The Nation Newspaper

Category: Victor Akande

  • Extra fun as parents join kids in their game

    While children do need time to play alone and with other children without adult intervention, research shows that playtime with parents is also important.

    Perhaps the latter is what the organizers of Nickfest – Nickelodeon in partnership with Maltina – set out to achieve by creating the family-centric event which took place on the September 29th and 30th, 2018, at the Balmoral Events Center, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Indeed, children crave time with parents because it makes them feel special. And it is only a shallow that thinks that one would be mollycoddling their child if they decide to get a ball and a couple of gloves to play catch.

    Arguing in favour of those who play with their kids, Coach Jim says: “You’re not inhibiting their ability to make friends by playing a bit of one-on-one soccer or basketball or badminton. You’re making sure they get an active start in life despite awkward circumstances. And it’s very unlikely that you will have to be their sole playmate forever.”

    Thus, this year’s NickFest which hosted 4,000 families could be said to have recorded a huge success, as children and parents were treated to non-stop entertainment. It is safe to say that they we ae all looking forward to the next edition of the biggest fun-filled family gathering event, NickFest. Obviously, the show is in alignment why Maltina’s catchphrase of’Share Happiness’ with various age groups. The 2-day event follows the success of the maiden edition in 2017.

    At the show, children were able to reenact their fantasies as the event featured some of Nickelodeon’s superstar characters in brand new shows, including Dora the Explorer along with her animal rescuer cousin, Diego and Dora’s best pal, Boots; SpongeBob Squarepants; Shimmer and Shine; and Paw Patrol’s – Ryder, Chase, Marshall, Rubble, and Sky as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Also the Maltina mascot took centre stage at the Maltina Happy Land at NickFest, and for the first time ever, he performed his very own show to the delight of kids and parents.

    Hosted by the hilarious duo of IK Osakioduwa and Nigeria’s Got Talent winner Amarachi, the event was all shades of fun as kids were excited seeing their favourite animated Nickelodeon’s superstar characters live.

    They all slithered around and bathed in thousands of liters of gloriously gooey slime in the legendary slime zone. The venue was transformed into a beautiful wonderland for the kids with amazing toys, fun game and activities, and plenty colour, notably the Nickelodeon traditional bright orange which helped achieve a beautiful, fun-friendly and relaxation ambience.

    Music lovers were not left out, as there was a blend of fun and music from Africa’s adored  A- list music acts such as M.I, Simi, Adekunle gold and Mayorkun who satisfactorily entertained the children, parents  and fun lovers with some of their family-friendly songs which of course got the whole venue in an endless sing-along. MTV’s Folu Storms, Mannie from Cool FM as well as other celebrities in attendance got slimed green several times over to raise awareness and funds for indigent Children’s Trust project. This segment – Celebrity Slime Challenge – was one of the most anticipated of the event.

    NickFest is indeed a last summer memory as school returns in September. It sure gave the youngsters a chance to end their summer 2018 vacation on a high note. There’s really no better way to say goodbye to waking up late and playing all day than having two days of unlimited fun.

    Speaking at the venue of the event, Alex Okosi, Executive Vice President and Managing Director VIMN Africa, owners of Nickelodeon, said: “Over the years, Nickelodeon has entertained families world over. With NickFest in Nigeria, we have translated our hugely popular and family-centric TV entertainment content to an event experience that resonates with audiences. We had an incredible show of support from parents and kids at the 1st edition last year and this 2nd edition turn out for Nickfest in Nigeria has gained even more fans. At VIMN Africa, we are grateful for the valued support from our partner Maltina and the new associate sponsors in bringing NickFest to Lagos again.”

    On what the show means to her family, Mrs. Crowther, a parent at the show says: “Coming to NickFest last year was an amazing experience for me and the kids because my kids had a great time here.  This year’s edition is another fun and adventure for us entirely and we are loving every bit.”

  • Let’s go to TIFF

    IT’S an annual ritual for some film enthusiasts to be at one of the most attended film events in the world; the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Canada. Not only does TIFF hold in a choice destination, it is second, only to Cannes International Film Festival, France, and the last gate to the world famous Oscars.

    This year, the festival runs from September 6 – 16, and there is no falling in terms of the buzz around this film event which has continued to grow from charity offerings from 1976. Downtown Toronto is turbo charged with activities around TIFF.

    Of particular interest is how the festival has tried to give a sense of belonging to films and filmmakers from every continent in the world, by creating segments that put under-represented clans in the spotlight.

