The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • UBA endows AFRIFF prizes

    FIRED by the belief that movies are a great platform to showcase Africa’s rich cultural heritage to the world, the management of the United Bank for Africa has shown its commitment to the development of the African film industry.

    Against this backdrop, the bank has thrown its weight behind the 3rd edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF 2013) by particularly supporting the training workshops in cinematography, sound for film, scriptwriting and acting, thus making it possible for several young Nigerians with interests in film to attend these classes at no expense.

    UBA went a step further with the endowment of several AFRIFF 2013 award categories with cash prizes, ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 US Dollars, a move which its management says stems from the belief that the film industry in Africa can rival the American and the Indian film industries, if the right incentives and support are put in place.

    The bank has been noted as one of the most consistent supporters of the continental film industry. On why it chooses to partner with African Cinema, UBA’s Charles Aigbe, DH Marketing & Corporate Relations, says, “We have and will continue to identify with initiatives that promote and encourage the film industry. Our support for AFRIFF represents our strong belief in the immense opportunities that the fast-growing film industry provides for Africans, especially the youth.”

    AFRIFF 2013 Prizes endowed by UBA Plc. included the Best Feature Film, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Documentary and Best Short Film.

  • Burna Boy, Davido, others to Party for the Originals

    Burna Boy, Davido, others to Party for the Originals

    FASHION buffs from across the country will be introduced to the new Fayrouz platform aimed at celebrating and encouraging the originality of Nigerian fashion and style at an exclusive event tagged Party for the Originals on Wednesday, December 18.

    Organised by Fayrouz, a non-alcoholic drink from the stable of the Nigerian Breweries Plc, the show parades some of Nigeria’s designers, artistes and fashionistas.

    Sensational pop stars, Burna Boy and Davido, will thrill guests to some of their latest hits, while DJ Sose will have the audience dancing all night as he will spin some of the hottest contemporary numbers.

    Guests and participants at the event will include top fashion figures like Mai Atafo, April by Kunbi, Kinabuti, Uti Nwachukwu and Ebuka Obi Uchendu, among others.

    Party for the Originals, according to the organisers, is the launch of a new platform, where students can compete as an expressive group to create exceptional style and exhibit originality through various arts like fashion design, accessory-making, makeup, hairstyling, modelling and photography, among other arts.

    The event, which will be hosted by popular OAP and BBA host, IK Osakioduwa, will also have Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and Uti Nwachukwu as celebrity scouts, who will move within the audience to select a number of fashionable guests to take part in the ‘most original ensemble’ of the night.

  • Daniel Ademinokan’s email hacked

    Daniel Ademinokan’s email hacked

    IF the information available to us is anything to go by, it appears that the industry is yet to see the end of the breakup of the marriage between movie director, Daniel Ademinokan, and his estranged wife, actress Doris Simeon.

    Daniel’s email was said to have been hacked, thereby exposing some of his confidential chats.

    The email in question read in part:

    “Good day, sir. How is the family, sir? And how is the ministry too, sir? I hope all is well. I know that by now, you’re probably tired of my case, but you are the only one I can speak to at this point.

    “Sir, it seems the moment Doris speaks to everyone and brings out her ‘acting’, people just flip and turn.

    “Nobody sees when she calls, threatens and curses the life out of me and everything else. But I have always taken it with a pinch of salt.

    “As you said, sir, she has a right to be angry and do anything, but I equally have a right to have my son and look out for his best interest. I have a right to be angry and run to the press to talk about all her infidelity and affairs, but I chose not to because I was the fool who looked away because I wanted to keep my home. I was the one playing ‘mumu’ for her.

    “After all the lies she told in court, am I still supposed to just be granting her every single request and need? She lied that she had not seen David and me since 2011. This is the same girl that came to Abuja twice to see David and me. The same girl that I flew to Lagos to see personally and privately to discuss David’s custody. This was in January. We also met in London in March, when I went to shoot a music video. I have pictures to prove it. I even gave her money to shop as well. It was in London she told me about her new affair with Wale. I didn’t crucify her; I just told her to be careful and find true happiness, period! What she does with herself is really none of my direct business.

