The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • Omotola partners Akon on new album

    CURRENTLY neck deep in works on her next album; Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has revealed that she is working with Akon on her forthcoming collection of songs.

    The mother of four said in an interview recently that she is working with two producers who are signed to Konvict Music label owned by American vocalist, Akon .

    “I am currently working with Grammy award winning producers Kendrick Dean and Verse Simmonds who are both on Konvict Music and we are looking to feature a special guest artiste on one of the songs on the album.” She said.

    It would be recalled that Omotola released her first album titled Gba on October 2, 2005 and ever since, fans have been expecting another album from the screen goddess, even though her debut album didn’t turn out a commercial success.

    Fans of the actress appear to be waiting for what many consider a beautiful prospect from her recent deal with Konvict Music to rub off positively on her fledgling music career.

  • WAP unveils fresh episodes of Papa Ajasco

    THE much publicized new episodes of Papa Ajasco & Company appears set for airing, as producers of the series, Wale Adenuga Productions as fixed January 21 as the start-off date.

    The fresh episodes are said to have titles like; Happy Kidnappers, The Phone Call, Urine Depot and The General’s Daughter. As usual, the dramas will feature stars of the company, including Papa Ajasco, Pa James, Boy Alinco, Mama Ajasco, Miss Pepeiye and Bobo Ajasco. Promoters say the new episodes come with exciting storylines laced with clever satire which would make viewers of all ages laugh and learn at the same time.

    According to the chairman of the company, Mr. Wale Adenuga, “Papa Ajasco & Company, Nigeria’s most popular sitcom, has remained relevant for over a decade due to the ingenuity employed by everyone in the company. Our team is constantly improving the standard to ensure timeless, top quality family entertainment which cuts across all social classes in Nigeria.”

    The drama series airs weekly on wapTV Network (StarTimes 222) and twenty other TV stations across the country.

  • Iya Rainbow is next on O’jez celebs honours list

    Iya Rainbow is next on O’jez celebs honours list

    COME Sunday, January 27, 2013, veteran Yoruba movie diva, Mrs. Idowu Philips, otherwise called ‘Iya Rainbow’ will be in the spotlight at the popular Ojez restaurant, National Stadium, as the celebrity of the month.

    The event is the monthly elders’ forum put together by the celebrity hangout to honour outstanding achievements among members of the showbiz industry and society fames other professional callings.

    Chief Joseph Odobeatu, Chief Executive Office, O’jez Entertainment Centre, said Iya Rainbow will be honoured for her over three decade contribution to Nollywood. “When the O’jez Entertainment Awards committee nominated Iya Rainbow, it was a unanimous decision that she will be our first award recipient for 2013 and thank God, she graciously accepted our invitation to come for the ceremony,” Odobeatu said.

    O’jez Entertainment Awards, the only monthly award ceremony in the country has for over seven years honoured its recipients during the last Sunday of the month. Those who have been celebrated include Toyin Subair, Ken Calebs Olumese, Kenny Ogungbe, Zach Orji, Kate Henshaw and Madam Kofo among many others.

    Iya Rainbow, her family and well wishers are expected to arrive O’jez celebrity restaurant by 6.45pm on the said date. They will be met and ushered to the Chinese arm of the restaurant from where they will be taken to the event venue at 7.15pm.

    As is the custom of the hosts, veteran Juju artiste, Pa Fatai Rolling Dollars will be in the house, while Nollywood star Charles Inojie will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Also expected are fast-rising stand-up comedians like Elder O, MC Shakara and Elenu, who will be dishing out jokes to the delight of the guests.

    Others are Africa Michael Jackson and Awilo the dancer who have been rehearsing for the d-day.

  • ‘My Life My Damage’ gets new premiere date

    THE premiere of My Life My Damage, the much awaited flick set to launch sultry actress, Tonto Dike’s box office experience at the cinema in February 1st 2013, has been rescheduled for March 1st 2013.

    According to reports, the change was said to be due to logistic problems and also the partnering corporate organizations demand for more time for effective planning.

    Produced by Uche Jombo Rodriguez, the movie which features Tonto Dike as the lead act, also parades the likes of Bukky Wright, Kalu Ikeagwu, Biola Williams, James Tucker, and Bobby Obobo. The Damage trilogy is a movie collection of three distinct but interwoven stories aimed at advocacy for social issues; each story addresses important problems affecting individuals, families and societies at large.

    The movie tries to address the issue of reckless use of drug among the youths and its attendant negative consequence. It is about a young lady who travelled abroad and exposed herself to drugs use and eventually got infected with the dreaded disease called HIV/AIDS.

    The producer cum actress, Uche Jombo is also a script writer who has been in the Nigerian industry for a while. She has acted in so many blockbuster movies and has written several movies including The Celebrity, Games Men Play, Holding Hope, Girls in the Hood, A Time to Love, Be My Wife, Perfect Planner, Price of Fame to mention but a few.

  • Deborah Vanessa cries out: ‘I’m not a Lesbian’

    WHAT a way to start the New Year, tale of lesbianism is presently trailing fast rising Ghanaian singer, Deborah Vanessa.

