. That man you mentioned has his own family, Ucle Jide Kosoko has his own family. For crying out loud, people just put pen to paper without finding out the fact. I can’t date Uncle Jide Kosoko for crying out loud. His daughter, Sola Kososko, and I are very close. She is like a sister; Uncle Jide Kosoko is like a father. It was even his wife ( Herienta Kosoko) who introduced me to him.

    How?

    She was the one that called me for Eje Adegbenro because she had my contact- Uncle Jide didn’t have my contact then. She practically commanded me to come. She said, “Aishat, where are you?” And I said I was going to a location. But she said, “You are working with my husband, so you are not going to any other location.” Two hours later, I was at their house at Abule Oja then. So, that was the first time I went to their house. It was in their room that they fixed my nails and hair, and I started working that day.

    So, I will only be the worst girl ever liveth, if I have to now go back behind her and start sleeping with her husband. Won bi mi dada, mi de tun tun ara mi bi( I was well raised). So, I won’t go about sleeping with people’s husbands. There are too many men on the streets; and at the snap of my fingers, I will get any man I want, instead of going after people’s husbands.

    Do such rumours bother you?

    It used to bother me because I hate people lying. I would rather not talk about anything than lying about it. But when people start giving me another definition of myself that I never knew existed, I just pray to God to deal with them accordingly, because He knows them. It is no longer my case; so, I just hand them over to God. We are in a country where people don’t think before they talk. I know I don’t have some press people as my friends. But I don’t like it when people just publish some stuff because they want to feed themselves or their families. Well, if I start cursing them, that might be too small compared to the punishment God may visit on them.

    I once read that you said you would not get married until you have graduated. So, this suggests that you are an independent-minded person…

    I am an incurable optimist. If I have to achieve something, I don’t mind if I have to starve to realise it. I have always said that I would not make anybody cry because I want to laugh and I won’t go indecent because I want to achieve anything in life. So, it doesn’t destroy my dignity, once it is good with God and man, I am good to go.

    You married late…

    (Cuts in)Not too late. At that time, I felt it was late because all my siblings had been married. But today, I have come to appreciate God more. This is because there are people who are even older than I am now, but are still looking for the fruits of the womb. So, I will say I am privileged to have them at the age I did.

    If you had your way, would you have married much earlier?

    If I had my way, I would have married at 21.

    So, how old were you when you got married?

    Eh, eh, you want to calculate how old I could be.

    Do you have any regrets marrying late?

    Not really, but it is just that I would have loved to have my kids much earlier. Again, it is not just having a child, but I was particular about not having a child outside wedlock. That was really an issue. I don’t want anybody to look at my child and say he is an illegitimate child or that his mother had him out of wedlock. I don’t want that for my kids because when they grow up, people are still going to say something about them. Even before the child was conceived, I had had plans that I was not going to get pregnant by the way before marriage.

    How psychologically were you before you got married?

    How psychologically prepared can one be with a man? You can never be so prepared for a man. That is the truth. You never can know a man. The woman body has millions nerves and a man can conveniently get on each one of your nerves. How much of a man do you think you can know? It doesn’t matter how long you stay in a courtship. I have seen people who got married after 10 years of courtship, but they went their separate ways after 15 years of marriage. I have also seen people who courted for about four or five months and they are doing very well. So, one cannot be adequately prepared for a man, psychologically.

    You seem to be talking from experience.

    Yes, if you care to know, I am talking from experience. But I don’t want to talk about it.

    What kind of man were you praying for before you got married?

    I know where you are going to. You are going diplomatically into(pauses) and you are taking it gradually. Yes, every woman wants a man that she will make happy and who will make her happy in return. That is all.

    So, did you get that?

    I thank God for everything.

    So, at what point did the crisis begin to rear its head in your marriage?

    Did I tell you there was a crisis?

    How about the several reports that your marriage crashed seven years after?

    Did you say my marriage crash seven years after? Where did you read that?

    I am a journalist, so I should know.

    At this point, I will humbly opt out of this discussion. That marriage is a no-go area again. I am not asking any questions about my relationship or marriage.

    These days, when they write about stars whose marriages have crashed, they mention your name…

    Did they actually write that? I have not read it.

    You may not have read it and in any case, how many newspapers do you read in a week? So, if tomorrow, you read it in the newspapers, what will be your reactions?