    “Pastor, based on what you and I discussed, I offered to fly her to the United States twice a year, all expenses paid for by me, so she can bond with David. I also said she could come one million times if she likes, but I would only pay for two trips. But she refused. Now, she still wants to be calling me every second to bother me about David in private, when she is making a mess of my character in the press and the public. She is using everything and everyone out there to mess me up and I’m supposed to still give her audience and grant all her wishes?

    “Pastor, na this girl life I go tie my whole existence to? How can I continue to be civil with her when she is playing dirty and acting holy to everybody?

    “Nobody is seeing what I’m seeing and it is just a pity. She does not care about David. She is doing all this gra gra just to save face. She wants to ruin David’s life all in the name of winning!

    “Pastor, below is a conversation I had with Doris before your trip to the US that we spoke. How does this show that I have been mean to her? How does this show that I kept her away from David? She used to talk to him every single day. The dates are right there and she has just been lying to everyone. I was forced to send this to you because I am just tired of all her endless lies and pretence.

    “I’ve since refused to speak to her because she cannot be killing me on both sides. If she wants to talk and dialogue, she should get outta court and stop messing me up in the press with her media sugar daddies. If she wants to stay in court, I don’t have a problem with that. She should leave me alone and do according to the court’s rulings.”

    Although Doris couldn’t be reached for comment, her publicist simply said she had decided to keep mum over the matter.

    It will be recalled that Daniel allegedly relocated to the US with actress Stella Damasus sometime last year.

  • AMVCA nominees announced

    AMVCA nominees announced

    WITH nine viewer-voted categories this year, an increase from the six categories opened to viewers’ votes last year, the nominees for the second annual AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) were announced on Thursday, December 5, during a special 90- minute live broadcast of StarGist.

    The list shows that nominations drawn from countries including the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, had Ghanaian film, Contract, leading with nine nods, followed by Nigeria’s Living Funeral with eight. Tanzania’s Siri Ya Mtungi and Kenya’s Nairobi Half Life follow with seven, while Last Flight to Abjua comes up with six nods.

    In the Best Movie category are Last Flight to Abuja (Obi Emelonye); Contract (Shirley Frimpong Manso, Yvonne Okoro and Ken Attoh); Living Funeral (Udoka Oyeka and Orode Ryan); Flower Girl (Michelle Bello) and Awakening (James Omokwe).

    Nominees for the Best Actress in a Drama are Stephanie Wilson, Veronica Waceke, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Nkiru Sylvanus and Ivie Okujaiye. While Juma Rajab Rashid, Hlomla Dandala and Tope Tedela, alongside Majid Michel, will slug it out for the Best Actor in a Drama category.

    In addition, AfricaMagic also announced a brand new category, The New Era Award, which aims to recognise and honour individuals who have made significant contributions to creating a new era for African film and television.

    Nominees in this category are: Desmond Elliot, Kate Henshaw, Rita Dominic, Rukky Sanda and Uche Jombo.

    M-Net Africa Managing Director, Biola Alabi, congratulated the nominees on their achievements and urged them to use their nominations as a source of future motivation. “We are so impressed by these skilled persons whose value to Africa must be recognised and honoured,” she stated.

    Public voting will close on March 3, 2014, as the remaining 17 categories will be selected by the judging panel.

  • Omoni Oboli, OC Ukeje steal the show at BON awards

    Omoni Oboli, OC Ukeje steal the show at BON awards

    THE fifth edition of the Best of Nollywood, BON, may have come and gone, but it lingers in the memory and minds of the organisers as well as the guests of the occasion.

    Like in previous editions, the event, which was held in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, was organised to reward acting talents whose sweats had placed the Nigerian movie industry, otherwise known as Nollywood, on the global map.

