The Nation Newspaper

Category: Victor Akande

  • EBONYLIFE TV SHOWS ‘WEDDING PARTY 2’ TODAY

    EBONYLIFE TV SHOWS ‘WEDDING PARTY 2’ TODAY

    Viewers of EbonyLife TV are set to binge on The Wedding Party specials today. According to a release from EbonyLifeTV, both ‘The Wedding Party’ and ‘The Wedding Party 2’ will be broadcast from 7pm CAT till midnight CAT on EbonyLife on DSTV Channel 165.

    Touted as the most successful films in the history of Nollywood, both movies which were produced by EbonyLife TV sold out upon release. And the sequel which was released in Nigeria on December 10, 2017 has been selling out at the cinemas.

    The specials by EbonyLife TV features ‘close-up and personal behind-the-scenes looks, as well as the most glamorous film premieres.’

    In the sequel which made N73 million in three days of release, Nonso (Enyinna Nwigwe), continues his romance with Deirdre (Daniella Down), the bridesmaid from London. He accidentally proposes to her while on a dinner date, setting off sries of unstoppable events. Deirdre’s family do not suport the union but Deirdre gets her way. After an introduction ceremony in Lagos, both families journey to Dubai for a destination wedding.

  • DGN plans Africa creative summit for members

    DGN plans Africa creative summit for members

    With a wide consideration of Nollywood as the potential new oil well of the Nigerian economy, the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) is on the path of a pragmatic economic revamp that will not only make its members some of the best in Africa, but also make Nollywood a proudly Nigerian product with the desired Gross Domestic Product (GDP) earnings.

    The Fred Amata-led administration, intends to achieve this feat through a capacity-building summit, believing that it is only by empowering its members that enviable creative content can evolve.

    After an initial summit meant to hold at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on November 24 and 25, 2016 could not take place, there was just an ample opportunity to make it bigger, as notable film producer, Don Pedro-Obaseki is throwing his weight behind the initiative.

    According to Brainz, a consultant on the project, representing Brainz & Lloyds International, a Dublin-based TV and Film Consortium, there is the need to engender cooperation between foreign technical experts and the Nigerian creative professionals.

    She said: “We will focus on developing economic and technical creative side of entertainment relationships within industry. We will also be addressing this constraint by having workshops to refocus on the technicalities of film, television, audiovisual, music, radio, entertainment law and creative investment.”

    The summit is expected to attract corporate investors, relevant government agencies, captains of industry, Studio owners and other influencers in the creative sector of the economy.

    President of DGN, Fred Amata, noted that the summit will hold in three cities of Lagos, Kaduna and Asaba in April of this year, adding that the initiative has already received the endorsement of the Kaduna State government.

    This was just as Mr. Obaseki is optimistic that content of Nollywood films, which will invariably drive box office sales, will improve after the three-day summit.

    With some Nigerian films now beating Hollywood movies to box office earnings, DGN feels it is just time to conquer whatever technical deficiencies that are left and evolve a more auditable structure for Nollywood to grow as a subsistence and export product.

  • Kwese enthrones grassroots with Olamide

    Kwese enthrones grassroots with Olamide

    I’m usually thrilled by a mandate that tends to place priority on the masses, especially as a business decision. Therefore, when Chichi Nwoko, General Manager of Kwese Free Sports expressed to me, her brand’s firm approach for mass market, at the last Olamide Live in Concert #OLIC4, held on December 16, 2017, I knew what long-term benefits lie in enthroning the grassroot fans.

    For as cheap as N1, 000 gate ticket purchased for the popular side at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos where the event held, two fans of the hip hop artiste, and three more, to be selected through other activations, will join the rave singer on all-expense trip to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, courtesy of the management of free-to-air channel, Kwese Free Sports.

    “We are not only partnering with him,” said Nwoko.

    “We are also giving him the opportunity to engage with our audience of young men. We want them to enjoy the World Cup with us. So, what we have done is, not only are we going to be taking Olamide to the World Cup, we are allowing him to take five of his fans; and these are regular people on the street who wouldn’t have the opportunity. We are proud to sponsor that experience. This is in line with our brand’s promise to not only show the matches but to also be on ground. So, it’s important for us to be at these places and there is no Mainland/Island division here. We will continue to look forward to this kind of platform to expose and encourage our audiences as they watch us.”

    It is interesting to know that for Kwese Free Sports, it is about the fans and Olamide and his music is only serving as a veritable medium.

    “It’s about having impact and connecting with our audience,” she says.

    “We know Soccer is very big, we know that the World Cup is a big event and Super Eagles will be playing, and if you look around, you would find a lot of young people. So we are looking for interesting ways a connecting with them. For us, sports is entertainment, there is a mix in there. Even as we do a lot of these viewing centers, we will be having a lot of music as part of the experience. So, at every point, the first thing that drives us are the fans.”

    I wanted to know if the ideology of this fans attraction would be confused with music and entertainment, especially since, according to Nwoko, “There is a natural synergy between sport and music, and that’s what we are trying to bring back.” Would Olamide still be the golden boy of this project, if he were to be playing some elitist kind of music?

    “I know my market,” said Nwoko.

