The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • They’ve been trying to get me to perform in Nigeria for 25years —George Benson

    They’ve been trying to get me to perform in Nigeria for 25years —George Benson

    Multiple grammy award-winner, George Benson, was here in Nigeria for the first time as he performed alongside Lagbaja at the 3rd Love Music Love Life Luxury Concert recently held at the Expo Centre of the Eko Hotel and Suites. He spoke with AHMED BOULOR about his trip to Nigeria and other sundry issues.

     

    TEN-TIME grammy award winner, George Benson is a jazz colossus who has overtime been able to carve an enviable niche for himself. Born and raised in the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, George started honing his musical skills at the tender age of 7 playing the Ukulele (an instrument like a guitar with four strings, associated with Hawaiian music) in a corner drug store for which he was paid a few dollars. At the age of 8, he was playing guitar in an unlicensed nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights which was later closed down by the police.

    For a man who released his first single at the tender age of 10, travelling and seeing new places would definitely be a constant activity and according George his first trip to Nigeria for the third edition of Smooth FM’s Luxury Concert is proving something to him once again.

    “This trip is proving something to me once again; don’t always believe what you hear. By coming here, already I see differences from what I hear in the action of the people. From the point I got out of the airplane, people spoke kindly to me. When I got to my hotel, it’s nothing but warmth; people know us; they respect what we do. We are very famous in this country (Nigeria); I didn’t know that. I know we have some measure of popularity because we’ve been on the radio for many years. I didn’t know how famous we were until I landed in Nigeria. The truth is that I love the warmth, and I feel comfortable that everybody knows who we are and what we do and they love us. That’s the important thing,” he said.

    But does he have any impression about Nigeria and its people? George says he does as he has come across some faces which he described as very recognisable. “When I look at the people, I see faces that I’ve been seeing a lot, but I didn’t just know they are Nigerians; in other countries, including my country, United States. Now I see a face that is very recognizable; features that are very easy to recognize. Now, I realised that I’ve seen a lot of Nigerians, but didn’t recognise they are Nigerians. Now, I know what to look for; I’ve leant something already.

    “Nigerians are very proud of their country; I’ve never see a Nigerian say anything bad about their country. So far, there are things I’ve picked up coming here and I’m sure that more are coming,” he added.

    Considering the fact that George has a huge fan base here in Nigeria, many are of the opinion that the Jazz legend should have been here before now. Were there any efforts to bring him over in the past? George posits that there had been efforts to bring him to Nigeria which had failed but he decided to come now because he found a promoter he was comfortable with.

    “They’ve been trying to get me to this country for about 25 years. I never had an offer that made any sense; we were trying to get here, but we didn’t find the promoter we were looking for, but we finally found a promoter. It’s not all about the money; money is important but you still have to work with people you are comfortable with. Like every place you go to, people would say one thing or the other, but you have to go there and see things yourself. When you go, you see something different.

    “At this point, it wasn’t about looking for the greatest deal in the world; at this point, I don’t want to say that, all through my career, I never went to Nigeria. So, I wanted to come and find out things in Nigeria. So, we made arrangement and found a promoter that we are very comfortable with. When I got to the radio station, I found out that we are greatly loved here. So, I feel very comfortable here,” he averred.

    Being a worldwide brand, and considering the fact that he was to lineup for performances with Lagbaja, George was expecting a sold out crowd at the venue for the event and he was not let down at the turnout of guests for the concert.

    “I would think the promoter wasn’t doing any job, because there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. If they’ve been selling our records here for many years…we’ve sold over 70 million albums and I’m sure we sold some here. Again, people don’t like to miss what they think might be a once in a life time opportunity; people have to be here tonight. So, there’s no reason the tickets shouldn’t be sold out. Now, I know why. I was on a radio station before the concert and the programming was very diversified and full of art. Every artiste I heard on the station had character; they are masters of their acts.

    “This is my first experience with this industry, but I’m already hearing incredible things about Lagbaja. I don’t think anybody has demystified him, all you get is something like, ‘I think he does this, I like him when he does this…there are lots of talking drums and stuffs like that,” he said.

    But with the western world waxing lyrical about Nigerian music and the seeming growth of the industry, George seems not to have been caught up in the bug as he says he has little knowledge about Nigerian music.

