BARRING any last-minute hitch, star actress, Genevieve Nnaji, may be featuring in a new movie titled Folly.
The movie is produced by fast-rising actress cum movie producer, Elizabeth Daniels.
Folly stars Desmond Elliot, a celebrated actor cum movie producer.
Daniel’s last work, Behind the Melody, featured Ini Edo, Jim Iyke and several other A-list artistes.
AS you are reading this, the organizers of One Night Stand, a concert-like party, are making frenetic efforts towards holding a successful show today.
According to the organisers, it promises to be a night of quality live performances by the array of select acts.
Radio presenter, Steve Onu, popularly known as Yaw, has been announced as the host of the event. He will be joining Terry G, Wizkid, Sean Tizzle, Wande Coal and a host of other crowd pullers at Koga Event Centre for this edition themed Raw and Wild.
“Most often, the major events happen on the Island. What we have done with One Night Stand is to create a major party platform for mainland people. The huge following in the past months confirmed that it is an idea whose time has come,” Robert Jeyibo, a senior officer in Koga said.
Winners of Koga Open-House finalists will also grace the stage and rub shoulders with leading figures in the industry.
One Night Stand is a periodic party. Over the years, it has featured stellar acts from different genres of music, including Afro-beat, Juju, Fuji, Hip-hop and the likes.
Stars such as Sir Shina Peters, Sound Sultan, Olamide, Kay Switch, Samklef, Skales, Dede Mabiaku, Eva and Ketchup have all graced the stage of One Night Stand.
2013 witnessed explosive collaborations between two generations of artistes. While some of their fans were caught unawares, some were simply pleasantly surprised. But they were a defining moment in the history of entertainment in Nigeria.
Victor Olaiya and Tuface Idibia: Two veterans from the old and new generations took the centre stage to remix a classic song from the early ’60s.
Coming together was iconic Dr. Victor Abimbola Olaiya and enerOgetic Tuface Idibia. They both performed a song from Dr. Olaiya’s early collection titled Mofe Muyan, now christened Baby Mi Da.
Spellz produced the remixed song, while Kunle Afolayan, an actor and producer, directed the music video.
Wizkid and Femi Kuti: One of the top 10 songs of the year, Jaiye Jaiye, was the result of the celebrated collaboration between Wizkid and Afro-beat legend, Femi Kuti.
The popular tune, which was produced by Sarz, was directed by Sesan.
The video, which was shot in Lagos at the Afrika Shrine, featured a very creative cameo from Femi Kuti.
THERE are those who believe that drama is the best form of art. But the drama that greeted brand endorsements this year was far removed from mere artistry when Hafeez Ayetoro, better known as Saka, switched brand loyalty.
Saka’s move from MTN to Etisalat sent a satirical jolt to the brand and entertainment world with the line, I don port, thereby becoming something of an anthem.
A couple of artistes also smiled to the banks, as celebs put pen to papers with different brands.
Among those who joined the telecom world as ambassadors are Wande Coal, Naeto C, MI, Lynxxx, Waje, Omawumi, Bez, Flavour and Burna Boy.
D’banj was welcomed back to the Globacom family.
It will be recalled that he once had a spat with the outfit over sing-on fees.
Singers Sasha P, Ice Prince, Olamide, Seyi Shay also signed deals with Etisalat.
While the likes of Don Jazzy, D’Prince, Tiwa Savage, Praiz, Kcee, Iyanya Mbuk, Mike Anyasodo and Chidinma joined the list of MTN ambassadors, actress Stephanie Okereke signed an endorsement deal with a foreign sanitary company.
Others like singer Emma Nyra and BBA-The Chase housemate, Beverly Osu, got endorsement deals from foreign beauty companies.
THEIRS is one love story gone awry. In recent times, both actor Saidi Balogun and his estranged actress wife, Fathia, have been in the news for the wrong reason.
Following the breakup of their marriage, Saidi has reportedly dragged Fathia to court for her refusal to drop his surname.
The recent development has really set some tongues wagging among their fans and colleagues.
Recently, Saidi Balogun released a press statement, where he tried to put the records of their crashed marriage straight.
The statement reads in part:
“Yesterday, I was accused of lying to the press on a recent rumour that has been circulating. I separated from my ex-wife, Fathia Balogun, in 2006, over seven years ago.
Since we were legally married in court, we have to legally divorce in court to finalize the issue.
The public is welcome to go to the Lagos High Court to verify these records.
“This has absolutely nothing to do with any name! I am not asking or forcing Fathia to stop using the name Balogun, as it is one of the most common Yoruba names.
