Just like eating, the body needs frequent exercises to function properly.
People consider exercises for different reasons. For some, it could be to lose weight while it could be just to stay fit for others. Exercise has also been proven to lower the risk of some diseases.
Exercising regularly lowers a person’s risk of developing some diseases, including obesity, type two diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Exercise goes a long in assisting people to age well.
Below are seven exercises established by experts:
1. Walking
Walking is something that can be done anywhere, anytime, with just a good pair of shoes.
It’s not a form of exercise that exempts anyone as even the very fit can get a good workout from walking.
2. Interval training
Adding interval training to cardiovascular workout is another excellent way to boost the fitness level and help lose weight.
The way to do it is to push the intensity or pace for a minute or two, then back off for anywhere from two to 10 minutes (depending on how long the total workout will be, and how much time is needed to recover). This should be continued throughout the workout.
3. Squats
Strength training, as experts put it, is essential. Experts tend to favour strength-training exercises that target multiple muscle groups. Squats, which work the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals, are an excellent example.
For the perfect form, it is strongly recommended to keep feet shoulder-width apart and back straight. Bend knees and lower the rear.
4. Lunges
Like squats, lunges work all the major muscles of the lower body: gluteals, quadriceps and hamstrings.
To do lunges right, take a big step forward, keeping the spine in a neutral position. Bend the front knee to approximately 90 degrees, focusing on keeping weight on the back toes and dropping the knee of the back leg toward the floor.
5. Push-ups
If done correctly, the push-up can strengthen the chest, shoulders, triceps, and even the core trunk muscles, all at one time.
For a perfect push-up, from a face-down position, place the hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Place the toes or knees on the floor, and try to create a perfect diagonal with the body, from the shoulders to the knees or feet. Keep the glutes [rear-end muscles] and abdominals engaged. Then lower and lift your body by bending and straightening your elbows, keeping your torso stable throughout.
6. Abdominal crunches
Experts say that when done correctly, the familiar crunch (along with its variations) is a good choice to target them.
For a standard crunch, it is strongly recommended to begin lying on your back with feet flat on the floor and fingertips supporting your head. Press your low back down and begin the exercise by contracting abdominals and peeling first your head (tucking your chin slightly), then your neck, shoulders, and upper back off the floor.
Be careful not to pull your neck forward by sticking the chin out; don’t hold your breath, and keep elbows out of your line of vision to keep chest and shoulders open.
7. Bent-over row
This exercise works all the major muscles of the upper back, as well as the biceps.
Here’s how to do it with good form: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, then bend knees and flex forward at the hips. (If you have trouble doing this exercise standing up, support your weight by sitting on an incline bench, facing backward.)
Tilt your pelvis slightly forward, engage the abdominals, and extend your upper spine to add support. Hold dumbbells or barbell beneath the shoulders with hands about shoulder-width apart. Flex your elbows, and lift both hands toward the sides of your body. Pause, then slowly lower hands to the starting position. (Beginners should perform the move without weights.)
Tech billionaire Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda on Monday, 3rd May, announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage.
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” a statement on Bill Gates official Twitter handle reads on Monday evening.
“We have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.
“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.” It added.
Below are fifteen facts you should know about Bill and Melinda Gates:
· Bill and Melinda met for the first time while attending a PC trade show in New York City. Bill asked Melinda out several weeks later and he had to set the date two weeks in advance due to his busy schedule.
· When the couple met in 1987, Melinda had just started working at Microsoft, the company Bill founded. According to Bill in the 2019 Netflix miniseries, “Inside Bill’s Brain, Melinda had other boyfriends and he had Microsoft.
· Eventually, after the romance got serious, Bill made a pro/con list for whether he should propose (really), and they decided to embark on a life together. Bill and Melinda finally got married in 1994 on the Hawaiian island of Lanai on New Year’s Day.
· The two welcomed their first child, daughter Jennifer in 1996. Son, Rory arrived in 1999 and daughter, Phoebe followed in 2002.
· Though the mother of three eventually stepped back from her job at Microsoft after nine years, she continued working with her husband.
· In 2000, the couples’ past charitable organizations reorganizes and become the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and they both serve on the board of trustees.