    “I don’t know a lot about Nigerian music, this is the reason why I’m coming here. It’s the reason I wanted to come,” he said.

    With five decades of experience in music under his belt; one begins to wonder how George has been able to stay relevant over the years? He reveals the secret behind his staying power.

    “Well, first of all, I had the best of the best; Quincy Jones produced the album. At the same time, he was working with the number one, Michael Jackson. At one point, I actually sold more albums than Michael Jackson in the very early stages. I remember working with Quincy Jones, he asked me one day, “George, do you want to make the greatest jazz album in the world or do you want to go for the throne?’ I laughed and I said, “Quincy, go for the throne baby.’ So, he brought his A-team, the same guys, who were working with Michael Jackson. Don’t forget, a lot of the artistes that support popular music, R&B and every other genre, are lovers of jazz music,” he added.

    For an artiste who waxed his first single at the age of 10 with RCA-Victor in New York, one wonders which song he holds dear to his heart among the many songs he has recorded. But George readily reveals his favourite single with a smile on his face…

    “That would definitely be the song ‘Turn Your Love Around’; It is the biggest single of my whole life; it is bigger than all my songs. You know how it happened, after we did the album with Quincy Jones, they selected another producer for me and the record label didn’t like the album that we produced. They said we were not going to put the album out, they decided we do a George Benson’s Collection. It ended up being a collection of my hits and they said we should put up two new songs on it. So, one of the new songs was Never Give Up. It was number one in Europe and ‘Turn Your Love’ around was number one in the United Sates. So, in an album that had nothing but hits, I had two more. So, I was very, very fortunate,” he said.

    Perhaps, George’s life changed when he started playing the guitar. One of his many early guitar heroes was country-jazz guitarist Hank Garland but his step dad gave him the first opportunity to play the musical instrument.

    “My mother met my stepfather when I was seven years old; my stepfather raised me. When he met my mother, we moved into a house that had electricity; before then, we lived in a house without electricity. So, he couldn’t bring his guitar. He finally brought it out and he plugged it in and I heard what I’ve never heard before; it was like magic. From that point on, I was hooked to the guitar; my fingers were small then to play guitar. So, he found ukulele (an instrument like a guitar with four strings, associated with Hawaiian music) in a garbage can; he fixed it and gave it to me. I learnt how to play music very fast; I went around the street corner at seven playing. I made more money every night than my mother made working two weeks in the hospital. One day, she discovered all these money under my pillow and she asked, ‘where did you get all this money from?’ At seven, money didn’t mean anything to me, so, I said, ‘Mom, I made the money every night.’ Two years later, for Christmas, he bought me a $14 guitar; I was nine years old. I went to street corners and learnt to play very fast. I got a recording contract; not as a guitar player, but a singer, who had a guitar in his hands, because guitar was getting popular. I was among the people in my hometown that owned a guitar so they called me for everything. I used to tell them, “I’m not a guitar player, but they said ‘you can do this.’

     

    “So, when I was a teenager, I moved around with Jack Middof and he embarrassed me every time because he knew I wasn’t on the guitar. But when he embarrassed, he forced me to practice. For me, it was like a gift; I hear something, I could play it. But I never practiced incessantly. Later, I was looking at a newspaper and they were doing a review about Jack Middoff and he called me a guitarist. The review wasn’t good; he didn’t say anything nice about me, but he called me a guitarist. I was always called a guitar player, not a guitarist; I like that title. That’s why I became a guitarist,” he informed.

    In some quarters, Jazz is considered as a genre that has the highest elitist fan base while some people feel that it appeal across the board but George has a different opinion.

    “I think classical music doesn’t appeal across the board like jazz; that’s one thing that classical musicians envy about jazz. Jazz music is here to stay, but the popularity depends on the exposure. Don’t count jazz out; it will be around for many, many years,” he stated.

  • Lavonne Cele Tawo’s latest move

    FEW years ago, a young pretty lady returned to Lagos from England and within a short space of time, she took an enviable position in the already saturated society circle. She dominated the social circuit with such charm and charisma. Years after she left Lagos, she remains unforgettable. That is Lavonne Cele-Tawo.

