The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • A new septuagenarian on the block

    A new septuagenarian on the block

    His education was almost truncated because of fund, but Prof Ropo Sekoni’s determination to be a scholar saw him through. Sekoni, a member of the Editorial Board of The Nation and Board Chairman, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, turned 70 last week. Family members, friends and associates gathered to share in the joy of the day with him in Lagos. RISIKAT RAMONI reports.

    He grew up the hard way. Going to school was not easy after his father’s timber business collapsed. He was then in form two, but he was determined not to allow that misfortune to disrupt his education.

    That small boy of yesterday has come of age. He celebrated his 70th birthday in Lagos last week. For Prof Oluropo Sekoni, it was time to thank God for seeing him through that most difficult time of his life. The boy, who found it difficult to pay his way through secondary school, is today a Professor of Literature in English at the Lincoln University, United States.

    Sekoni said: “It was tough going to secondary school, especially in my first two years because I had to go soliciting for help to pay my fees. Apart from that challenge of not having extra money, we were getting one shilling as pocket money in a week in the boarding school.”

    But he was motivated by his father’s commitment to education, even though the old man was not educated. And when Sekoni saw some students during an excursion to the University of Ibadan (UI) in 1958, his mind was made up on the path to take.

    “I saw undergraduates going to the university with academic gowns, I was surprised. I also saw how decent lecturers’ houses looked. At that time, I knew that education was important. I also saw how Africans were living in some mansions. At that time, I believed education was meant to change the quality of one’s life. Education was attributed to decent behaviour, decent living, good jobs and respect in the community. So, I was motivated to change the quality of my life,” he said.

    So, he did menial jobs to sponsor his education.

    As a Professor in a US university, Sekoni shuttled between home, where he is a member of the Editorial Board of The Nation and Board Chairman, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, and America.

    A- list personalities attended his 70th birthday reception at the Senator H.A.B Fasinro Hall of the City Hall, Lagos Island.

    The birthday ‘boy’ looked 50. He was charming in a cream lace Agbada with a pair of black shoes. He topped it with a wine Aso oke cap and a muffler of the same material on his shoulder.

    His wife Banke wore a wine lace Iro and buba with gele to match.

    The guests were dressed in various attires, except his children and in-laws.

    The boys wore white heavily-embroidered Agbada and wine stripe Aso oke cap.

    The women, including his in-laws wore the same damask material with purple headgear.

    A live band, the Faith Music Group entertained guests.

    Though it was not an occasion for speeches, a few guests, who spoke with The Nation, praised Sekoni

    Mrs Sekoni resisted all pleas by this reporter to speak. She was busy attending to guests. She and her child Yetunde moved round the hall to ensure that everybody was attended to.

    It took the intervention of her husband to get her to speak. She described her husband as “Super” and wished him long life.

    Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu also wished him “the best of a future where and when he will stand on the side of the people against oppression and victimisation.”

    Prof Sekoni’s daughter, Tolu wished her dad “the very best in life.”

    “You are a good man. You’re simply the best. I love you and I pray God blesses you with many more years so you can see all your grandchildren,” she said.

    “I feel great,” Prof Sekoni responded to a question by The Nation.

    Turning 70, he said, was a major accomplishment.

    “”I never believed I could reach 70 years on earth because my parents died when I was young and when one sums up their age then, it was not up to 70. Also, in a country where the average life expectancy is 50, if one attains 70, he should thank God,” he said.

    Soon, it was time to dance. the celebrator engaged his children, family members and guests on the dance floor.

    For those who thought the septuagenarian could only dance to local oldies’ music, he proved them wrong when he gyrated with his children to the R ’n B played by the Disk Jockey.

    There were enough drinks and food. Guests relished African and foreign cuisine. Guests went home with different souvenirs.

    Among the guests were Gen Alani Akinrinade (rtd); Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka; Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu; son of the late Bola Ige, Muyiwa; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Vintage Press Ltd, publishers of The Nation Mr Victor Ifijeh; Chairman Editorial Board of The Nation Mr Sam Omatseye and Editor, The Nation Mr Gbenga Omotoso, among others

  • Bible Society sends off CEO

    The Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has held a send off party for its Secretary-General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Fred Odutola, who retired after 31 years in service. The ceremony held at the Adetiloye Hall of the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral in Ikeja GRA, Lagos. JOSEPH ESHANOKPE reports.