    When I come to the bridge, I will cross it. By the time I read it, I will react accordingly.

  • Toyin Aimakhu Opens Acting School

    Toyin Aimakhu Opens Acting School

    In a move aimed at giving back to the society that has given her fame, Nollywood actress and producer, Toyin Aimakhu-Johnson, has decided to open an acting school called TAJ School of Performing Arts, Lekki, Lagos.

    According to the pretty Yoruba actress, the school is her own contribution to the nation’s movie industry.

    The actress hopes that the school will give budding actors the opportunity to hone their skills and be trained in a way that will make them ready to face the challenges in the industry.

    Aimakhu-Johnson, who revealed that the school is open for registration, urged intending students to avail themselves of the opportunity she had presented to them and register for various courses.

  • Project ACT-Nollywood: N150m frittered?

    Project ACT-Nollywood: N150m frittered?

    I am worried that out of the N3 billion Federal Government grant under the Project Act Nollywood scheme, N150 million may have just been frittered away.

    This money, which was earmarked for Nollywood capacity building, was spent on 23 people, who are considered to be members of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), for a supposed training at the University of Colorado, United States.

    While I am not against capacity building for Nollywood, I am troubled by the composition of the beneficiaries and the modality of choosing these people, most of whom are ‘expired’ filmmakers, thus turning the scheme into another national cake-sharing spree. Or how do you describe a DGN member who has not shot a film in the last 10 years?

    I’d thought that this scheme would be mindful of ‘momentary’ filmmakers, and not fall for cheap blackmail and favoritism. But the present development may just be the beginning of failure of this project, which is being managed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Minister of Tourism, Chief Edem Duke.

    Although one member declined the offer, 23 got $6000 each, $3000 being for tuition, while the second-half covered travel and living expenses for the participants during their stay in the United States. Mark my word, none of these beneficiaries will come up with something unique, meaning we have only succeeded in marking time without matching. In other words, the film industry has only managed to record another history of wastage. This is because for a filmmaker who has been so laid back for over 10 years, a crash programme in the US can never be enough inspiration. And for some of the beneficiaries who are still active filmmakers, I’m waiting to see the difference in their directorial ability in their next project.

    One thing I know for sure, some people have just used the opportunity to visit the US, perhaps for the first time, while others may have earned a free flight ticket for shopping. N450, 000 is a lot to some of these guys. End of story.

    In this entire travesty, where lies the sensitivity of the fund managers to the actual development of Nollywood? If, indeed, they care, their honest audience for this kind of training could have been the young generation of Nigerian filmmakers who still carry fire in them. Some of them have just come out of schools like the Nigerian Film Institute (NFI), Jos, and the Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN), and are already beating these old crops to their game.

    It is a pity that when award-winning Director of Photography (DOP), Yinka Edward, who is also an alumnus of NFI applied for this fund to horn his skill at the London Film School, he was refused on the grounds that the fund is not for academic purposes. Now, what is less academic in a programme at the University of Colorado?

    There is a serious problem of priority and transparency in this scheme that it tends to make a mess of President Goodluck Jonathan’s largesse for the film industry.

    I dare say that while the major problem of Nollywood lies in piracy and distribution, the capacity building initiative is like putting that cart before the horse. What gives us the assurance that the larger percentage of the money said to be dedicated for distribution will be well appropriated?

    I see no reason why the managers of this fund and their media departments are keeping hush over some aspects of their decision. This is a Federal Government’s initiative; and for the purpose of transparency, the public deserves to know who these beneficiaries are. In fact, as showy as they are of some projects with political undertone, they ought to publish the names of the beneficiaries in the dailies.

    The last time I checked, there was anxiety over who the 40 practitioners said to have benefitted under the Capacity Training Fund (CTF) were. Paul Nwabuikwu, Special Adviser to Okonjo-Iweala, said the number was increasing as the process went on, and that it was best to wait until the process is completed.

    From an invisible list of 40, we got to know that only 23 went for the training. There is no clear document stating if the 40 were later pruned to 23 or 24 as the case may be, or if there will be training for more applicants in this segment at a later date.

    This is what you get when Ministries with little or no knowledge of the Nigerian film industry are put in charge of sensitive matters such as funding, when agencies like the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) still exist.

    Obviously, there is a serious fog over this fund issue; and if things continue the way they are, it may just be right to say we already know the end from the beginning.