    A typical example is the now rested city-to-city showcase that had filmmakers from Lagos, Nigeria, showcasing not less than eight Nollywood films at the festival in 2016. Stemming from that experience, Mo Abudu, whose film, Wedding Party, made the list had returned to the festival in 2017 with another film, Royal Hibiscus Hotel. Another female filmmaker, Omoni Oboli, whose film, Okafor’s Law, made the list also returned the following year as a TIFF ambassador. The same inclusive experience, one can tell of other African countries.

    TIFF, in 2016, honoured Nigerian actress, Genevieve Nnaji alongside Kunle Afolayan in a programme called ‘In Conversation With… ‘ She was described by the organisers as a hugely successful producer and media entrepreneur, who in addition, strives to generate positive images of Africa, and is a major voice in the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

    Two years after the sultry actress was profiled at TIFF as one of the leading ladies of Nollywood, and face of African cinema, the thespian is back to the North American film festival with ‘Lionheart’, her first film as a director.

    The film is coming after Ishaya Bako-directed ‘Road To Yesterday’, her 2015 effort as a movie producer.

    It is unlikely that TIFF will witness the kind of criticisms that Cannes was confronted with this year, which has to do with women underrepresentation, because of the 342 films in this year’s TIFF line-up, about 36 percent are directed by women.

    There are strong indications that TIFF’s percentage of female directors is growing each year. Records reveal that in 2017, 33 percent of films selected for the festival were directed by women and in 2016, 30 percent of films were directed by women. In 2015, it was 26 percent. In 2014, it was 25 percent, and in 2013, 22 percent.

    Again, TIFF, in its 43rd year announced a program to ensure that at least 20 per cent of all film critics and journalists given press accreditation to the festival are members of under-represented groups, such as women and people of colour.

    At the ongoing festival, Africa is still represented in a few notable films. From Nigeria is Nnaji’s ‘Lionheart’, just as Nigerian-British actor, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje also makes debut with ‘Farming’, his film as a director, also featuring Genevieve Nnaji. And from South Africa is ‘Sew The Winter To My Skin’ by Jahmil X.T. Quebeka (Of Good Report). These, are indeed films to look out for among hundreds of feature films, documentaries and shorts that will keep film lovers busy in the usual marathon sessions of movie-watching.

    So, let’s see how these three films and others will playout at the festival:

    In ‘Lionheart’, Nnaji plays Adaeze, a level-headed executive in her father’s bus company, Lionheart Transport. Time and again, Adaeze has proven her keen ability to make a profit and to manage the most heated situations. But when her father (stalwart star Pete Edochie) falls ill, both she and her rival (Kalu Egbui Ikeagwu, boosting the marquee cast) are passed over in favour of Adaeze’s less-than-suave uncle, Godswill (Nkem Owoh, who lights up the screen with his comic presence).

    Agbaje’s film is inspired by real-life experience with the practice of farming, a term used in the 60s in reference to Nigerian immigrants coming to Britain who would foster their children out to poor white working-class families in order to create a better opportunity for themselves. Once they had accomplished what they set out to do, they would pick up their children and return to Africa to rebuild their lives.

    One of the most exciting voices in South African filmmaking, Jahmil X.T. Qubeka returns to TIFF after his provocative and genre-pushing 2013 feature ‘Of Good Report’. In ‘Sew The Winter To My Skin’, Qubeka looks back to the early days of the repressive apartheid regime and reimagines the capture of John Kepe, the “Samson of the Boschberg Mountains.” For decades, Kepe stole livestock and other goods from white colonist farmers and shared his spoils with the impoverished Indigenous population. His acts — and that he evaded capture for more than 12 years — earned him the title of folk hero to some, and notorious bandit to others.

    Other films from Africa and Diaspora include, AKasha | Sudan/South Africa; Fig Tree | Ethiopia; Rafiki | Kenya; The Mercy of the Jungle | Belgium/France; Angel | Senegal/Belgium/Netherlands; Look at Me | Tunisia; Twin Flower | Italy; Angelo | Austria/Luxembourg; EXT. Night | Egypt; The Ambassador’s Wife | Burkina Faso/Sweden; Dulce | Colombia/USA; Freedom Fields | Libya; Facing North | Uganda; Brotherhood | Tunisia; Divine Wind | Algeria; and A Wedding Day | Algeria.

  • What would Fela have been like at 79?

    THE late Afrobeat founder and human rights activist, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti might have left the scene when the ovation was loudest.

    Born on October 15, 1938, the Abami Eda, as he was fondly called, passed on August 2, 1997 at the age of 58. Were he to still be alive, he would have been 79 years old last Thursday, August 2, 2018.