    AFTER a 31-year merritorious service, Dr Fred Odutola last week bowed out as Secretary-General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN).

    Last Thursday, the organisation held a send-off party for him at the Adetiloye Hall of the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral in Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

    The venue was filled with representatives of state areas of the organisation and Bible societies from Africa and other parts of the world. They included those from the United Kingdom, United States, Cameroun, and Mozambique – a testimony to the popularity of Odutola and BSN in the Christian community.

    In attendance were the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor Rev Sam Ogedengebe; Administrative Secretary of the Apostolic Church Pastor I. G. Fakunle; former Health Secretary Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Archbishop George Amu.

    Patron of BSN and former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon said of Odutola: “As the patron of BSN, I have always found the work ethics of Dr Odutola to be quite commendable. I am aware of his deep love for Nigeria and BSN. I, therefore, wish to urge him to continue to demonstrate his love for God and country in every situation.

    “I wish to specially appreciate his yeoman’s job in entrenching good leadership at BSN. The result of his ‘personal investment’ in people and the organisation became more evident when one of his staff members clearly outperformed every other qualified candidate to succeed him.”

    He also said he was overwhelmed by the leadership qualities of Odutola such that he would have loved that his service be extended by a year.

    Wishing him a happy retirement, he said peace would always remain with him.

    There were also praises for Odutola from others, many of whom attested to his good managerial style and human relation.

    Mrs Meg Opara-Onwukwugha, who proposed the toast, described Odutola as truthful, honest and open.

    Rev O. Aibinuomo preached the sermon from Phil. 4: 10-13.

    Speaking on Strength of the Lord, he asked: ‘’Can we really do all things?” He answered: ‘’Yes. You can do all things within the assignment that God gave to you,” noting that Paul relied on God for his extensive missionary works. He described Odutola as “energetic, an orator, motivator, rugged and dogged, a story teller, risk taker with a large heart … who knows how to reach every president”.

    To show their appreciation to the outgoing Secretary-General, President of BSN, Aaron Nuhu, presented some gifts to him on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the organisation.

    They included a Prado jeep, a cheque of N3 million, and grandpa’s clock. There were also gifts from some members of staff and well-wishers.

    In his response, the former Sec-Gen, a scion of Odutola family of Ijebu Ode, thanked all for the gesture. He noted that that was the third ceremony held in his honour. He described his years at BSN as eventful, adding that he would now have time for himself.

    He listed some of his achievements, which include taking a loan of $1million to build BSN’s Guest House in Abuja. He received applause when he said the three-year loan was paid in two years and seven months.

    It was not a dull moment as music wafted from Sister Dupe Ogulana and co. Besides, a new book by Odutola titled: I am somebody was launched at the event. Also, there was a fund raiser for BSN’s programmes and projects.

  • Types of Humour

    We have been doing an interesting exploration of the lighter side of speaking- entertaining speech. Entertaining speech rides on the wings of humour; how else can you entertain people without making them laugh? Humour is a double-edged sword, which can heal or wound depending on its use and user. Comedians believe that laughter is psychologically healing, at least in the case of depression. Humour must be handled with care because when it works, it can result in a huge success, but when it fails, it can be the worst experience of the user or the person at the receiving end.

    Someone may say, “I don’t need to be funny, everyone knows I’m a serious minded person.” True, but that may be the reason you don’t usually have a lot of people around you except for official reasons. Good sense of humour is generally considered one of the most valuable social skills an individual can develop. Even at work, you need a good sense of humour to reduce stress and tension. When people laugh, they find it a lot easier to handle their tasks. You don’t believe me? Try the opposite; make your employees angry and upset and see how well they work! On the other hand, if you complement their efforts and appreciate their contributions by making good natured humour of their work habits, you will see the changes in their attitudes.