    As a style icon herself and armed with a business acumen, she instantly set out for business with her “House of Etam”. Her area of specialty was both in the creative art of millinery and making bridal dresses. And in no distant time, House of Etam had become a brand.

    But people will not forget in a hurry her whirlwind romance with city lawyer, Festus Keyamo. The sizzling romance was greeted with media frenzy and the product of their much publicised relationship is a baby girl named Xannella.

    Just as the dust was settling on the affair, Lavonne closed shop and relocated to Abuja. She delved into publishing and rolled out Best Moments magazine. She seemed not be resting on her oars, and has put her sour romance tale behind her, as the glamorous lady, sources say, is doing well in the Federal Capital Terriory. Her latest move, we gathered, is to unveil another magazine, Big Boys.

  • Wizkid joins other Int’l acts for BBC radio 1XTRA live concert

    Wizkid joins other Int’l acts for BBC radio 1XTRA live concert

    EME’s cash cow, Wizkid, has just been selected to perform alongside top international acts at the BBC 1xtra Live concert in November.

    Following the announcement by the BBC, it has now been confirmed that Wizkid will join the likes of Trey Songs and Kendrick Lamar to perform at the BBC 1xtra live concert on November 12, 2012 at Brixton Academy in London.

    This big feat comes on the heels of his announcement as artiste of the year, and best new artiste, at Nigeria’s biggest music awards, The Headies, last Saturday. Other acts billed for the BBC 1Xtra Radio concert are Tulisa and Angel.

  • Jim Iyke debunks lovechild allegation

    Jim Iyke debunks lovechild allegation

    JIM Iyke is on the news again and, as is the attribute of the Nollywood act, for the wrong reasons. Stories making rounds have it that the actor is currently enmeshed in a lovechild saga dating back eleven years. According to reports, eleven years ago, as an undergraduate, Jim was involved with a certain Chantelle Nkechi Benson, a UK-based lawyer, the product of which is a son.

    Speaking via his publicist, the actor who is known to have a temperamental persona said that he is aware of the viral story currently making the headlines stating that this is not the first time that issues of this nature have arisen.

    “Nonetheless, as a responsible man, he is always disposed to verify any such development(s) brought to his attention and when any satisfactory outcome has been ascertained, the general public will be duly informed without ambiguity. The only specifics at the present time is that at the age of 22yrs-23yrs old he dated for a brief period the lady at the centre of the story who subsequently left Nigeria for the UK,” a statement said.

    The actor denied that there had been contact between them ever since and by implication no linking of the existence of a living product of that encounter. “Since this is more about an innocent child than the star himself we advise caution and respect for privacy,” the statement further stressed.

  • Why I guard my private life jealously—Rita Dominic

    Why I guard my private life jealously—Rita Dominic

    With twelve years in the industry on her record, beautiful actress Rita Dominic is still very much on top of her game as far as Nollywood is concerned. Known for her glam over the years, it was like a bolt from the blue when she played a drug addict in Shattered, the movie that won her Best Actress on the continent. She repeated the same feat in her first-ever co-produced film, The Meeting, which premiered recently. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, the actress reveals her decision to delve into film production. She also talks about growing up and dealing with controversies.

     

    WOULD you say The Meeting is the role you have been waiting for?

    This and more maybe because Shattered was a lead role, The Meeting is not a lead role. However, The Meeting is completely different. I have never played a fifty-year-old. I have never played a cantankerous Clara Ikemba. With Shattered, the character was young so I could relate to the youthfulness but they are all different and unique in their own way. That is why I said this and many more.

    Last year I did a lot of challenging roles; the film that won me the Best Actress at the African Movie Academy Award was a Kenyan film. Before I shot that film I had never been challenged like that in my career. I played a drug addict. I played a woman who had been sexually abused. I also played someone who had mental retardation. I had to learn how to speak a little bit of Swahili, I had to learn how to talk like an educated Kenyan, not a Nigerian. That was very challenging.

    After that I shot a film titled Streets of Calabar. I don’t think I should be talking about the character because I think they are still hiding what it is I played for now. The character I played too was very challenging. And then there is The Meeting, where I played a fifty-year- old. That really challenged me. Over the last two years, I have been staying away and concentrating on my career because I needed to take it to a certain level.