    If there is one single man who is so celebrated across the world, even in death, apart from the late apartheid fighter, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, that person would be Fela whose weapon of activism was music.

    However, I am wondering if Fela would still command the same regard, accolade, and idolization as a person if he were to be alive today.

    For a fact, Fela did not live a perfect life, but his music which today seems to be fulfilling some political prophesies has overridden his ‘shortcomings’.

    I think it is unlikely that one would dissipate the same level of energy spent on a lion to wrestle a dog. The most active years of Fela on earth, he spent fighting dictatorship. Today, the political atmosphere appears to me more complex with the most revered democracy turning the nation into field of play. Would Fela have visited the current foul players with the same energy?

    Of course, there would be more story ideas for his songs going by the daily shows within political parties, dramas in the House of Reps and Senate, the presidency et al… are these not too much for one man to chew? Isn’t there going to be a point of discouragement where results are not in view? Was Fela truly expecting positive results or had he given up on the possibility of good governance in Nigeria and Africa, outside his personal ambition of being the best black president Africa never had? If he won a presidential election in Nigeria, would he still be this revered?

    During the last visit of President Emmanuel Macron to the Afrika Shrine, there were opinions that suggested that Fela wouldn’t have played host to such event that feasted government functionaries. But toughness is known to wane with age, giving way to simpler mien, tolerance and accommodation. Would Fela have remained a lion all his life even if he had the energy? This is most likely not so at 79?

    On the side of energy, it is unlikely that he would be able to do more gigs than a contemporary like Victor Olaiya who hardly can meet up with weekly shows. Would he have turned around to eulogise Ifa like Sonny Okosun who turned a gospel singer in his last days? Would his vibes as a music activist have reduced to the level that other contemporaries like Segun Bucknor, Joni Haastrup and Tony Allen attained?

    I feel that Fela left when the ovation was loudest; such a good time to quit and remain a music legend forever with a cult of followers from generation to generation. And with the annual Felabration being championed by his children and the tourist attraction that the Shrine is today, there is no asking for a better Fela’s relevance were he to be alive today because it may not just be any better.

    However, because all his life, Fela did not conform with norms, it is most likely that if alive today, his weak bones would make that deviant difference, enough to make news, an ‘Abami Eda’ (spirit being) that he was known as.

  • Producer casts ‘Your View’ ladies on TVC for stage play

    IN a buildup to the  2019 edition of TheatreMania Africa Festival (TAF), a stage play, ‘Grain in the Wind – The Musical’, will honour what supporters describe as the gigantic effort of Senator Adeola

    Olamilekan Solomon Yayi of Lagos West Senatorial District, as a staunch supporter of the arts and entertainment in Nigeria.

    The stage play, a political satire about the Nigeria’s political and socio-economic situation will feature the seven popular ladies of ‘Your View’, a breakfast show on TVC, playing alongside comedian Owen Gee; Tinsel actor Rotimi Adelegan; Yoruba language actor, Lateef Dimeji; comedian Buchi; Black Image Theatre & Glorious Performance (GPDM) troupe.

    According to the producer, Alayande Stephen, the show which is scheduled for Saturday August 25, 2018 at the Piccadilly Suites, Lekki, Lagos, is in conjunction with Black Image Theatre Productions with the support of Piccadilly Suites.

    “This piece is a combination of so many thematic thrusts from dictatorship, ethnic jingoism, religious bias, betrayal, youthful exuberance, nepotism, discrimination, unity, political thuggery, oneness of purpose etc. We urge the public to come out en-mass to watch the stage play and see their favourite celebrities like scintillating ladies of ‘Your View’ from TVC – Morayo Afolabi, Yeni Kuti, Tope, Jumoke, Nyma, Obiajulu and Mariam while we have also confirmed others like Owne Gee, Adelegan Rotimi, Lateef Dimeji, Buchi etc that will join the ladies to do it live on stage. It is going to be wow time out, ” said Stephen.

  • Miss Mama Africa beauty pageant returns to StarTimes

    THE beauty pageant, Miss Mama Africa will on July 28, 2018, return to StarTimes on the exclusive ST Sino Drama channel. In its third edition, the show which holds in China, symbolizes Africa’s diversity and will have African women living across China and contestants from Cameroon, Kenya, Mauritius or Benin to compete for the 2018 Miss Mama Africa Pageant.