    This is stemming from the fact that the artiste, it was said has never being sighted with a male be it a friend, lover or husband.

    Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview recently, the singer debunked the rumour. In her words, “Hell no, I’m not a lesbian, I’m not even a bisexual, I’m straight and I love men.”

    She explained that even though she is not a fan of gay and lesbian relationship, she does not believe that people should be condemned based on their sexuality.

    “I don’t think they should be condemned because we are all human beings and we need to respect their rights and their sexualities. Since we are not God, we can’t explain why a person feels a certain way”, she said.

  • Seun Kuti’s next show at the Shrine

    DAY’S after becoming a year older, Seun Anikulapo Kuti will be performing live with Fela’s Egypt 80 Band at the New Africa Shrine on Saturday January 26, from 10:00pm. The concert will serve as an opportunity to further promote the Afrobeat genre as Seun slowly but surely fills the big shoes left behind by his late father.

    Seun who is currently working on his third album recently returned to the country after a very successful musical tour of Europe and India promoting his second album titled From Africa With Fury: RISE.

    The show which will be the first performance by Seun this year promises to be very exciting as Afrobeat devotees are already itching to be part of it. On his part, Seun Kuti has promised to thrill the audience with the best of Fela’s repertoire and captivating songs from his current album.

  • Tonto Dikeh’s music video underway

    WEEKS after dropping her debut singles, controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dike is already in the editing suit as work begins on her recently shot musical video. Tonto is leaving no stone unturned as she hopes to make the best out of her music venture.

    Despite the less than enthusiastic response to her singles, she makes good on her promise to remain in the Nigerian music industry. She said that she would follow up her singles with videos and she is doing just that.

    It could be recalled that she was recently rumored to be signed onto D’Banj’s DB Records which she denied but she revealed that she would be willing to sign onto the label if the offer is good.

  • Shan George relocates?

    NIGERIA’S commercial nerve centre, Lagos, is known for its peculiar hustling and bustling coupled with other stringent laws being dished out on a regular basis by the state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, especially on commercial motorcyclists better known as Okada.

    One of those who may have been fed up with the ‘new Lagos’ is Nollywood actress, Shan George. The fair skinned actress Shan George who has surely had her fair share of ups and downs as an actress on the movie is said to have relocated from the bustling city of Lagos.

    We now hear that Shan has to relocating to her Calabar, Cross River home as she feels the capital city of Cross River is a better ‘paradise’ than Lagos.

  • Flowssick part ways with record label

    KOLLERTUNZ Records, the management outfit handling fast rising artiste Flowssick, recently issued a statement announcing that they have parted ways with the artiste. Kollertunz is parting ways with the artiste in what it describes as ‘over protracted’ contract issues.

    “Our organization took this decision in the face of unresolved and complex negotiations which had been one sided with little consideration for the part of the label after years of investment and long working hours done for the establishment of our former artiste.

    “Kollertunz Records is an organization that prides its self in believing and investing both financial and human resources for our artiste and their projects, needless to say we gamble and try to prove a point that we are not about the money but the success of our projects and investments.

    “We would like to state henceforth we have no formal business relations regarding Flowssick and that he can be reached by any means he chooses to. We trust that the management of Flowssick will observe their pledge they made to the label.” The statement read in part.

  • ‘Tough time’ for Nigerian Idol judges

    IN an unusual occurrence, Nigerian Idol judges, last Sunday, had a rough time in the studios as they could not agree over the efforts of the first round of top 30 contestants that performed on Sunday 13.

    The different positions taken on the contenders were between celebrity guest judge, Naeto C and regular judge Jeffrey Daniel. Jeffrey, who felt that the rap star was rather too harsh on some contestants, did not mince words in saying so. But Naeto C was undaunted.

    The guest judge, who tried to be diplomatic, however is dissatisfied with some of the contestants whose performances he found unimpressive. His expression said it all- he was either gloomy or angry and Jeffrey and the crowd thought he might have frightened some of the contestants.

    The views of both judges on the contestants were poles apart. Jeffery showed his satisfaction for the performances by giving the contestants individual nick names. He dubbed Byno ‘Mr. Delivery Man’ for performing Neyo’s ‘So Sick’. He was impressed by Vicci’s performance of ‘Anytime I Miss You’ by Bryan McKnight that he named him ‘Magic Boy’. He also called Deola ‘Rihmana’, because of her version of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’, and Debie Rise as ‘Mix Master Dee’ for her version of ‘Umbrella’ done Nigerian tone.

    But Naeto C believes that the contestants’ performances often interfered with their vocal expressions. This didn’t go down well with supporters of the acts who at some point booed the guest judge.

    Afrobeat Legend and new judge Femi Kuti Femi Kuti, was however away from the show and will be back in the last week of January.

    Sponsored by Etisalat, in association with Pepsi and supported by Beat FM, the show also has Nigeria’s soul diva Yinka Davies as judge in the current and suave host Ill Rhymz as host.