    Welcoming guests to the BON Awards, convener of the rewards system, Seun Oloketuyi, stated that the success story of the Nigerian movie industry is due majorly to the sheer ingenuity and foresight of the Nollywood stars.

    “From scratch and nothingness, some of the people here today have turned Nollywood into a multibillion-naira business employing hundreds of thousands of Nigerians, while bringing joy to many homes and playing an important role in shaping the social and economic development of this country,” said Oloketuyi.

    Among the winners of the BON Awards are O.C Ukeje (Best Actor in a leading role in an English movie, Alan Poza); Omoni Oboli (Best Actress in a leading role in an English movie, Brother’s Keeper); Mike Ezuruoyen (Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Yoruba movie, Unforgivable); Joke Muyiwa (Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Yoruba movie, Ayitale); Alex Ekubo (Best Actor in a Supporting Role in an English movie, Weekend Getaway); Rita Dominic (Best Actress in a Supporting Role in an English movie, Finding Mercy); Odunlade Adekola (Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Yoruba movie, Aja); Fathia Balogun (Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Yoruba movie, Irugbin) as well as Oyinda Lanpejo (Best Child Actor, female in Finding Mercy), among others.

    Oloketuyi further said that “The journey here has not been entirely hitch-free. Indeed, we are like a newborn baby who has had to go through the whole process of growing up, from crawling to taking the first tentative steps and actually walking.”

  • What I want in a man—Nollywood actress, Linda Ejiofor

    What I want in a man—Nollywood actress, Linda Ejiofor

    Linda Ejiofor, one of the promising Nollywood stars, is famed for her role in the popular TV soap, Tinsel. Bimpe, as she is fondly called by her fans, is currently one of the Nollywood’s delights. The actress, who landed her first movie role recently in a movie called The Meeting, has been enjoying attention from all quarters. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, the graduate of Sociology from the University of Port-Harcourt, River State, speaks about her foray into the world of make-believe. She also talks about her experience on her first movie set, among other interesting issues.

    YOU started off on a very good note in the industry, so what will you normally consider before picking up a script?

    I will pick up a script, if the story is good.

    So, what’s your dream role now?

    I’ve always wanted to try multi-personality disorder. In other words, I will like act two or three people at the same time. Yes, it is not easy, but it’s something I will love to play because I think being good is overrated. Too many people are playing good roles; so, I want to do something else.

    How did your journey into acting start?

    Before I entered the University of Port-Harcourt, River State to study Sociology, I had done a diploma course in Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State. I think I was at the University of Ibadan for about three months. However, when I was getting into the groove and enjoying it, my father pulled me out. He said, ‘No daughter of mine will go into acting’. You know, if God has a plan for you, His plan will always set the motion. So, here I am as an actress again with his full support and I have made him proud.

    Tinsel has made you …

    (Cuts in): Yeah, Tinsel has made my father to see that acting is not such a bad thing. People learn from it; people learn from their mistakes through actors and I learn from people through acting too.

    How did you come to play Bimpe in Tinsel?

    At first, I hated the character, the role and everything about her because she was just dumb. When I read my script and saw all the stupid things she had to do and the stupid questions she asked, I just concluded that she was dumb and sarcastic. She was supposed to know the answers to the questions, but she never got it. So, I was always complaining to the director. But the writer kept telling me to enjoy the character. He would say the only way to love the character is to enjoy the character; and before I knew it, I started enjoying the character. So, I had to go and watch a lot of dumb movies like Legally Blonde. At a point, I had to go and watch Devil Wears Prada because I had to be Brenda’s P.A. I had to research on how to be like these people.

    So, how are you enjoying the role now?

    This is almost seven years and I don’t even have to watch anything. Somehow, I have become the Bimpe, but not the dumb, blunt side; I just go and play my role. I know how she is going to react, her looks and her facial expression.

    Will you prefer acting in soaps to movies?