    A statement from StarTimes says the 10 episodes of the show will showcase and promote talents in various fields of life such as workers and bright students who will one day become engineers, medical doctors, businesswomen or teachers. “This talents will be trained and guided by professionals on various skills such as catwalk, shooting, hair and make-up advices for the main event.”

    Commenting on the initiative, the Editor –in -Chief of ST Sino Drama, Yoki Li, noted that: “The last edition of Miss Mama Africa contest was a success. We received a lot of positive feedbacks from our audience who were amazed to know about these beautiful and talented African women living in China. And this year, they won’t be disappointed as contestants are fantastic women, driven, ambitious and proud African who made a life in China,”

    According to Yoki Li, “This is women empowerment because through this contest, we want to showcase the beauty of these women who left their countries to a different country for academic pursuit and also to demonstrate how training slowly evolved normal people into beauty queens.”

    StarTimes App users can vote for their favorite contestant and get the chance to have live chat and even meet her in person or win a coupon to watch all StarTimes sports channels for free.

  • TONTO DIKEH’S human trafficking awareness tour gets hype

    Nollywood actress and humanitarian, Tonto Dikeh universities’ tour on human trafficking has gotten more hype than expected. The tour tagged ‘The uncomfortable truth,’ is a project organised by The Tonto Dikeh Foundation and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP).

    The event which held at the University of Abuja, Management Science Hall, Main Campus, was put together in commemoration with World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

    According to the actress, the campaign is set to create awareness on human trafficking in an innovative way.

    Experts and ministry leaders such as NAPTIP DG Barr Julie Okah-Donli, Prof Adikwu and many more created time out of their busy schedules to educate the audience on pressing issues and topics that have been overlooked.

    Entertainers at the event as hosts included Bobrisky, Toyin Abraham, Halima Abubakar, Style Plus, Maivano and others.

  • The Duncan Mighty Re-invasion

    While we slept, Duncan Mighty, popularly known as Wene Mighty came and filled our ears with songs. As hilarious as it might seem, some artistes have a way of reasserting their presence when least expected, and such has been the case for the Rivers State born artiste. The ‘Port Harcourt First son’ who came into the Nigerian Music industry as a producer and sound engineer in 2006 and later delved into the singing aspect which apparently paid off and he stuck to.

    In 2010, his second studio album, Legacy(Ahamefuna) made him the rave of the industry, with its frontline single, Port Harcourt Son gaining him airplay even in Lagos and also earning him the nickname and title; Port Harcourt First Son. He continued to make music and released three other albums up until 2016, which didn’t get as much airplay. After being reportedly involved in politics and oil business in the Niger Delta for so long, one would think the art of music making was lost on him already; but he surprised us with a comeback hit in May 2018, featuring Wizkid titled Fake Love. The hype around the song’s release was intense, fortunately it was accepted by fans of both stars and got massive air play.

    Even after five albums to his name; Duncan Mighty has found a way over the years, to stay relevant and ever dynamic as he continues doling out back to back hits. With the magnitude of acceptance the collaboration with Wizkid got, he went on to feature on Ceeza Milli’s Sabi and Masterkraft’s Low Waist which also features Flavour. Other features are on the Mavin label’s golden boy, Reekado Bank’s Bio Bio, DJ Xclusive’s Gimme Love and a couple others.

    The artiste has been sighted on social media recently with Nigerian Afro fusion/Reggae/Dancehall artiste Burnaboy in the studio, fueling rumors of a possible collaboration in the nearest future. We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope that Wene Mighty keeps serving us dope music.

  • Eddie Murphy to sell mansion for $10m

    American comic actor, Eddie Murphy of ‘Coming to America’ and ‘Shrek’ fame is selling one of his many mega mansions.

    The 57-year-old entertainer who got his start on Saturday Night Live is unloading his stunning home located in Granite Bay, which is near Sacramento, California and only an hour drive from San Francisco.

    The 10 bedroom/14 bathroom palace, which sits atop a hill offering sweeping views of the valley below and the Sierra Nevada mountains, is being offered for $10 million.

    The white villa is 12,600 square feet and has a 1980s over-the-top feeling to it with its light facade and curves in the walls.

    Its design roots are Mediterranean, and the house does lend a European vibe, but there are so many modern-day accents that it’s more of a California crossover.

    The spread is listed by Nick Sadek at Sotheby’s International Realty.

    Eddie owns several mansions: his home in Beverly Hills is a 40,000 square feet wonder in an upscale gated community.

    This property in North California is one of his smaller homes.