· The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) founded by Bill Gates and his (now ex) wife Melinda Gates is world’s largest private charity foundation.
· Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) was founded with the primary goals to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty across the globe. The foundation is controlled by its three trustees: Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, who is also a very good friend of the couple.
· In 2005, their charitable efforts get plenty of public attention, and they were named Time’s Persons of the Year along with Bono (Paul David Hewson, an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, philanthropist, venture capitalist, businessman, and actor).
· Bill revealed in a 2019 Facebook Live that they were lucky in terms of working and raising family together because they mostly see things the same way and their goals were very much the same.
· In 2019, while launching her book the “The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World”, Melinda revealed that contrary to the thoughts of people, she had total equality with her husband even though it took them time to get to that point.
· As of December 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the BMGF committed a total of $1.75 billion to accelerate development and equitable distribution of COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.
· In 2021, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage, saying they no longer believe they can grow together as a couple and court documents reveal that they have a separation contract.
· Gates dropped out of Harvard University to start Microsoft with school pal, Paul Allen in 1975. Gates owned 49% of Microsoft at its initial public offering in 1986, which made him an instant multimillionaire. With Microsoft’s explosive growth, he soon became one of the world’s wealthiest individuals. Gates stepped down as CEO of Microsoft in 2000 to focus on philanthropy. He remained chairman until 2014 and left the company’s board in March 2020. And is currently the fourth richest person in the world.
· Melinda French Gates, who recently added her maiden name on most of her websites and social media, was raised in Dallas and studied computer science and economics at Duke University before joining Microsoft where she worked as a product manager as part of the first class of MBA graduates to join the company and eventually rose through the ranks to become general manager of information products.
Travelling by road could be an amazing experience, depending solely on where you are heading, your purpose of visiting and the mode of transport.
Travelling by road is cheap and very exciting. It enables you to sight see, interact and take pictures along the way. It is a flexible mode of transport as it gives you the options of cancelling or setting out without much preparation.
To leave the shores of Nigeria legally by road, you are required to have a Nigerian passport, Valid Identification Card, Yellow card or certificate that shows you’ve been vaccinated from Yellow fever and of course Money.
Here are some African countries you can travel to as a Nigerian:
1. GHANA: The journey from Nigeria to Ghana by road is quite a long one but it’s the scenic route. So brace yourself for the adventure. You can either choose to go directly with a transport company or hire out a taxi to take you. You can also get a bus from Jibowu or Maza maza heading to Accra or Weija.
Ghana has great street foods, tourist markets and amazing people. To avoid extortion on the road, arm yourself with your passport, yellow card and Ghana Cedis before travelling. It is also advisable to have other means of identification like a driver’s license or a student/work ID Card.
2. MALI: Travelling by road to Mali, a sub-Sahara African country is more popular and cheaper through Northern Nigeria. The famous Katsina –Maradi route is still in operation regardless of the hiccups on the way. Another alternative is to board a vehicle from Togo heading to Mali or go to Northern Ghana and board a bus.
3. CAMEROON: To travel to Cameroon, first you need to head to Akwa Ibom in Southern Nigeria from where you’ll travel to the city of Calabar. The second half of the journey is to the town of Ekom and to the Cameroonian border. Lastly, you can board a bus from Ekok to Douala.
4. IVORY COAST: Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d’Ivoire, is a country located on the south coast of West Africa. Travelling to Ivory Coast by road allows you to see some nice places in Cotonou, Togo and Ghana and take good pictures of them.
Basically, travelling to Ivory Coast by road is good for sightseeing. You can board a bus going to Côte d’Ivoire by road in Maza Maza, Lagos State.
5. BENIN REPUBLIC: There are a lot of amazing places for sight-seeing and fun activities in this country, places like Hotel Benin Marina Beach, The Pendjari National Park and Cotonou craft market.
If you won’t be traveling with a transport company, you can board a bus at Mile 2 Motor Park in Lagos going to the borders of Seme. From there, you can board a taxi to Cotonou.
6. TOGO: Togo is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. The country extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its capital Lomé is located.
You can travel to Togo with transport companies or board a bus at Mile 2 Motor Park in Lagos.