    I don’t have a preference as you may think. Both are unique in their separate ways. I won’t be choosy about which one is better, if that’s what you are asking me. I like soaps because they are showing you out there and they keep teaching you with different episodes.

    Definitely, that must have landed you a role in The Meeting?

    Actually, I heard from the producer and director, Mildred Okwo and Rita Dominic. They had not seen me act. Rita had never seen me act and Mildred told me that I wasn’t supposed to be Ejira in The Meeting. But she said she was watching Tinsel one day and she saw me and said, ‘This is the girl I want; she is cheeky and innocent-looking; but at the same time, she is very naughty and mischievous’. She called me for a reading and I ran there because I felt they might change their mind. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity, so I ran to her. After our meeting, I did a reading.

    Was that your first auditioning?

    No. I was invited for other readings, but I never got the part. I heard it was a big movie and because it was Mildred Okwo and Rita Domini, I ran there and landed the job, my first movie. I picked up a call from Rita Dominic and I heard she was in the movie. I will forever be grateful to both of them.

    Did you get any award for the role?

    Not yet, but I got nominated for the Best Supporting Actress 2013 AMAA and Best Uprising Actress for NMA, which came up recently. Also, I was also nominated for the City People Awards. I was also nominated for an award called ELOY. So, The Meeting landed us enough Awards: Rita Dominic, Femi Jacobs, the make-up artist and Mildred Okwo were all nominated. You guys should watch out for awards from The Meeting. We are coming in full force.

    Any plan to pick up another role with the crew?

    I don’t know (she smiles). That will depend on the producer and the director.

    How challenging was your role in The Meeting?

    As you know, I had played the role of Bimbo Adekoya for about five years before Mildred called me for the Bimpe character, a very innocent and intelligent girl. But the cheeky and the naughty part wasn’t that hard. The good and sweet thing about Mildfred Okwo was that she would sit me down and explain the character, which I found really good and nice. She would call me and explain to me exactly what she wanted from the character. She would tell me to go and read books and watch movies. Rita Dominic and my fellow actors would call me and explain some things to me; so, we were one big family and we had such an understanding. If I had any problem or any suggestion about the Ejira character, I could ask Mildred Okwo. So, they were very encouraging and fun to walk with.

    Now, you are one of the emerging star actresses…

    (Cuts in) I was blessed with that kind of crew and it was fun working with different directors and producers. More roles are coming now …Yes, because of The Meeting and also Tinsel, which have both given me the recognition.

    What new works have you been in recently?

    I can’t start calling names now, but I’ve done a couple of movies. Heaven ‘n’ Hell, a true life story is one of the movies I featured in. My fans should watch out for me.

    How about your personality?

    I’m a fun-loving person. I’m very different from the Bimpe you people see on TV. Don’t get it wrong; I’m not Bimpe. I’m actually shy; I’ve been told and I think I am. I’m kind of an introvert when you first meet me. I don’t talk and I don’t smile. I’m always sitting down and watching my environment. I’m more of the watcher; I sit back and watch people. I would rather watch football. So, if I’m comfortable with you from the first time that we are meeting, I’ll be jumping on you whenever I see you and you will think I’m one crazy person.

    How about your love life?

    My love life is personal.

    Is there a man somewhere?

    If there is, I’m happy. Let’s just say I’m single, but not searching right now.

    Who is your dream man?

    My dream man has to be God-fearing and he needs to have a good sense of humour.

    What is style to you?

    Anything that is comfortable. I like anything that is comfortable; anything that will make me look pretty or that will make me look in a way that people will turn twice.

    Are you planning to produce your own movie?

    I never thought of producing movies, but maybe that will come. As for directing, I’ll love to direct. By the special grace of God, I’ll love to go back to school and learn directing, come back and write my own movies.

    How was growing up for you?

    It was good.

    Did you grow up in Lagos?