    Don’t you find it condescending that you played a minor role after so many leads?

    What matters to me is the story. My first nomination at the AMAA was as Best Supporting Actress for the film White Waters. I attended the event. I was happy I was nominated. I enjoyed the show even though I didn’t win. I mean it went to a veteran, Joke Silva, who of course should have won it from the same film. I don’t like forcing myself to play a role I don’t fit into. It’s like forcing me to play the role Linda Ejiofor played in my film, the Ejira character who is in her early 20s. I don’t look like someone in their early 20s, so why will I force myself to play that?

    Having spent twelve years in the movie industry, what informed your decision to go into production?

    I just felt it was time. I wanted to do something for the industry as well. I wanted to give something back to an industry which has done so much for me. In The Meeting, you will see that I did not play the lead role. We had Linda Ejiofor and Femi Jacobs play the lead. These are two upcoming, talented acts who needed to be encouraged. Of course, after acting for so many years in the industry, you want to try other aspects of filmmaking. I knew I always wanted to try production and I felt last year was the right time.

    So how easy was it being a producer and an actor at the same time in the same movie?

    It was very difficult being an actor in the same film that you produced for the first time and playing a complex character at that. To be honest, I didn’t want to do it. I had an argument with my business partner. I told her I couldn’t do it because it’s my first time. How do I play a Clara Ikemba that is so complex and at the same time concentrate on producing this film of such a quality? However, I sat down and I thought to myself, maybe I should just take on this character, see what I can do with Clara Ikemba and that was it.

    As a first time producer, what would you say was your greatest challenge?

    Playing Clara Ikemba I would say was the most challenging for me. Clara Ikemba, the woman is cantankerous. She’s not somebody you can mess around with. She’s a very complex character, a strange person, especially for me, even though I feel every human being living in Nigeria or Africa must have had an encounter with a Clara Ikemba. She was just a difficult person really and having to play that role and at the same time concentrating on executing a quality project, it was just so difficult doing that.

    Having acted and produced, are you considering going into directing?

    (Laughs) Never say never. Who knows?

    Twelve years down the line, what has been your staying power?

    I keep reminding myself that I don’t know everything. I never get comfortable. I keep learning. I have never said to myself I know how to act everything, I know how to do everything so I’m not going to learn. I learn every day. The moment I start telling myself I know everything about acting and filmmaking, I think that will be the beginning of my downfall.

    Coming from parents who are medical practitioners, how easy was it convincing your parents that you wanted to study theatre?

    Funny enough, I had all the encouragement I needed when I was a kid. I have done this since I was five. There was never any objection. I still remember my mother buying me books, getting me prepared for all the variety shows for the weekend. When I come back from school, I do my home work after which we start preparing for the variety shows for the weekend.

    Is it true that you are a Princess?

    Am I? I don’t know ooo.

    What was life like growing up?

    It was fun growing up. I am the last child. My elder ones were not born here, they were all born and brought up partly in the UK. I was the only one born here and raised here. I grew up with my cousins. A lot of my cousins were leaving with us. So I grew up with them. It was a fun childhood. I was just a normal kid.

    After many years of acting, you still come across as being an introvert. Why is that?

    Are you serious? That’s just me. The Rita you see in movies is different. That is acting. This is me.

    Recalling the scenario at the last AMAA awards where you walked away from the paparazzi, is it right to say you are shy or just a snob?

    I’m a very shy person. People don’t believe it because I’m an actor. Actors are the most shy people in the world because we get to hide behind characters. We are comfortable playing those characters we hide behind. When it is time for us to be ourselves, we are usually shy. I told a friend that I have different personalities. When I’m on the red carpet, I have to wear a certain personality.

    So it wasn’t a case of trying to avoid the media?

    No, I wasn’t avoiding the press. I had a chaperon who was pulling me. Even my manager was upset with her for not letting me grant the press audience. However, she didn’t do that on purpose. She didn’t actually know. She’s new in the industry.

    Are you surprised that after over a decade in the industry, the only award that gave you the continental honour came from Kenya?