7. SIERRA LEONE: Sierra Leone is on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea to the northeast. The capital of Sierra Leone and its largest city is Freetown.
You can travel directly from Lagos to Freetown with a transport company or by a private car. If you are looking for a cheaper way to get to Sierra Leone from Nigeria by road, Mile 2 Motor Park in Lagos is your other option. There you can select the vehicle that you wish to convene you.
The sixth season of foremost singing competition, Nigerian Idol premiered on Sunday, March 28 with an explosive first episode.
On Sunday night, the show entered its final phase with the conclusion of the Audition and Theatre phases.
Previously, this phase admits just ten contestants but considering how outstanding this year’s finalists have been, the judges decided to switch things up a little.
Here are top 11 contestants in the Nigerian Idols:
Manchester United’s game against Liverpool was postponed after about 200 fans broke into Old Trafford to protest against the Glazer family’s ownership of the club.
The game was scheduled to kick off at 16:30 WAT on Sunday.
According to report, this may be due to issues surrounding the European Super League announced by Top clubs in Europe
2. El Clasico: Barcelona v Real Madrid (18 October 2019)
The match between two fiercest rivals in Europe, Barcelona v Real Madrid was scheduled for 26 October, 2019 but because of days of protests and fears over civil unrest in Barcelona, the game was postponed to 18 of December. The civil unrest leaves nine Catalan separatist leaders jailed
Hundreds of thousands of people waving pro-independence flags and chanting “freedom for political prisoners” took part in marches across Catalonia. The protest recorded at least 96 people were hurt across the region.
3. Monaco vs Nice (Thursday 06 December 2018)
The derby clash between former Arsenal team-mates Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira go head to head as managers of the two clubs put on ghost.
The protest was in response to President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed fuel taxes and the additional need for police resources. This led to the decision to postpone some games. The following games were rescheduled by football body in France: PSG’s home game against Montpellier, Toulouse and Lyon, St Étienne and Marseille.
4. Tottenham vs Everton (AUGUST 11, 2011)
On August 11, 2011, riots in London forced Tottenham’s opening English Premier League match with Everton to be postponed.
The Tottenham Hotspurs management said: “Following ongoing discussions with the necessary authorities regarding this weekend’s Premier League home match against Everton, it has now been confirmed that this fixture will be postponed due to safety concerns relating to infrastructure of the High Road and access to the stadium caused by riots.”
5. Catania and Palermo (03 February 2007)
On February 3, 2007, football was halted in Italy after a police officer was killed when fans rioted at a match.
This prompt the Italian soccer federation to postpone all matches for the weekend.
It’s no more news that Nigerian celebrities are sitting on loads of money, as those with huge followers on their social media accounts and YouTube monetise their pages.
So, each passing day, they continue to prove they earn big money doing their jobs and live expensive and lavish lifestyle of international celebs.
Here are five male Nigerian celebrities who have acquired a car in 2021:
1. Cubana Chief Priest
Cubana Chief Priest
Popular celebrity Bar man Cubana Chief Priest acquired a new 2021 Toyota land cruiser Worth in January 2021
Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, who resigned from Cubana Groups as General Manager in 2020, has bounced back as he acquired a 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser worth about N42 million.
He and some of his friends took to their Instagram handles to share pictures and video of the vehicle.
2. Sir Balo
Sir Balo
Popular social media comedian, Obotuke Timothy, famously known as Sir Balo, took to social media to announce the replacement of his wrecked SUV.
The comedian, who lost his former car to an accident in December 2020, acquired a new one in January 2021.
In a post, which Sir Balo shared on Instagram, he stated how he survived the accident and acquired a Benz, reported to have cost N16m.
3. Mr. Jollof
Mr. Jollof
Comedian, Freedom Okpetoritse Atsepoyi, popularly known as Mr. Jollof, joined the league of expensive car owners as he acquired a brand new Range Rover Jeep in March 2021.
The crooner of “Them go hear word”, “Everywhere Stew” and “Doings”, which have become known slogans across continents, was excited to share the news.
He shared a video dancing alongside a friend in celebration of his new car.