    Yes; where else? I’m a Lagos girl. I grew up in Lagos and it was fun. I’m close to my parents, so I could talk to them about anything. I’m the first girl, but the second-born. I have an elder brother before me; then, a sister and then a brother and then, a sister. Six lovely people and play a lot.

    Were you a tomboy?

    Yes, I was like a tomboy, but because of my career path, I had to drop that. I dropped that way before the career path. I did modeling and I had to wear high heels for auditions and all that. So, I was a tomboy, while growing up.

    Could you tell me about your most memorable moment?

    The one that comes to mind and keeps flashing, and which I will ever be grateful for, was the night Rita Dominic called me. She actually called me at 2.00 a.m. to tell me that I had landed a role in The Meeting. I had to pick it up because I saw Rita Dominic; I was officially called up for the role. I was screaming and kept on saying, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you’ and I couldn’t go back to sleep. I was awake all through, though I couldn’t wake up my parents and break the good news to them. I had to put on the TV. So, the next day, I called Mildred and told her that she won’t regret it using me in the movie. And in hindsight, I think they were grateful that they made a right choice in picking me. I’ll be forever grateful to them. The Meeting was released last year. Nowadays, people don’t do movies that they will release immediately. They have to go through editing and other post- production processes. There are other movies out there and they will have to find sponsors and all that.

    Can you recall any embarrassing moment so far?

    I can’t recall any. No, I have not had any embarrassing moment.

    How has your experience been in the movie industry?

    It’s okay. I have spent five to six years in the movie industry, majorly with Tinsel. My experience has been fun-filled and exciting. Money has been coming in…(smiles). We have the good days and the bad moments. One of the bad days was when we (Tinsel) lost our audio-visual facilities at Ojota as a result of fire outbreak. But it has been good. We’ve been trying to entertain people.

    What makes Tinsel unique from other soaps?

    The picture quality and we have wonderful cameramen. The set is another great one and most importantly, the cast. What makes up a movie is firstly the director, the cast and the picture quality. As regard the movie industry, it’s improving. We are not where we were before. Though we are not up to the music industry, the movie industry is on the go, with a slow and steady growth.

    How about your fans?

    Without your fans, you can never be where you are and you can’t be recognized or talked about. They will definitely like you on Instagram or Facebook talking about you and warming up to you, in order to take pictures with you. I will be forever grateful to my fans.

    Do you still have your privacy?

    I enjoy my privacy when I want to. I enjoy it outside, even when a fan walks up to me. I can’t say I miss my privacy, as I don’t want to offend my fans.

  • Sequel to ‘The Trial Actor’

    Sequel to ‘The Trial Actor’

    DID I overcome the boredom of repeated takes? Well, I endured every bit, knowing it was a learning process. But I guess I was even lucky because my friend, the film marketer, ensured that we used two cameras. That way, repeated takes were limited mainly to medium and close shots of one actor. Each actor, as it was, had a camera on him or her, thus the medium and close shots for two acts were taken simultaneously. This, I know, was a plus for a low-budget movie that paid rent for two cameras per day, plus fees for their operators.

    But there arose the occasional need for improvisation because somehow, disappointments and unforeseen circumstances came to play. Good enough, there was no fault of natural factor in such setbacks because not for once did rain or fire disturb the shooting. The greatest impediments were the human factors, including an actor arriving late to location, sluggish movement of equipment from one set to another and improper scheduling of shooting time, among others. Therefore, when you see a ‘day scene’ looking like one shot in the middle of the night, just know that the director had lost light and had no choice than to shoot the scene. We get to see so much of that, and it just makes most Nigerian films look ‘poorly baked’.

    My position remains that, a low-budget film notwithstanding, so much can be achieved to better a movie, if discipline is the watchword of everyone on the project. But how would a director earn the artiste’s compliance, if he is also guilty of some of these impediments? When a director keeps an actor waiting because his production manager can’t get the set ready at the appointed time, it becomes a payback time, if the actor errs.