    I am not surprised. Because of how thorough AMAA is with the screening and the criteria, I always felt when you do a good film you will be recognised for it, whether in Nigeria, Kenya or elsewhere. I put in a lot of work in that film because I love the character, I love the story. It could have still easily been a Nigerian story. It doesn’t have to do with being a Kenyan film. I just felt that at that point in time maybe that was the first of the films that I had done in recent time that I have come out that AMAA saw and they felt it was time to award me for that.

    You were quoted as saying that you never believed you could still be relevant in the new Nollywood. How true is that?

    I don’t actually remember that interview, but it’s actually true. I really never believed I would still be relevant in this industry. I mean you have a lot of beautiful and upcoming talents, so what makes people like me and my colleagues special? There is nothing special about us. It is the grace of God. You are here today interviewing me, I have The Meeting coming out, there is Shattered out there. It’s the grace of God. You have people like Linda Ejiofor who are very talented. Tonto Dikeh is very talented. Mercy Johnson is very talented, but I am still relevant.

    When you started out, did you plan for it to be a short stay?

    I didn’t plan for it to be a short stay. I just wanted to keep doing my job as an actor and leave the rest to God. As each year passes by I find myself getting bigger and more relevant. To be honest, it is God because there are still some actors and actresses who are much more talented than I am that are not relevant anymore. So why am I relevant? It’s not that I’m more talented than they are. It is just God.

    You had an outlandish 37th birthday recently. How do you balance that with your kind of person?

    I didn’t o. It was a surprise. I was on set shooting Lion of 76, Izu Ojukwu’s film, in Ibadan. It was not my idea. The cast put it together for me on set.

    And it turned out big?

    Was it big? It was just the cast and crew members. We didn’t invite people. Maybe what you saw was photo effect.

    How did you feel about it?

    I cried. Ibinabo was on the same set with me, and another girl who is a Zimbabwean, an up and coming actress. She’s a film producer as well. They put together the surprise party with the help of the executive producer. I didn’t even know what was going on. They just took me into one hall because I was just dressed up for us to go and have dinner from set. Next thing they took me into one hall, the cast, crew members were there. It was just so touching. Ibadan is such a quiet town. They went out of their way to organise a party for me even with the little resources they could find in Ibadan. I felt touched.

    Does being the Best Actress on the continent put you under pressure?

    Yes, it does because I’m constantly looking to do a film better than Shattered, the film which won me the award.

    If you were to put any other film on that pedestal, what film will that be?

    I would say my film, The Meeting. I would say Streets of Calabar produced, directed by Charles Anagolo, former BBC and CNN reporter, shot with some actors from the UK in Calabar and London. I would say Lion of 76, an Izu Ojukwu production. I acted alongside Ramsey Nouah and Chidi Mokeme. We were in Ibadan filming for about five months. So these are all the projects I’ve done.

    Apart from the recent birthday surprise, what is the biggest surprise you’ve had in recent time?

    I can’t remember. To be honest I think I’ve had a lot that I can’t even place a finger on one right now. No one just comes to mind.

    What’s the best birthday gift you’ve had?

    That is personal. Just leave it (laughs).

    What is style to you?

    Comfort! I love to be comfortable first. I feel when you are comfortable with what you are wearing the confidence will come from the inside. You are not comfortable and you are pulling up, you won’t be confident. First and foremost, it is all about comfort.

    Tell us about your beauty regime.

    I work out a lot and I go to the spa. I love the spa, the scrubs and body treatment. And I remove toxins from my system regularly. When you sweat you remove toxins. And I drink a lot of water. That is really it.

    As a celebrity you’ve had your fair share of controversies. How have you been able to handle controversies?

    I guard my private life jealously. At the end of the day, I already lived my life for my fans so the little I can guard, I guard it jealously. I just try to keep my life private.

    When will you be altar bound?

    Very soon. You will get the invite.

    Are you having difficulty finding the right man?

    Just leave it at that. I’m not answering you.

  • Payback time for Kanu Nwankwo, Walter Wagbatsoma, Sade Okoya

    FOR ex-international and former Super Eagles’ star, Kanu Nwankwo, Oil & Gas mogul, Walter Wagbatsoma, and philanthropist, Sade Okoya, it’s time to add another feather in their caps.