Celebrating the arrival of his new car on his Instagram page, he wrote: “The Eagle has landed”.
4. Abdulrasheed Bello (JJC Skillz)
JJC Skillz
Days after award-winning Nollywood actress Funke Akindele-Bello acquired a brand new 2020 Lexus Super Sports LX 570, her husband Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz, bought a brand new 2019 Bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser SUV too.
The super thrilled couple took to their respective Instagram pages to share the great news.
The accompanying message that follows the video reads: “To God be the glory Tear rubber part 2. Thank you to our family and friends. My wife @funkejenifaakindele @sceneonetv Subscribers/ @amen_estate_lagos @omoghettothesaga. Everyone that has and will support the Bello family. I pray God answers all your silent prayers. Amen.”
5. Mr Funny
Mr Funny
Popular Instagram comedian and actor Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Ejekwu popularly known as Mr Funny acquired a posh Mercedes Benz SUV jeep in April 2021.
The stand-up comedian also known as Oga Sabinus announced this on his Instagram page.
He shared a photo of himself posing in front of his new ride while he announced his recent achievement to social media users.
The super excited comic star, while acknowledging his new car also thanked God and his fans for the journey so far.
The spate of kidnappings across Nigeria has become very worrisome.
Hardly a day passes without report of somebody or some people being abducted in one place or another especially on the highways.
In the past few weeks, many Nigerians, from the high to the low, have been kidnapped.
The kidnapping business in Nigeria from North to east, south and west has been mostly perpetrated by criminal gangs and violent groups.
Sadly, it has become such a threat that many are wondering how not to fall victims.
To protect yourself and your family, here are tips on how to prevent kidnapping:
· Pray to avoid being a victim
At this critical phase, no one is safe. Hence, seeking God’s refuge appears to be the only way out in terms of spiritual protection.
For the victims and their families and friends, the consequences are even more frightful, and that is why one must pray to avoid being a victim.
· Stop routine movements
Driving or walking through the same route will make it easy for suspecting abductors to gather information about you and can make it easy for them to track you down when they are ready to strike.
Find other streets or highways you can use when driving from home to work and back.
· Don’t discuss your family with strangers
Whatever issues you have with your family must not be discussed with strangers.
This is to maintain safety as it has been reported previously that kidnappers also gather information from those in one’s neighborhood.
· Do proper checks before employing workers
Before you employ your new house keeper, driver or any other employee, please do a proper background check about that person.
Know the family members and let the person give the name of a guarantor that can stand in for him or her.
This should be done because some people who are kidnappers may pretend to be seeking employment with you.
· Maintain a moderate lifestyle
To avoid being kidnapped, you should check your lifestyle. If you have been living loud, try to do it in moderation now by adorning not-too-expensive wears that announce you.
Looking expensive all the time can make you a target of kidnappers.
· Don’t discuss money publicly
To avoid being a victim of kidnappers, another area you must check is receiving phone calls that involve discussing money, especially huge sums.
When you discuss such amounts of money in public, you send signals to kidnappers that you are rich and can be their victim.
· Know your neighbours
To avoid living close to a potential kidnapper, get to know that person living close to you well. Find out if the person is living alone or not and the kind of job that person does for a living.
· Don’t get too close to a stranger
People that you don’t know, try not to share valuable information with them. That stranger may be a kidnapper in disguise so avoid strictly any stranger that tries to move close to you unnecessarily.
· Keep emergency numbers
It is important to keep emergency numbers like contacts of Police that you can quickly call whenever you sense you are being monitored by kidnappers or you notice anything strange in your environment.
· Be aware of your environment
One of the major ways to avoid kidnapping is to be thoroughly vigilant which means you live in your house like an investigator.
This entails being aware of everything happening around you and your family every time. Vigilance keeps you alert when others are not.
· Always keep your phone handy
Keeping your phone with you at all times is very important as it can be a source of help when there is a threat of kidnap.
Don’t just keep your phone with you but make sure you have airtime, no matter how little so that it can be useful in times of danger.
· When you notice a threat, attract the attention of people
Whenever you notice any threat of kidnap around you, attract the attention of people around to yourself by screaming or shouting.