Furthermore, to set the record straight, Fathia and I had two children together, not three. Fathia’s first child is from a different husband that she later divorced before we were married. I never lied to anyone.
Journalists presented me with a rumour that had no basis. So, I simply stated that I do not want my private life made public. It is my privacy and this concerns nobody.
I decided to stay quiet as the two parties involved in this issue are over 40 years old, and I think we are old enough to handle this issue maturely, instead of turning our private matters into a public gossip debate.
“I hope this issue is now clarified for the public, as I, Saidi Balogun, am divulging the true facts myself, instead of using a misinformed publicist to do so for me.
There are so many positive aspects of Nigeria’s entertainment industry. But we prefer to focus on negative and meaningless noise, instead of these positive components.
“Please, give me the respect of keeping my personal life private and out of the public eye. I am focusing on my work. Thank you!”
THE annual quiz competition organised by the Osita Iheme Foundation for secondary schools was successfully concluded last Friday.
It is being packaged by Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme, a.k.a Pawpaw, as part of his efforts towards the development of education in Nigeria.
At the end of the session, the foundation gave out cash prizes, electronic gadgets and other items to deserving students.
REWARD systems are part of showbiz. The Nigerian entertainment industry has witnessed some very glamorous awards this year. This includes AMAA, AMVCA AFRIFF, BON and The Headies, among others.
AMAA: The African Movie Academy Awards, a pan-African reward system, is one of the most glamorous awards in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
The 2013 African Movie Academy Awards took place in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Saturday, April 20. It was a well-attended event. At the awards ceremony, a Nigerian movie, Confusion Na Wa clinched the prize for the Best Film.
The late Justus Esiri was honoured with the post-humous award for the Best Actor in a leading role, while Gabriel Afolayan received the Supporting Actor award.
At the nomination party, actors and filmmakers had the rare opportunity of being hosted by Her Excellency, President Joyce Banda, in Lilongwe, Malawi. The nominees were announced to a cross section of African dignitaries and filmmakers from around the world.
AFRIFF: This year’s edition of Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, which held in Calabar, Cross River State, will go down in history as one of the very important film festivals that have helped to redefine the place of Africa in the world of film-making.
Over 50 filmmakers from seven countries of the world as well as over 200 local filmmakers and stakeholders attended the awards ceremony.
Unlike the previous editions, this year’s awards ceremony had all the trappings of a high-profile film festival. While it lasted, Tinapa Resort, venue of the three-year-old festival, was a beehive of activities, including training, workshops, film screenings, interactive sessions and networking.
Part of the highlights of this year’s AFRIFF was the screening of South Africa’s controversial film, Of Good Report, which was banned from the opening of the Durban Film Festival a few months back.
The film, which was produced by Luzuko Dilima and Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, opened the festival, amidst some controversies.
AMVCA: The first edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards took place on Saturday, March 9, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Nollywood actor, O.C Ukeje, and Ghana’s Jackie Appiah walked away with the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, respectively.
Though new in the annals of Nollywood awards, it was well-attended by topflight actors and actresses.
Mercy Johnson, Genevieve Nnaji, Jim Iyke, Funke Akindele, Tunde Kelani, Jackie Appiah, Olu Jacobs, O.C. Ukeje, Liz Benson, Akin Omotosho, Stephanie Okereke, Rita Dominic, Nadia Buari and more graced the event.
Artistes that performed at the event hosted by IK Osakioduwa and Vimbai Mutinhiri included Femi Kuti, Iyanya, Banky W., Tiwa Savage and Sautisol from Kenya.
BON: The 2013 Best of Nollywood Awards took place on Thursday, December 5, at the Dome in Asaba, Delta.
Some of the winners were Fathia Balogun, Omoni Oboli, Rita Dominic, O.C Ukeje and Alex Ekubo.
Confusion Na Wa won BON’s Movie of the Year and Director of the Year awards respectively, among others.
Controversy, without recourse to exaggeration, is one of the condiments that make the pot of entertainment, anywhere in the world, tick. And it seems not to be in short supply in 2013.
Mercy Aigbe vs. Stella Dimoko-Korkus
POPULAR Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe, who recently formalized her relationship with her husband, Lanre Gentry, had her own fair share of controversy this year.
Her alleged case of infidelity rocked the first quarter of 2013. It went so viral on the Internet that the actress had to resort to doing a video to clear the air.