    The three successful entrepreneurs will be honoured for their invaluable contributions to humanity by a non-profit organisation, Business Leadership Awareness Group (BLAG), and the colourful event will hold this month in Lagos.

    Popularly known as Papilo, Kanu Nwankwo from a humble background rose to fame with remarkable exploits in football and business. The Owerri, Imo State-born businessman is regarded as one Nigerian with a heart of gold because of his immense contributions to the society.

    Walter Wagbatsoma has made a name for himself as one of Nigeria’s most successful businessmen in the energy sector. He is the co-founder of Ontaro Oil & Gas, a pan African oil and gas company that is notable for its delivery on assured promises. Humble and cheerful, Wagbatsoma hails from Delta State where he has been involved in conflict resolution in the region.

    Sade Okoya, wife of top industrialist, Chief Akanni Rasak Okoya, is one of the nation’s most glamorous women and socialites per excellence. Tall and elegant, the graduate of Sociology from University of Lagos knows how to get everyone’s attention with her fab attires. However, Sade is not just a smart woman with a pretty face, she is one woman with a heart for the less-privileged. With the support of her husband who is the chairman of Eleganza Group and RAO Property, she annually awards scholarships to 40 less-privileged students studying in various institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.

  • Flower Girl comes to town

    Flower Girl comes to town

    FROM Producer and Director, Michelle Bello, whose last film, Small Boy, won two African Movie Academy Awards, comes a tale of love lost and won in the city of Lagos, Flower Girl.

    A romantic comedy, Flower Girls is the story of Kemi, a shy florist, who is desperate to tie the knot with her long-time boyfriend Umar. Contrary to her expectations, Umar suddenly breaks up with her, leaving her devastated. In a desperate bid to get him back, Kemi teams up with a most unlikely ally, Tunde Kulani, a famous playboy Nollywood star.

    According to the producer, the movie addresses the issue of young women who are in a hurry to get married thinking only about their prefect wedding day and not the long-term commitment required by both individuals to make it last.

    Set for release in 2013, the ensemble of stars paraded in the flick includes Damilola Adegbite, Chris Attoh, Eku Edewor, Bikiya Graham Douglas and Chuks Chukwujekwu, starring for the first time as a male lead. Also starring in the film are famous actors Patrick Doyle, Teni Aofiyebi and Tosan Edremoda-Ugbeye.

  • GUS 9: Uzor Osimpka laments

    THE Council of Elders decided to smile on the remaining 10 contenders by giving them what they craved for several days: food! Earlier in the day, Paschal Ojezele and Udodi Priscillia were rewarded with a cooking pot and cow brain for emerging victorious in the day’s task.

    The cooking of the rice and vegetable meal was peaceful, while an argument ensued between Adah James and Bonford Patience over the distribution of cutlery; which was actually carved out of bamboo. Bonford felt not all the contenders should have access to the cutlery, since not all took part in the carving.

    After tempers flared, all contenders settled down to have a peaceful meal and even sang themselves to sleep. Perhaps they learnt lessons from the day’s task Raise Your Flag.

    The game involved fitting braces on two long bamboo sticks to make ladders. The contenders were then required to climb up the ladder, and cut an artificial weight to raise their flags. The contenders had to compete it in pairs. To get to the ladders, they had to go through an obstacle course which involved running under ropes, passing through a wooden maze and walking over a beam to get to where the braces were kept. They would then climb the ladder to the platform and the first team to raise the flag won the task.

    Without mincing words, Uzor Osimpka says the game was deadly: “The detailed account of today’s task was death. I thought I was going to die. Earlier today, I said yesterday’s task was the most tedious. I was wrong. Today’s task took the cake, the icing and the knife. I fell during one of the times that we had to run back to get the braces to build our ladder. And that slowed me down besides the fact that I was already slowed down because it was a lot of work being connected to somebody else and you had to run within a short space, run together at the same time, get the log at the same time, do everything together at the same time. Nobody should ever come and say anything about Gulder Ultimate Search being an adventure. It’s more than that. They have no idea. Today’s task was crazy.”