Keep doing this until you notice that people have gathered around you and can come to your rescue.
· Don’t get too close to a stranger
Try not to share valuable information with those you don’t know. That stranger may be a kidnapper in disguise so avoid strictly any stranger that tries to move close to you unnecessarily.
· Let someone know where you’re going
If you must meet a new acquaintance, make sure someone knows where you’re going and who you’re meeting.
Leave a message with a family member or friend where you’re headed and if possible, give the name of the person you’re about to meet and other details you might know.
· Do not accept rides from strangers
Once you get into a stranger’s car, you are at their mercy.
They could either incapacitate you or hold you hostage and you might not have an opportunity to defend yourself.
· Be careful with revealing data on social media
Be careful not to reveal too much about yourself or your family members via social media. No need to flaunt new cars, houses, or condominium units.
Never reveal addresses and be sure to turn off the GPS function on your smartphones. Don’t post on social media the places you frequent.
Some people are unaware that Facebook and other sites reveal the specific location from where you are posting on social media.
· Be vigilant not only at night but at all times
It is true that most kidnapping crimes occur at night but there are also a few cases that happen in broad daylight. We should always be vigilant, not only at night.
· Keep your financial transactions confidential
Kidnappers are known to take people forcefully to demand ransom. They give conditions for the release of their captures, sending panic to the family and friends of the victims.
Research shows that 7 out of 10 kidnappers always request that money be paid for the release of kidnap victims.
These demands are mostly made because they believe the victims have the money at their disposal. So, they basically target people who either have access to a large sum of money or are rich
The most logical way to avoid these unnecessary attentions is not to reveal your financial history to anyone! Vital information like your bank statement of account should not be handled carelessly.
· Avoid public donations
Don’t try to be a money bag in public. Do your best not to make public donations in church and in your neighbourhood meetings as well. If you donate publicly, you are giving people an indication of your wealth. Anonymous donations are the best.
· Don’t be predictable
When embarking on trips, don’t take the same roads all the time. If possible, you can go through flight. Try to be unpredictable.
Take alternative routes, use a different car, get into a cab instead. This could throw off any kidnappers on your tail.
Instagram is one of the most popular social platforms in the world. Aside from just sharing photos and pictures, it is a means by which brands and potential business partners contact celebrities to strike deals with them.
Fans also get to keep track of the activities of their favourite stars on the platform.
A celebrity’s popularity on social platforms is one of the factors fans consider when judging success and achievement.
Here are 15 most followed Nigerian celebrities on Instagram:
1. Davido
Davido
Topping this list with a wide margin is Nigerian-American singer, songwriter, and record producer David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.
The multi-award winning singer is one of the most influential artists in Africa.
For the fourth year in a roll, the DMW record label boss, Davido has remained the most followed Nigerian celebrity in the country. And currently the most followed artist in Africa.
Davido currently enjoys a followership base of over 20million plus on Instagram.
2. Yemi Alade
Yemi Alade
Nigerian Afro pop singer, songwriter, actress and activist Yemi Eberechi Alade, popularly known as Yemi Alade is the second on the list.
Yemi Alade was mentioned among the forefront artists/musicians from across the world to perform at The Global Goal: Unite for our future sponsored by the Global Citizen aimed to deliver COVID-19 tests and treatments especially in the most remote places in Africa and across the world.
The singer who hijacked the second position from the former holder currently enjoys a followership base of 13.8million on Instagram.
3. Funke Akindele
Funke Akindele
Actress and producer Akindele-Bello Olufunke Ayotunde, popularly known as Funke Akindele-Bello is third on the list as the most followed actress.
The multi-award winning actress who came into the limelight after starring in popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored sitcom “I Need to Know” and has continuously strived on top of her game in the entertainment industry enjoys a followership base of 13million on Instagram.
4. Tiwa Savage
Tiwa Savage
Singer, songwriter and actress Tiwatope Savage, popularly known as Tiwa Savage is fourth on the list.
In 2018, the singer, songwriter, philanthropist and fashion icon was crowned Best African Act by the MTV European Music Awards and made history as the first female to win the accolade.