    Since humour is indispensable in entertaining speech, let’s examine some types of humour that there are. This will help us to know the most appropriate one to use for our specific needs. There are several types of humour but we will only restrict ourselves to a few.

    •Pun: this can be described as a play on words. When you use this type of humour, you employ words that have multiple meanings or that sound similar but have different meanings. For instance, if you manage an investment company and your organization is hosting major stakeholders to a luncheon, when appreciating your guests, you may say this, “Your investment is quite safe with us, though we don’t like money, we can’t do without currency.” What you have done here is to play on the words “money” and “currency” as though they are different.

    •Malapropism: this is the intentional or unintentional misuse of a word by confusing it with one with a similar sound. Danny Ozark, a baseball team manager, was quoted to have said that something was “beyond his apprehension.” The normal word that should have been used is comprehension, but since it sounds similar to apprehension, the latter was used, thereby changing the meaning of the statement. Another example is, “Segun isn’t a very clean boy, but a regular inspection of his room will serve as a detergent for the habit.” Here, detergent was used instead of deterrent. While using malapropism, it is important to pay attention to the context; the context in which the humour is used will determine if the audience find it funny or not.

    •Parody: this involves copying or imitating the style of something or someone for comic effect. Naturally, parody exaggerates and mocks the original; therefore, it can only be effective if the audience is familiar with the person or thing that is being copied. For instance, your organization may have a set of rules or code of conduct. You can exaggerate those rules in a staff get-together. You can create your own ridiculous rules about eating in the office, sleeping in the office, interaction among staff, etc. The humour here will be in the similarity between the original rules and the ones you created. You may even use a similar construction of words.

    These are some of the ways to create humour. A major key to all of these is that your humour should not be at the expense of another person. Let your speech bring pleasure to people instead of displeasure. There are still a few types of humour that we will consider next week, make it a date.

  • A matriarch’s ‘glorious’ exit

    A matriarch’s ‘glorious’ exit

    The remains of Mrs Angelina Onyebuchi Azinge, mother of Prof Epiphany Azinge, Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), have been buried  in Asaba the Delta State capital. JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU reports

    It was indeed a glorious transition to eternity. Dignitaries converged to bid the matriarch of the Azinge family of Umudaike clan, Asaba, Delta State, Mrs Angelina Onyebuchi Azinge, farewell.

    Madam Azinge died on May 6, at 89.

    The weeklong funeral activities was dubbed ‘Celebration of life.’

    The climax was the fifth day, which turned out to be a well-choreographed display of pomp and royalty.

    Residents of Asaba were stunned and excited by the sight of a luxurious hearse headed to the Cathedral Church of St. Peter’s, Asaba, in a procession that had many bands, including the award winning Brass Band of Akwa Ibom State that entertained the crowd with classical Christian music.

    The procession traversed the main streets of Asaba from the Azinge family house in Umudaike quarters, enroute the church and was greeted intermittently with canon explosions of confetti (only seen in stadia in Europe during the finals of football competitions). Various age groups lined the street; the young and the old who came out to catch a glimpse of the carnival-like event that threw the community into a festive mood.

    The Azinges, their relations, in-laws, friends and well wishers, dressed in colourful and royal regalias, drove in a convoy of vehicles behind the hearse to the church. A red carpet was laid from the entrance of the church to the altar. Over 10 bishops and 20 priests were in attendance. The church was filled to capacity and more than 3000 people were present to pay their last respect. The church service was a spectacle as trumpeters, choirs and soloists held the audience spellbound with their renditions.

    The souvenirs distributed during the service captured the life and times of the Azinge matriarch

    Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan led members of his state exco, senators, politicians of diverse political leanings, professional colleagues, judges and civil servants to the funeral.

    After the interment, which followed the church service, guests re-convened at the ‘Eventy Centre’, Asaba for the reception.

    The centre had the trappings of a mega event. The hall was decorated in gold and white colours, food and exotic drinks flowed freely. Comedians and high profile musicians added colour to the event. Among those who paid tributes to the deceased were Dr Joe Nwodo; Jude Anisha; Dr. Valerie Azinge and Nkeolisaweta Azinge.