    Despite the negative references made of Bimbo Akintola’s attitude on set in some quarters, she’s a perfect example of discipline and talent to Amaka Igwe, who is equally a thorough and disciplined professional. So, film directors, most times, get what they deserve from the cast and other members of the crew.

    In summary, if a movie has got all the funding in the world, without discipline and sense of responsibility displayed by all, the job will still be a mess.

    Another area that I feel is worthy of mention is the directorial interpretation of a story. You and I know that if you give five directors the same script, they will tell the story in different ways. The elements that come to play will be whether one director is employing more words than action and vice versa. But the best bet for a motion picture is to treat the genre fairly without embellishing every scene with long and unnecessary dialogues.

    Perhaps that can be tolerated. The most painful film habit you find in most Yoruba movies today is in the comic characters, raining curses and abuses on their subjects. As funny as this may sound in some quarters, it betrays every inch of decent communication. It bothers me that as much as we try to bring our children to watch indigenous movies, for fear that local language may go into extinction, we are afraid still that they may end up learning some bad habits.

    Now, my trial film is one of such films that I will never let my children see. Why? There are, of course, no such abusive and cursing scenes; but being a love story, the interpretation given to sex and romance is so slammed on the viewers’ faces. And for inquisitive kids like mine, I’m sure no explanation will be convincing enough to justify that it was mere acting.

    Now, do not let your mind run riot over this; nothing other than the kiss scene from me. In fact, I guess I had no choice, but to do that. However, I got uneasy when it had to drag, as if someone wanted to score a point with it. I’d cut off before the director’s holler of ‘cut!’ and I was warned to always listen to the last whistle. I had to take it again, playing the lips game, hanging on, of course, for the director’s last cry. Then, lying on the bed beside my co-actor, my director wanted me to go bare-chest. Not that it mattered anyway, but I didn’t want us to get too far, trying to interpret every breath of the film to the viewers, as though they are dumb. I revolted, arguing that having my briefs on, at least, will not remove anything from the scene. Before it got to the point of insubordination, I pretended to be nursing eczema in a very conspicuous area, and pleaded to be spared the embarrassment. That way, I was let go.

    But perhaps the above could still be overlooked. But what do you make out of a sex scene, with obvious nodding of the waist? And to imagine that Censors Board allowed that to pass still beats my imagination. Who covers their faces first, between you and the kids, when such scenes hit you suddenly in the course of watching a Yoruba movie?

    We grew up watching Indian movies, for which 90 percent of their films are centered on romance. You’d get so emotional and possibly shed tears for love; yet, the Indians will not go near kissing, let alone suggestive sex. But for the belly region, you would never see the cleavages of an Indian actress. It’s so sad what we do in the name of making a story look real. It is sheer directorial exuberance and an unrefined sense of social appreciation.

  • Sanyeri sells wedding footage for N1m?

    Sanyeri sells wedding footage for N1m?

    TOP Yoruba actor and leading comedy monger in the Yoruba movie industry, Olaniyi Afonja, a.k.a. Sanyeri, has a knack for spinning surprises not only in the fictional world but also in real life.

    It appears that while the popular actor was being hailed during his recent wedding with her fiancée of eight years, Awawu Omolara Jimoh, he was racking his brains about how to take the best advantage of the moment. How? The Muniru and Ambali star, according to the news making the rounds, is said to have sold his wedding footage to a movie marketer, Excel, for N1million.

    The wedding footage is expected to hit the shelves across the country soon.

    Sanyeri, father of two, got married at a well-attended event by his family, friends and colleagues on Saturday, December 1, at Events Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.

  • Why Timaya sees me as a threat—ORITSEFEMI

    Why Timaya sees me as a threat—ORITSEFEMI

    HOW will you describe your grass-to-grace story, when considered against the backdrop of the fact that you grew up in Ajegunle, a ghetto, in Lagos State?