In the same year also, she became the first African female to sell out London’s IndigO2 and she was handpicked by Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin to perform alongside Beyonce, Ed Sheeran and Jay Z live at the Global Citizen Festival in Johannesburg to an 70,000 strong audience and millions across the globe.
The number 1 African bad girl enjoys a followership base of 12.4million on Instagram.
5. Wizkid
Wizkid
Singer and songwriter Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, Wizzy or Starboy is fifth on the list.
Wizkid is the most decorated Nigerian artist ever (the most decorated African artist internationally), and one of the most revolutionary Afro-pop artists of the modern era.
The Grammy award winning Starboy enjoys a followership base of 12.1million on Instagram.
6. Ini Edo
Ini Edo
Popular award-winning actress and entrepreneur Iniobong Edo Ekim, popularly known as Ini Edo is sixth on the list.
The award winning actress and was appointed as the Special Assistant to the Akwa Ibom Governor on Culture and Tourism by Udom Gabriel Emmanuel in 2016. The fashionista par excellence who has proved that hard work can get one to the top in the Nollywood industry enjoys a followership base of 11.2million on Instagram.
7. Don Jazzy
Don Jazzy
Record producer, audio engineer, record executive, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, has moved a step upward to make the seventh position on the list.
The award winning CEO of Mavin Record Label who funny and philanthropic nature has earned him love from social media users enjoys a followership base of 10.9million on Instagram.
8. Mr. P
Mr. P
Singer/songwriter, dancer, record producer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr. P moved a step downward to be the eighth on the list.
The talented artiste, who jumps on every opportunity to display his wealth on social media and who recently released his album ”The Prodigal” where he featured several remarkable artistes, enjoys a followership base of 10.9million followers on Instagram.
9. AY Makun
AY Makun
Actor, comedian, TV presenter, writer, producer and movie director Ayodeji Richard Makun, popularly known as AY is ninth on the list.
AY is one of the biggest names in the comedy business for the past two decades.
The highly fashionable comedian who has several awards to his name enjoys a followership of 10.6million on Instagram.
10. Mercy Johnson
Mercy Johnson
Actress and entrepreneur Mercy Johnson Okojie, popularly known as Mercy Johnson, is tenth on the list.
The super hilarious actress shares precious and exciting moments with family on her Instagram page.
The award- winning actress, who has featured in countless number of movies, is the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Kogi State Governor on Entertainment, Arts and Culture enjoys a followership base of 10.1 million on Instagram.
11. Mercy Aigbe
Mercy Aigbe
Actress, director, fashionista and businesswoman Mercy Aigbe is eleventh on the list.
The talented award winning actress is known for her unique style and dressing. At the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, her dress earned great applause from fashion stakeholders, and she trended on social media even after ceremony.
The mother of two who also refers to self as “Aya the Owner” currently enjoys a followership base of 9.6million on Instagram.
12. Tekno
Tekno
Singer and songwriter Augustine Miles Kelechi, popularly known as Tekno is twelfth on the list.
The hit-maker behind “Duro” and “Pana” finally releases his debut album “Old Romance” proving his absolute readiness for the spotlight.
Alhaji Tekno, as he is also called, currently enjoys a followership base of 8.6million on Instagram.
13. Genevieve
Genevieve Nnaji
Actress, producer and director Genevieve Nnaji is thirteenth on the list.
She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role in 2005, making her the first actor to win the award.
In 2011, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian government for her contributions to Nollywood.
The director of the Oscar Award nominated Netflix movie “Lion Heart” currently enjoys a followership base of 8.1million on Instagram.
14. Falz
Falz
Rapper, songwriter and actor Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz or Falz the Bahd Guy is fourteenth on the list.
Falz, who currently owns an independent record label called Bahd Guys Records, describes his style of music as “Wahzup music”, the fusion of comic lyrics with contemporary hip-hop in a faux Yoruba accent.
Bahd Guys Records boss who is constantly vocal about issues bordering on social justice across the country currently enjoys a followership base of 8million on Instagram.
15. Olamide
Olamide
Hip hop recording artist Olamide Gbenga Adedeji, popularly known as Olamide moved three steps upward to make fifteenth on the list.