    Dr Nwodo described her as an exemplary mother.

    “Our pains, have been aggravated by the great vacuum created by Mama’s death. Her motherhood knew no boundaries. She gave motherly attention to her immediate family. At the same time, she was equally dedicated to her in-laws, relations and numerous friends and associations. This explains why her departure was like an earthshaking event,” he said.

    Dr Azinge said: “I got closer to Mama as she is fondly called, when I had the privilege of marrying her handsome and wonderful son, Epiphany. Epy, as he is fondly called, is the greatest gift that mama gave me, but he was not the only one. For 27 years, Mama enriched my life in incalculable ways. I modelled my life after her impeccable, patient and selfless manner.

    “Mama’s infectious, contagious and relentless joy pleased everyone whom she came in contact with. Her industrious and hardworking nature enabled her groom and support her family.”

    Anisha said: “Mama Asaba was a woman of integrity, firm and caring. She was generous and showed love to me even though she was not my biological mother.

    “She was always a happy woman; she wanted everyone that came around her to be happy. Mama was indeed selfless and worthy of emulation, she was ever ready to lend a helping hand to all and sundry.”

  • Ex-model, Deborah Alechenu urge Nigerians to embrace stardom

    Ex-model, Deborah Alechenu urge Nigerians to embrace stardom

    Most youths in Nigeria these days dream of becoming stars like Wizkid, Davido, Tuface.

    Unfortunately, most do not get the platform or enough publicity, Deborah Alechenu, an ex-model and CEO (chief executive officer) of Tru Star limited, a company that comprise of the popular Tru Star Magazine and Tru Star studios, have taken it upon herself to provide that platform.

    Deborah who is inspired by Beyonce Knowles, believes that lots of stars exist but it only takes a true star to distinguish him/ herself amongst a million.

    She explained that, “there are stars and there is a Tru Star.”

    Deborah recognises stars that have achieved stardom all over the world, using them as covers for her fabulous fashion and entertainment Magazine.

    She also unearth dearth of talented stars who are yet to be known, providing them with the much needed platform for stardom.

    Debby as she is fondly called believes that most of the people, she has featured in some of the previous editions of Tru Star magazine, have ended up making it big, she believes in encouraging hard work and making youths believe that they can achieve the best.

    She explained that one does not have to be an actor or a musician to be recognised as a Tru Star, doctors, lawyers, technicians, can also be stars in their individual profession.

    “Tru Star is all about giving out to the society. We search for talents in every field of life and give them the opportunity to live their dreams. The essence of the programme is to introduce the studio to the public and make people have a taste of our studio”

    The Magazine, which is published ones in two month but in twin edition, always has a famous star on one side of the cover and another up and an upcoming star on the other side.

    She recently organised a free photo session, red carpet anchored by JSB a presenter with the former Zakudia arena and fashion show which exhibited rich African coutures and design by known Nigerian designers in Abuja to honour the grand opening of the Tru Star photo studio.

  • NDLEA yet to contact me —Tonto Dikeh

    NDLEA yet to contact me —Tonto Dikeh

    Nollywood actress, Tonto Dike who has been dogged by controversy in recent times over marijuana pictures allegedly posted on Instagram  by her, speaks with  AHMED BOULOR

    AS much as you have not denied posting the Marijuana pictures on Instagram most people seem not to believe the story; did you deny posting those pictures on Instagram because of the arrest threat by NDLEA?

    No! I didn’t deny posting those pictures on Instagram because of the supposed threat of arrest by the NDLEA. I still have my Twitter and Instagram accounts and I will not delete or hide anything from anybody because I have nothing to hide. Anybody that wants to make any findings can access my accounts and view what they want to.

    Were you shaken by the arrest threat by NDLEA?

    I was never shaken by the threat from the NDLEA because I don’t think I committed any crime. I posted the picture with a different caption but an impostor with a different account used the same picture with another caption. That person has an account with my name and if you go through facebook or even Twitter you’ll discover that most celebrities have more than one account. I was not shaken or threatened in anyway because I know I didn’t do anything wrong.

    Have you been contacted thus far by officials of NDLEA?