  • DIFF: Another chance for Nollywood at the Oscars

    There are indications that organisers of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) are desirous of bringing the world’s most prestigious prizes for films close to Africa and the rest of the world. And Nollywood has often been accorded some vantage positions to shoot at target.

    The first major opportunities came in 2014, when AMPAS approved the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC); a 12-man committee of Nollywood stakeholders.

    Each year, countries with an approved selection committee may submit one film for consideration for the Foreign Language Film Award Oscar. Only five films are chosen from all international submissions for the Academy members to cast their votes and choose a winning foreign language film. Following the inauguration of the NOSC in 2014, the opportunity for Nollywood filmmakers to contest the Academy prize for Foreign Language Film was opened, with the committee calling for movie entries. Unfortunately, Nollywood has not made any significant move in this direction.

    Some of the NOSC’s conditions required that attention is paid to productions in languages other than English, but which must bear accurate translations in English language. Also, the recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed picture must be predominantly in a language or languages other than English. Interestingly, Pidgin English was also considered as a foreign language.

    Another cheery news came when Nigerian actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and filmmaker Femi Odugbemi were announced as members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science last month. They are among the four Nigerians that have been listed as the 928 members for the Oscar Voting Academy this year. The two other Nigerians invited include Wunmi Mosaku, a film producer, and Ngozi Onwurah, a director. No doubt, their involvement is an opportunity to position films from this part of the world. This year’s invitees are Oscars’ largest and diverse class ever.

    The most recent opportunity came from the ongoing Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) in South Africa, which has Nollywood’s participation.

    The news is that winners of Best International Documentary and Best South African Documentary at DIFF will now automatically qualify for Oscar consideration.

    DIFF has been notified by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of this inclusion, which effectively means that the winning documentaries will be up for consideration for the 91st Academy Awards in 2019.

    This year, the Academy established a Documentary Feature Qualifying Festival List, and the DIFF is one of 28 selected international festivals that will have their winners up for consideration.

    DIFF joins other prestigious festivals from around the globe, including the Cannes International Film Festival, Berlinale International Film Festival, Sydney International Film Festival, Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival, and IDFA – the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. The only other qualifying African festival is the Carthage Festival in Tunisia.

    Indeed, these are great opportunities for Nigeria to improve its art and play globally.

  • Cape Town Festival opens to entries

    •   As organisers rally top industry experts for quality

    The Cape Town International Film Market and Festival has called on filmmakers with fiction or documentary feature length works currently in progress to submit before the closing deadline of August 10, 2018.

    The festival which promises to be a feast of film screenings designed to celebrate the best in regional and international cinema, is scheduled to take place from October 9 to 19, 2018, while the market programme, taking place from the 10th to the 13th is squarely focused on providing tangible opportunities for filmmakers from across Africa.

    In order to focus strongly on content, CTIFMF has developed a programme that aims to raise the bar for African films in terms of quality and innovation. The CTIFMF will run a Works in Progress programme that will see a maximum of six works in progress selected from the African continent to show to international industry experts.

    High caliber decision makers and experts will be hand-picked to screen the selected films to give detailed feedback  with the goal to increase the artistic quality and challenge the core creative teams think about audiences, beyond their own territory.

    This initial viewing will be followed by a screening of a segment of the same works to a wider audience of invited industry stakeholders comprising festival programmers, sales companies, distributors and post production financiers. The WIP programme will disburse finishing awards to the most promising projects: grading, final sound mix, VFX, online editing, subtitling and DCPs, with the generous support of South African post production facilities such as Priest Post, Rhapsody, The Refinery, The Work Room Audio Post, and Post Production South Africa.

    In order to deliver the most value as possible to attendees, the CTIFM has secured participation from a range of top industry experts from home and abroad.  Experts from the Berlinale’s European Film Market and Berlinale Africa Hub, Tribeca, Cannes Director’s Fortnight, TIFF, London BFI; international sales companies such as Pyramide International, Flourishing Films, Talent Agents Casarotto and Curtis Brown, Mnet, Indigenous Films, and Ster Kinekor will all contribute to this programme.

    According to CTIFMF Market Director, Elias Ribeiro, “Amongst the professionals who will take part in the works in progress sessions are Cynthia Okoye from Curtis Brown, David Kayser from Casarotto & Ramsay Associates, Eric Lagesse, Head of Acquisitions from Pyramide International, South African producer and Story Consultant Mmabatho Kau, and Themba Bhebhe, Sales Executive at Flourishing Films. This programme will prove to be a unique and invaluable opportunity and we encourage filmmakers from across Africa and the rest of the continent to apply.”