“Baddest Guy Ever Liveth” crooner and YBNL boss who records songs in both Yoruba and English currently enjoys a followership base of 7.7million on Instagram.
Mercy Cynthia Ginika Chukwu, who is popularly known as Ada Jesus, died on Wednesday, April 21.
The late comedienne, who celebrated her birthday a few days ago at the hospital where she was being treated, battled complications from kidney disease.
AS much as a clear voice can be linked to a successful musical career, not all vocalists of great pitching always make a success of every song.
However, it’s important to recognise those musicians or singers, across genres and languages, whose natural vocalist chords have been of a tremendous boost to the Nigerian music industry.
This list of evergreen top 10 Nigerian vocalists includes singers across generations from independence to post-independence and 21st contemporary music.
It’s important to note each song cited as an example, for a given artist is not necessarily the best for such artist or the period of release of the work.
The focus here is not necessarily about a chosen artist’s best hit, but a song in which his or her voice type was best used.
Evergreen vocalists can be expanded beyond 10 but these are my choice based on trackings of the music scene:
Queen Salawa Abeni
Queen Salawa Abeni
Ahead of her generation, it’s doubtful if any musician had as strong a vocalist chord as Salawatu Abeni (born May 5, 1961). Abeni’s genre, Waka, is a branch of Yoruba native music of regular repetitive lyrical style.
Arguably a musician with the most attractive pitch that always, would be a delight to sound engineers, especially in mixing, Abeni flaunted being a Soprano vocalist in most of her mid-career works.
Like other genres of native Yoruba music such as apala, sakara and fuji or awurebe, her choice of waka was of full percussion until the late 1980s when strings were infused.
But Abeni’s voice is such of soprano vocalist heavyweight that it compensates for the lack of loud strings in the waka sphere.
One of Abeni’s works, for example, that stands to compete for best voice is the hit track ‘Gentle Lady’, released in 1991 from the album titled Congratulation.
Similarly, another of her works in that category is the Experience album, which set her out into a new period of the waka music of the 1990s.
The opening track ‘Gentle Lady’ sings about her pleading that she is not a fighter but a gentle lady. Next, she praises God with songs that ‘Mi o fi orin yin Oluwa’.
Abeni had her debut album Iba Omode, Iba Agba, in 1976.
Timi Dakolo
Timi Dakolo
Between soprano and tenor, most often, music critics place their focus in search of examples whenever the relativity of good vocalists arises for each of the genders.
In such bias, baritone and bass musicians always suffer critics’ prejudice for the male.
It takes a rare talent like Timi Dakolo as a Baritone to get music aficionados’ attention. A pride to his generation, Dakolo has proven, with a baritone that Nigeria has an artiste in the like of Teddy Pendergrass, Michael Bolton and Bob Dylan, among others who have stunned the music world.
From modulation to stimulation, Dakolo’s vocal baritone can stand with the best in the world.
His 2012 hit Great Nation and 2014 classic Iyawo Mi are two songs that would go in Nigerian music history as exceptional in baritone vocalists of successful works.
Born January 20, 1981, Dakolo who started as a child artiste released Beautiful Noise as a debut album in 2011.
Omawumi
Omawumi
Very few singers with natural soprano have the ability of smooth modulation behind the microphone. Omawumi belongs in the category of artiste whose voice of the female range pitch comes with non-friction modulating.
Not exactly a prolific singer but with her few works behind the microphone such as Megbele, If You Ask Me and Love Nwantinti, among others, Omawumi, extensively used her natural Soprano. For example, in the last line of ‘If you Ask Me, she takes the title tune into vocal infinity.
Born on April 13, 1982, Omawumi debuted with Wonder Woman in 2009.
I.K Dairo (1930-February 7, 1996)
I.K Dairo
He was one of Nigerian musicians with uncommon tenor that may even be categorised as what is described as ‘countertenor’ in music parlance. While his peak of career reigned as a juju musician from the 1960s till the late 1870s, Dairo’s music, his voice specifically, stood him out even among more commercially successful names of the same genre like King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey.