    I haven’t been contacted by anyone from the NDLEA and it would be a shame if they contacted me.

    Was your Instagram account compromised?

    My Instagram account was not compromised; I have an account on Instagram, when you are not verified because you have other accounts set up with your name by other people, then unsuspecting people may not know which account is the real one. When that picture was posted, it started trending because people who posted it did not care to verify whether the account was originally mine. Thereafter, I received a lot of backlash from the press; and everyone believed the story hook-line-and- sinker simply because it is Tonto Dikeh.

    Do you consider yourself a good role model?

    I am a role model to those who see me as one; I am sure Nigerians out there see and read all these things and they laugh. I am sure there are people out there who appreciate what I do as an actress and hope to someday achieve what I have achieved as a thespian.

    For how long will your career continue to thrive on controversy?

    My career thrives on everything; my career thrives on all the ups and downs that I have been faced with. But most especially, the controversies have made me stronger and wiser.

    What’s your take on the fact that most people believe that you are weird and wild?

    I don’t care about them because they don’t care about me; everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. I live my life the way I want to. People should also remember that I am human and no one is perfect.

    Have you always thought of acting or circumstance brought you into it?

    I never thought of becoming an actress from the onset; I always wanted to be an engineer. I wanted to make a name for myself as an engineer but acting just took over. I never considered acting while growing up but acting is paying my bills now.

    Are you too strong to fall in love?

    I am not too strong to fall in love; I am human and I have feelings too. I don’t think there is any woman on earth that has not experienced love in one form or the other.

    Is it possible for you to marry an actor?

    That’s not possible; I can never be caught doing that. I can’t marry an actor.

    What was it like celebrating your last birthday in London?

    It was fun and it turned out to be one of the most eventful days of my life. Although, I wished I spent it here in Nigeria so more people who know me could have had the opportunity to celebrate with me. I only celebrated with a few friends in London but it was okay by me because the love I received was pure and I got a whole lot of gifts.

    What really happened at Iyanya Concert in London when you fell on stage; were you intoxicated or you simply missed your steps?

    I wore a very long gown and my dress got caught up in the high heel shoes that I was wearing. The thing was that, I wasn’t dressed to perform at the time I mounted the stage but when I got on the stage to introduce myself to the fans, my latest single was being played and I just decided to give the yearning fans a bit of me when the incident occurred. I wasn’t intoxicated, I just missed my steps.

    Do you think you are making any meaningful headway in your music career considering the amount of criticism you’ve been faced with over the strength and quality of your songs?

    Yes, I think I am getting somewhere; I have been working on new songs and I have also been performing too. I have committed myself on three grounds now as an actress, an artiste and as one giving hope to motherless babies and more. It has been so stressful and right now I am concentrating my efforts at my project which is the ‘Say No To Domestic Violence’ campaign. I am trying to lend my voice to those who do not have a voice to speak.

    Did you particularly go through any experience that made you embark on the ‘Say No To Domestic Violence’ campaign?

    Yes I did, not physically but emotionally. The idea was mooted by my management team as a way of giving back to society. Most people go through domestic violence but they do not know what it is and I know most people in this country go through domestic violence one way or the other.

    Are you thinking of releasing an album very soon?

    How soon, I cannot tell for now but I think something will materialise before the second quarter of next year. It is still in the works but like I said earlier, my musical career is getting somewhere.

    What was going through your mind when had that snake-like tattoo with a bleeding heart inscribed on your back?

    I decided to have that tattoo because I wanted to have it. Nothing really was going through my mind when I decided to have it.

    Is it true that your mum is half-Canadian?

    My mum is not half Canadian; she has traces of Ghanaian blood in her too. She is not half- Canadian; she is a quarter-Canadian.

    You have been around for a while and you have made so much impact, is there anybody that you wish to co-star with in Hollywood and in Nollywood?

    For Nollywood, I think I have featured with everybody that is relevant on the scene. I have featured with the best of the best. Nobody thrills me except Joke Silva; I have never worked with her before and I would love to do that pretty soon. For Hollywood, I would say there are a whole lot of them.