It will be recalled that a popular blogger, Stella Dimoko-Korkus, had squealed that the actress was in a compromising situation with a man at a popular hub in Ogba, Troy Lounge, where she was hosted by Odua TV. Dimoko had reported that the dress Mercy Aigbe wore to the event was missing, after she returned from one of the rooms in Troy in a night gown.
This situation, according to Dimoko-Korkus, made Mercy’s husband to create a scene, pushing her into his SUV, while Mercy’s car was left at the event’s place.
Aigbe, who replied the blogger in a video that equally went viral on the Internet, described the story as malicious and fictitious.
According to her, she was checked into a room in Troy. She stated that two of her personal assistants and a staff of Troy were with her in the room. Her reason for changing into her ‘jalamia’, according to her, was because she had attended two events in the day in the same dress and she needed to be more comfortable after the event. She even said she changed in the presence of her husband.
The actress said the reason she didn’t leave in her car was because it wouldn’t start, so she got into her husband’s car.
Tonto Dikeh vs. NDLEA
NOLLYWOOD’S controversial actress, Tonto Dikeh, has been reportedly dogged by controversies since she came into the industry.
But one controversy that seems to have humbled the screen queen happened towards the end of the first half of 2013.
Dikeh had shared a photograph of a wrap of hemp and grain of weeds formed into the letters, ‘Happy birthday, POKO’, on her instagram. She also posted a photograph of herself and added this inscription: ‘Mi smoke ganja mi smoke weed while my hatez smoke ma gossip.’
As soon as the post went viral on the Internet, it was reported that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency might come after her. It was also reported that she risked a minimum of 15 years in jail for encouraging the consumption of hemp. Following these reports, she quickly reacted via Twitter, claiming that it was one of her fans who had posted it and that she only shared it.
Bisi Ibipado vs.Dino Maleye
You are definitely not a fan of Nollywood movies if you were in Lagos and you didn’t hear about the alleged romance between popular Yoruba actress, Bisi Ibidapo-Obe, and formal Federal lawmaker from Kogi State, Hon. Dino Malaye.
Malaye, who was alleged to have impregnated the beautiful actress, popularly known as Bisi Omologbalogba, denied paternity of the child.
Meanwhile, Bisi, who was delivered of a baby girl, was said to have known about her pregnancy on arrival in Canada. But when she put a call through to Dino, he was not particularly excited about it.
According to close sources, Dino met Bisi through another Yoruba actress, Lola Alao.
Iyabo Ojo: The actress opened a beauty parlor called FESPRIS World on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos on Sunday, August 11. Actresses who came out to support her included Mercy Aigbe-Gentry, Biodun Okeowo, Liz Da Silva, Bisi Ibidapo Obe, Dayo Amusa and many others.
Seyi Law: No doubt, comedians in the entertainment industry are doing so well. Interestingly, joining the league of bar owners in the industry is popular comedian, Seyi Law, who recently opened a lounge called Xcess Lounge and Comedy Bar in Ikorodu, Lagos.
It will be recalled that last year, Okpocha Bright, alias Basketmouth, opened a bar called emBARssy Lounge and Bar located at 12, University Road, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos.
Doris Simeon: The sultry actress joined the growing list of actresses who now own salons in Lagos. Known as Davris Beauty Centre, it’s a combination of the first three letters of her child’s name, David, and the last three letters of her first name, Doris.
Doris noted that she had always wanted to own a beauty parlour. So, for her, opening the beauty parlour is a dream come true.
ABRAHAM Ogunlende, son of accomplished musician, actress and broadcaster, Onyeka Onwenu, is set to wow the public with his artistic talent.
He will be showing his works at an exhibition titled Culture Shock on Friday, January 3, at Terra Kulture on Victoria Island, Lagos.
He said he discovered his talent for painting not more than two years ago after he was inspired to follow the path by a number of legendary artists, including Keith Haring and Mark Rothko.
Ogunlende, who holds a degree in marketing from Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA, said his passion is more about his love for art and evoking thoughts while expressing beauty through paintings than thinking about figures and product lines.
“I was thrust into the ‘real world’ about a year ago with a marketing degree from Drexel University. Out there, it didn’t take me too long to realise that I was just like everyone else in the market, struggling to find a job and trying to make a living.
“It felt like a calling to focus on my vision of becoming a self-taught painter/artist. In November, 2012, I took the first step by going into the Utrecht Art Store on 20th and Chestnut Street in Philly. I just wrapped up my internship at a non-profit organisation, where I earned a $500 stipend, which I was so grateful for. By December, I started to post my work online, not really sure of how people would react to it, until one day that I got a re-blog on Tumblr.”