Among his popular songs that still enjoy regular airtime on the radio to date are E Rora Feso Jaiye, Osupa Roro and…… Interestingly, there is a sharp difference between the first and the second songs mentioned above: a thin line of tenor and countertenor exists. It’s quite remarkable coming from the same artiste.
Generally regarded as a juju musician, but some critics have argued that Dairo’s music leaned more towards highlife.
Wasiu Ayinde (KI The Ultimate)
Wasiu Ayinde a.k.a KI The Ultimate
Clearly of countertenor’s voice, Wasiu Ayinde has been one of the most successful musicians of the fuji music genre. Apart from his depth of composition in streets language lyrics, that always give him big hits, his voice stands among list of unique vocalists on the Nigerian music scene.
From his Talazo Fuji megahit years of the 1980s to Consolidation era of 1990s and several hits of recent, Ayinde (born 1957) has sustained that countertenor. However, his latest Ade Ori Okin exposed an aging musician whose voice is gradually shifting to bass. Even at aging and slipping to bass voice range, KI De Ultimate, surprisingly pulled big followership with Fuji the Sound in August 2020, featuring Ade Ori Okin, a popular track in the EP.
Born, March 3, 1957, Ayinde started as packer crew member of the legendary fuji music star, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister band and released his debut album Iba, in 1980.
Rex Jim Lawson (1935-January 1971)
Rex Jim Lawson
As one of the greatest voices of the bass texture to have emerged on the Nigerian music scene, Cardinal Jim Rex Lawson left a strong mark. However, he seemed to possess dual vocal of bass and tenor so suggest some of his songs.
In Sawale Asewo, for example, a tenor vocal was not disputable while in Yellow Sisi, Love Mu Adure, for example, it was more of bass.
Simi
Simi
A contralto vocalist, Simi who belongs in the 21st-century Nigerian music of highly rhythmic tunes seems to be lending strength to the soft family of voices. Yes, hers is even softer against heavy percussions, such as going into the owambe style of which she has made hits of recent.
The seeming fragility of her voice, no doubt, has proven to be a strength, particularly in songs such as Duduke Mi, Ayo, With more of juju music tune flavoured in subtle owambe percussion, Simi’s contralto vocal in her 2017 work titled Owambe appeared to further confirm the enormous vigour of vocal in her. Yes, her Jamb Question (2015) song seemed to have exposed the artiste’s great talent, but Owambe showed a more mature vocalist.
Born as Simisola Ogunleye on April 19, 1988, Simi made her debut Ogaju in 2008.
Prince Nico Mbarga (January 1, 1950- June 23, 1997)
Late Prince Nico Mbarga’s music cover
In 1977 when Prince Nico Mbarga released the super hit Sweet Mother, it was doubtful if any other Nigerian musician had his range of countertenor’s voice previously.
The pitch of his vocal was such a high range that the sound engineers must have had a tough time mixing it with the music of high pitch strings as the highlife genre.
Interestingly, ten years after, the artiste released Aki (1987), asserting that his countertenor vocal was as natural as it was over a decade earlier.
He left a voice on the echo of the Nigerian music scene worth giving musicology much to chew and digest.
Ebenezer Obey
Ebenezer Obey
Known as Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey in his active music years, the juju music superstar also belongs in the bass vocalists category.
He was very consistent in that of the family of voice type for nearly 30 years before he gradually slipped into pseudo baritone much later in the late 1990s, then as a gospel singer.
His 1970s hits such as E Da To Mose Okunku, E ni Ri Nkan Re, among others would remain case studies in vocalism of Nigerian music.
Born on April 3, 1942, he released his first album E wa Wo Ohun Oju Ri in 1964.
Mike Okri
Mike Okri
Among different generations of Nigerian musicians, it seemed that those who came into the scene from the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s were not so blessed with exceptional vocalist chord.
Sniffing through that period of Nigerian music to detect one strong vocalist, unearthed Mike Okri, whose Omoge hit and Time Na Money showed that, indeed, Okri saved his generation of musicians from not producing any exceptional vocalist.
Clearly, a bass vocalist, Okri, sometimes, in his modulation flaunts the ability to move slightly deeper than bass.
Okri made his debut titled Concert Fever, with hit song Omoge in 1988.