    What informed your decision to give scholarships and gifts to hundreds of children some months back?

    I always do that every now and then but that was the first time it became public. I have people I feed and clothe and I am not saying this to impress anybody. Giving is a special thing to me and I give as God blesses me.

    What’s your greatest fear?

    My greatest fear is remaining the same person I was yesterday; I should experience growth every day. I am also scared of failure…

    Would you at sometime in your career venture into movie production like your other colleagues?

    That is something I wouldn’t like to venture into; I like the fact that my other colleagues are going into it but it is not my calling. But I have invested my money in a whole lot of movie production without my name being mentioned.

    What has been your highpoints thus far as an actress?

    Being able to give back to society; to the less privilege and those in need because I get money through their support and the movies they buy. I am only happy to give back for the love and support they have shown over the years.

    Have you been offered your most challenging movie role yet?

    I am yet to be handed my most challenging movie role; it is so disappointing to admit that fact anyway.

    What kind of movie production inspires your?

    It is not about the production; it is about the script. The script has to move me before production seconds it. I would reject roles that I have played before or roles that I deem insignificant. A bad script turns me off…

    What do you do at times to improve your skill as an actress?

    I watch a whole lot of movies when I have the time; I consider Indian actors to be one of the best around because they express themselves better. I also watch a lot of my movies so I can correct my mistakes. I try to school myself with the various materials that I have. I also read about acting and mostly watch actors do their thing in order to learn from them.

    Do you consider yourself a misunderstood actress?

    Yes I do; I think I am one of the most misunderstood actresses around. But like I said earlier, I don’t care what people think about me.

    Are you working towards being a finished product as an artiste?

    Yes I am seriously working on that; I don’t think I am a finished product yet. I am learning more things to improve myself. Criticism is for you to get better; it is not for you to get ashamed or feel bad. Criticism is meant for you to improve, that’s what most people do not understand. It is meant to make you stronger and build you up into a better person in the long run.

     

  • Julius Agwu Rejuvenates

    Julius Agwu Rejuvenates

    VERSATILE entertainer, Julius Agwu is ready to re-launch his music career. The decision, according to the artiste, necessitated his move to travel to South-Africa to shoot a video for one of his latest singles, Rejuvenate. The comic act recently released two new singles, Rejuvenate and Mama Soup off his next album.

    To add class to the new video, Julius made use of a helicopter and a super boat. Speaking on the video, the comedian said having clocked 40 and having had the staying power by God’s grace in the entertainment world, there is a need for him to re-strategize and reposition himself.

    “My fans have been asking me what is happening to my music career. They said I brought them something exciting, a new genre called music-comedy. And as the creator of music-comedy, I’m only re-announcing myself to my fans. That is why I had to rejuvenate which is the title of the video shot in South Africa. As a matter of fact, the title of the album is Rejuvenation,” he said.

    On what makes the new video different from his previous videos, Julius said. “It’s different because we spent more on it. It’s something different from what people used to see from Julius Agwu and the song is a club banger. For the first time, you will hear me rap in my native language and the song is a blend of hip-hop, afro-pop and of course the comical flavour which is always inherent in my style. It has to be funny and of course, the video is funny and entertaining”.

    The comedian revealed that he will drop his full album which will be his fourth release before the end of the year.

  • Channel O berths in Ghana

    Channel O berths in Ghana

    CELEBRITY entertainment show; O News Live on DStv’s Channel O, has made a debut in the West African country of Ghana. Reports say the shooting and recording of the live show which holds today at the Silver Star South Terrace is being powered by Vodafone telecommunications network.

    Noted for the latest in local and international celebrity news, the show for Ghanaian music buffs is expected to be an opportunity to meet some of their favourite actors and artists who will be part of the shoot, see them perform and even get photo opportunities.

    Promoters say Channel O viewers of all ages can look forward to interacting with renowned Ghanaian artistes like R2Bees, Sarkodie, Kaakie, 4×4 and South African hip hop head AKA who will be visiting the country for the first time. The list of celebrities on the show also includes some of the most renowned actors like Yvonne Okoro and Joselyn Dumas.