    Running since 2004, Gulder Ultimate Search is a flagship adventure reality show of Gulder, a brand of Nigerian Breweries Plc. The Nigeria’s longest-running 100 per cent local content reality has prided itself with a unique format of stretching man beyond the limits of endurance. Its current edition; The Gatekeepers’ Fortune airs every night on AIT, African Magic World (DSTV) and Real Star (Star Times) at 10pm, with returnee anchorman, Chidi Mokeme at the helms of affairs.

  • Artistes storm Ijebu for Ileya Musical Fiesta

    Artistes storm Ijebu for Ileya Musical Fiesta

    TO bring about a carnival-like mood for the maiden edition of Ileya International Trade Fair (IITF) 2012, organisers have put in place Ileya Musical Fiesta to spice up the business networking and trading opportunities. The fiesta, according to the organisers, will have artistes like Klever Jay, Dadubule crooner known as Skalliey, Maxim, Drama, Lace, Bally Da Sinzu amongst others to thrill the music loving fans come Sunday 28th, October, 2012 (Ojude Oba Festival Day)

    The all night event which will be held at the Green Field, Pebbles Suite, Imodi-Imosan, Ijebu-ode, according to Mr. Olawale Balogun, is the first of its kind with potpourri of events from business networking, products and services sales and display, trading opportunities all tailored to add flavour to the fun-filled atmosphere.

    Other activities designed to add flavour to the Ileya International Trade Fair are the Ileya Film Show, Empowerment Seminar, and Advocacy sessions among others. “We want to appreciate the support and the encouragement from our partners including Ijebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lagos Television (LTV), Pebbles Suites, Ballykleff Entertainment, Eagles House Global Resources etc, you are wonderful,” Balogun averred.

    The five days fiesta runs from Wednesday 24 to Sunday 28, and will be taking place at the Ijebu Ode Local Government Secretariat featuring Entrepreneurship mentoring, Large and Small Scale Enterprises, ATM Gallery, Local and International Products and

  • Ayo Ojueromi: A cheap way to exit

    Ayo Ojueromi: A cheap way to exit

    INTRIGUES are beginning to rear their faces in the ongoing Gulder Ultimate Search, showing on the family belt hours on AIT, African Magic World (DSTV) and Real Star (Star Times). The Gatekeepers’ Fortune as the ninth edition is dubbed, already has two contestants booted out of the show, with the remaining 10 battling for the top prize.

    It would be recalled that Kofya Brown, the 25 year old Computer Science undergraduate, was shown the door (or was it the gate) Wednesday after she failed the first test by Gatekeeper Christopher Okagbue.

    But the case of Ayo Ojueromi, the second victim who was sacked from the Usaka forest gives a little concern considering the manner in which she lost her Golden Key. Could she have been so nonchalant towards her Golden Key; the singular most important item handed to each of the contestant, to have bagged an eviction? Or was somebody just being smart? She just couldn’t find it as they prepared for their first assembly at The Place of The Talking Drum. She was obviously livid at the development and even the consolation from her fellow competitors would do nothing to assure her. She lost out; not to a major task, but for being careless.

    Chidi Mokeme, the Anchor man, had warned all the contestants about the importance of the keys during a surprise visit to their camp. He had told them that the keys represent the symbol of their participation in the search and that losing it signified eviction.

    Ironically, Ayo’s key was found the next day by Bonford Patience on her way to the stream. If only some of the contenders had agreed that they should check for Ayo’s key by the stream, maybe she would still be in contention for the Ultimate Prize.

    Earlier in the day, Uzor Osimpka and Nuhu Zigwayi were ordered to do 50 push ups each for not keeping their Golden Keys on the totem overnight, as instructed by Chidi Mokeme. According to Uzor, her decision to keep her key closely to her chest was the fall out of a subtle threat by Ogbuefi Michael that her key would get missing.

    The challenge of the day was “Climb and Dunk.” It involved the contenders picking up oranges, climbing up trees with the aid of ropes, and ‘dunking’ the oranges in the nets. Adah James finished first. His reward comprised a pair of clean stockings and an orange.

    Ezeh Priscillia emerged last. Her punishment was washing the clothes of fellow contenders.

    The night ended on a bright note for the contenders. Uzor was praised for her honesty while the Council of Elders sent a congratulatory message to them, through Chidi, for retrieving Ayo’s lost Golden Key.