    Ajegunle is the exodus; it is the movement of the Jah children as Bob Marley described it. They say the world is like a circle that moves around. Ajegunle is a part of me and it is from there that I get more of my inspiration. Sometimes, I still go back to Ajegunle to wine and dine with some of my friends. In fact, I still maintain an apartment at Ajegunle, where some of my friends live. So, it is not as if I have finally left my root. But in life, a man must keep growing. So, if you don’t know how to take a step from one place to the other, that is where the problem starts from.

    After the emergence of stars like Daddy Showkey, Baba Frayo and a few others, no new talent came out of Ajegunle for a long time. But suddenly, you surfaced on the scene and literally sang your way into people’s hearts. So, could you tell me the secret behind your rising profile?

    First and foremost, I would attribute it to hard work. Apart from this, you must know how to diversify because the world, in general, has changed dramatically. Therefore, as things change, it is expected that there will also be a transformation in music. As a result, you must be flexible to change with people and move with the new trends. Presently, Afro-hip hop is the in-thing in the music industry. For instance, if you play Fuji, Raggae etc, you must include Afro, which was created by the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti. If you listen to Fela’s music, you will find out that he infused so much pidgin in it.

    So, you must infuse pidgin and hip-hop in your music; and that is why you will always find it in my music. Apart from this, I will mention the need for you to be unique in whatever you do. I have found my unique selling point, which serves as my identity anywhere I go. In particular, my vocal stands me out. Whenever I sing, people easily know that it is me because of the way I sing. Having said this, I try my best and ensure that I put out very unique lyrics. So, I infuse all these into my music and it has been working for me. I make sure the contents are beyond ordinary reasoning.

    Another thing that we (I mean those of us from Ajegunle) lack is publicity. My boys will say things like “Na lie, dem no go play our music for radio.” They have the mindset that they won’t play their music on radio. But I keep asking them whether they have gone there before. I encourage them to go to radio stations because the Nigerian music industry now is full of competition; so, you have to promote your songs. I always try my best to meet up with that competition; so, this explains why I am still relevant.

    When you dropped that song, Mercies of Da Lord, a lot of people thought it was from a gospel artiste. So, could you tell me the inspiration behind the song?

    I wasn’t in a good time then. Also, my mum, a Cameroonian, is a good Christian and she was with me then. When she came back from Cameroon, she brought back the spirit of God in me then. When she came to live with me, the spirit of Godliness was revived in me. Actually, I was born and brought up in the way of the lord. But because of worldly things, I derailed. Luckily, my mum brought it all back.

    We would wake up and say our morning devotion. Besides, my mum would preach the word of God to me and tell me some certain things that elevated me, spiritually. So, that was how I got the inspiration. Actually, that song was the last I did in my album. I had already rounded off my album, but I just needed an intro to the album. So, when the producer, Ben Droze, heard the intro, he said what I just dropped could be a track; so, we now completed it, making it a full track. Honestly, that song just has one verse and that verse is just eight bars. It is very simple and short; and it has 106 billion meanings. So, it’s like a biblical verse.

    Initially, how did you feel when things were not working the way you planned?

    Definitely, I felt so bad, but I didn’t allow it to hold me down. Without exaggeration, I had been in the industry before God brought me out. I was once in a group called Junglists and our first album was entitled Boys Dey Binu. Luckily, we made a very good impact then. So, we did another album called Money Na Time, which included that very hit song, Tell dem say our eye don clear; tell dem say our eye don open o.

    It was a great hit then. But trust me, there was no money because the foreign music had overshadowed us then. We had some of our colleague likes Danfo Driver, African China, Showkey, Baba Frayo and Marvelous Benji buying the latest cars. But we, the Junglists, could not afford anything. With that, people started insulting us. So, those things started weighing us down a little bit. But I tried my best never to be intimidated by the challenges we were going through then. In fact, there was a day someone called me and said ‘Oritsefemi, you guys have gone into relegation.’ I was so saddened by that statement. You see, our music was everywhere, but they were not seeing the star in us then. I started thinking of how we could do it better and I kept my head straight. But my other colleague allowed the experience to weigh him down. He started doubting if music would truly pay off one day because he is an Igbo boy. He wanted to delve into other things, but I kept doing my thing. Sometimes, I would tell him we should go to studio, but he would always come up with excuses.