    O News Live will be hosted and presented by Ghana’s own Channel O VJ J-Town, with his equally vibrant counterparts and VJs Flavia from Uganda and Nigeria’s Denrele.

    “We are excited because Ghana is playing a very significant part where African urban culture is concerned. One of the biggest dance trends in the continent, the azonto, is from Ghana, some of the hottest artistes are Ghanaian and we also have some of the best actors from this country,” says Channel O Africa Manager Leslie Kasumba who added that: “Recording O News Live in Ghana is for us, an investment in a market that we believe is key in advancing the African music scene and unearthing new talent. We are really thrilled to do be doing a showcase of GH culture.”

    The first edition of the show in Ghana expects music lovers at the Silver Star South Terrace for a ‘black star experience’. The episode which will kick off the show’s new season will be broadcast on Sunday, September 1, at 18:00 CAT.

  • Orezi gets rave reviews with ‘Rihanna’ song

    Orezi gets rave reviews with ‘Rihanna’ song

    ISOKO, Delta State-born Hip hop sensation Orezi who is currently on tour of major South African cities, is said to shooting the video of his hit single, Rihanna, a track which is enjoying rotation on the airwaves.

    The artiste who spoke about his recent music exploit said he is into the business of music to make his mark and leave his footprints. Speaking in South Africa, the artiste expressed shock at the success of Rihanna, saying: “I am glad that South Africans and Nigerians resident here accepted my music and they have showed me so much love that I am overwhelmed. I never knew that Rihanna is an anthem here like it is in Nigeria, for that I give glory to God and my management companies, Sprisal Records and Synergy Entertainment.”

    Orezi said that his best hands are currently working on the video of Rihanna, just to ensure that it is as acceptable is not better than the song version. “This is planning and coordination at its best. The state-of-the-art equipment being used on the video, the precision, timing… is out of this world! Nigerians are going to see a video that will redefine music videos in Nigeria going forward,” the hip hop star said.

    Speaking on the possibility of a remix of the Rihanna song, the artiste said he would love to work with Daddy Showkey. “I really would want to do the remix of the Rihanna hit with Rihanna herself, that would happen by God’s grace and later I will do something big with Daddy Showkey. Why Daddy Showkey? When the song comes out, you will know the reason why. International collaborations are a good thing, most especially when it is the right song. It gives African music the international face it surely deserves.” He maintained.

    Asked what his music style is called, Orezi who calls it ‘Ghen Ghen’ said, just like the cartoon characters Pinky and Brain, he plans to rule the world of music. “Everybody’s got his time, this is my time and I am going to use it.” He said.

  • New Orleans Jazz Goes to Johannesburg

    New Orleans Jazz Goes to Johannesburg

    WORLD-CLASS New Orleans jazz superstars have been scheduled for great performance in Johannesburg, this month. The show, which is coming at the instance of Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, has been described as a culmination of an ambitious project that has been in the offing for a long time.

    Reports say acclaimed Satchmo Trumpet Summit will be performing at the festival, featuring James Andrews, Kid Merv and Marlon Jordan as well as Father and Sons of the New Millennium with members of the world famous Batiste music family David and his sons Damon, Ryan and Jamal.

    The New Orleans contingent will be performing at The Dance Factory in Newtown and sharing the stage with a powerhouse of South African female performers, namely Swazi Dlamini, Asanda Bam, Nokukhanya Dlamini and Mimi.

    This pioneering venture means that the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz now has in total nine performance venues in the Newtown precinct when the festival runs from August 22 to 24.

    Relationships have been built over past decade between Standard Bank Joy of Jazz and The New Orleans South Africa Connection (NOSACONN). Plans are underway to galvanise resources to ensure that South African artists, still to be named, will have opportunities to perform at festivals throughout New Orleans and Louisiana with the focus on The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival next year.

    The relationship is endorsed by both governments and local officials of both cities Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu and the Johannesburg Executive Mayor Parks Tau are both supporters of this international cultural exchange. This jazz collaboration is part of a cultural exchange programme which will see the on-going sharing of musical talent between South Africa and the US.