    However, it was not his fault. I would say it was largely due to what people were saying then. Prior to that, I went solo and that was when I dropped that my first hit single, Elewon, which is a very popular song on the streets. That song actually brought me to limelight. I remember that whenever I was performing it on stage, people would shove and push one another. So, I was encouraged to go back to the studio to do more and that was when I dropped my full album titled, Flop Politician. From there, I got a marketer. You know, when you are successful, people want to associate with you. The album was off ‘Da hook’, as I started reaping the fruit of my labour. Did you know what I did? I then remembered those guys who used to curse me that I didn’t even own a car and all that.

    So, immediately I got the money, I bought two cars at once. I took them down to Ajegunle, bought drinks for my people and the noise was everywhere. The moral of this story is that, when people criticize you, it will make you to do more. If someone walks up to you and criticizes you over one major thing, it is because he or she wants you to get that thing. If they didn’t tell you those things, you would still be relenting. So, because they said I didn’t own a car, I, therefore, bought two to shame my critics. In truth, I learnt a lesson from that.

    It seems you are the only one playing this genre of music, particularly because African China has not been very active lately and Timaya seems to be diversifying. So, what are you doing to support the other guys?

    Yeah! I’ve had so much about that and what I believe is that, we are all players. For instance, in a football match, we have everyone playing different wings; so, everyone must be noticed in his or her own position. Even if I am playing the defense role, I will try my best to be noticed. So, that’s why I keep holding that place that I am. I don’t want to talk about other people, but Timaya is a good friend who has always seen me like a counterpart. You know, sometimes, someone can be your friend and you still feel the guy is the only problem you have in the industry.

    Yes, we can come together and do songs together. The last time I called him that we should do a song together, he said it was okay. But he has kept ‘posting’ me because he sees me as a threat. He doesn’t want a situation whereby people will be comparing us together. Timaya is good artiste, he has his own energy and he keeps doing what he knows how to do best. I can compete with any artiste in the world. For instance, I might be called upon to come and represent Nigeria on the international platform. By then, you won’t be comparing me with Timaya. Basically, I don’t want anyone to see me as a counterpart. It’s like a football pitch, where everyone will be noticed.

    When precisely do you want to get married, since you now have everything you have been craving for?

    It will be any moment from now because I have a fiancé, Blessing, whom everybody knows. By God’s grace, I will get getting married this year.

    Are you under any management at the moment?

    Yes, I have an international manager in Moscow and I’m planning to have an apartment in Moscow, Russia. They are working on my collaborations with international artistes any moment from now.

    What are you planning for the New Year?

    Actually, I was supposed to do some ‘collabo’ with Rihana sometime ago. There is a friend of mine that is very close to her management. Next year, a lot will be seen and heard from me.

  • Sanyeri sells wedding footage for N1m?

    Sanyeri sells wedding footage for N1m?

    TOP Yoruba actor and leading comedy monger in the Yoruba movie industry, Olaniyi Afonja, a.k.a. Sanyeri, has a knack for spinning surprises not only in the fictional world but also in real life.

    It appears that while the popular actor was being hailed during his recent wedding with her fiancée of eight years, Awawu Omolara Jimoh, he was racking his brains about how to take the best advantage of the moment. How? The Muniru and Ambali star, according to the news making the rounds, is said to have sold his wedding footage to a movie marketer, Excel, for N1million.

    The wedding footage is expected to hit the shelves across the country soon.

    Sanyeri, father of two, got married at a well-attended event by his family, friends and colleagues on Saturday, December 1, at Events Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.