    “I’m not lost and I’m also happy with where we are; we are a free-to-air channel which is the very premise to make sports available to the masses. A lot of the elite people may have other means of consuming sport. But I think we are very targeted in our approach for mass market and musicians that appeal to that, that we can work with and leverage to create some experiences that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. Yes, we will consider other artistes but our focus is how we can elevate and impact the mass audiences with free sports.”

    To underscore the place of Olamide in the brand equity of Kwese Free Sports, Nwoko says “we found there is an amazing love and respect that people have for Olamide, and so for us to be able to connect to that humility- that story that resonates with a lot of our viewers – someone that’s humble, someone who started from the bottom and is now a success story – as a brand that’s something we love to align with.”

    Now, this is how the Mundial show is expected to play out:

    “We are hoping that when the Super Eagles win, we break out into a party, and his (Olamide) music. We are a very musical people. For me I think that on the other side of entertainment is sport. Just to reiterate, we want to plug in to what our fans enjoy. We are going to pick one match, and it’s definitely going to be with the Super Eagles, probably at the group stage. We are working closely with Integral Media who will handle the whole hospitality,” she said.

  • ALIBABA, ASA, MI, OVER 40 OTHERS FEATURE IN KOFFI’S ALBUM

    ALIBABA, ASA, MI, OVER 40 OTHERS FEATURE IN KOFFI’S ALBUM

    NIGERIAN entertainer, Koffi Tha Guru, has releases his much anticipated 13th studio album titled ‘Colourborations’.

    According to the comedian, actor and singer; ”it has been months of pushing and laboring, finally we can say we have put forth a baby full of colours. Over 50 featured acts adding their own shade of awesomeness to one album. Yes, it’s that massive. Colourborations is the biggest project I have worked on till date.”

    Speaking further on the album, Koffi said ”Music has never been this beautiful, that, I can assure you. The Colourborations album begins with the legendary Disc Jockey, DJ Jimmy Jatt taking the intro, Asa doing the outro, MI Abaga rapping in Hausa; this is the only song he has ever done that, Alibaba singing Calypso, Bouqui and the late Fatai Rolling Dollars doing Gospel, Small Doctor and Q-dot bringing homely flows, Kunle Bello going on a Togolese ride with me; these are just a few out of the many pleasant surprises this album is offering,” he said.

    Colourborations which is arguably the biggest collaborative effort by any entertainer in Africa also sees Koffi pull a surprise jazzy funk track with Russian Diva, Diana Bada.

    The 34-track album which features other top entertainers like Sir Shina Peters, Ras Kimono, Paul Play, Ruggedman, Bovi, Sound Sultan, Big Lo, Sunny Neji, 9ice, Ikpa Udo, Chigul, Omobaba, Mc Abbey, Maleke, Obadice, Terry Apala, Ashny, Immaculate Edache, EmmaOhMaGod, Woli Arole, Tolu Ajayi, Classiq, Sossick, and Josh2funny, is currently available on all paid music platform.

  • Day a lady embarrassed me after a show

    Day a lady embarrassed me after a show

    Popularly known with his stage name ‘Yusuph,’ MTN Project Fame star Yusuf Kuforiji is back with a hot new single titled ‘Yara’, a wedding song that admonishes and advises. Yusuf says he is excited as the single which is the second to drop from his stable, will make even a greater impact. He speaks with PAUL UKPABIO about his life, career and sundry issues

    You dropped a single some time ago, how did that do in the market?

    It did well though I expected more. People loved the song. It was well received but I guess it didn’t burst the charts as I expected it to. People craved to hear the song but I couldn’t push it as I would have loved to in terms of marketing and publicity because I had my limitations then. But notwithstanding, that single did more than average.

    Between then and now, what have you been doing?

    I’ve recorded about fifteen songs so far, and having done well at my last outing, I knew I couldn’t do anything less because people have a big expectation especially when it concern for my music. I didn’t want a song that will last for just a couple of months. I wanted a song that can last in people’s minds for years. So I finally settled for a wedding song. The union of a man and woman is always unique. The memory usually lasts a lifetime and the frequency of wedding celebration is more or less every week. So I settled for wedding song, a song that will stay in the hearts of the people.

    Aside wedding songs, what other themes do you sing about?

    Initially what I wanted to do was a song about my environment. But this latest one is a fusion of RnB and Fuji. I needed content, so I came up with ‘Yara’ which talks about a union. You know, once you are in a marital relationship, separation is hard. So in the song, I’m trying to pass a message on how a woman can keep her home. That’s because, as far as I have learnt from my parents, the union between a man and a woman, is majorly held together by a woman.

    The man has the responsibility to cater for the home but the woman is the main person that makes the marriage last with her respect, gratitude and taking care of the home for her husband. Unfortunately these days so many ladies are about being the boss to their husband. Well, a lady can be a boss at work, but when at home, she has to give way to her husband being the boss.

    What advice would you give to young married ladies?

    In the song generally I talk about how a woman can cater for her husband. The way to a man’s heart is through his belly. Feed him well and make him happy. I know when men eat good food, they tend to love who cooked the food. And if it is their wife who cooked it, they tend to love her even more. The song also has good advice for a woman who brings her friends into her matrimonial home. That is because most times we cannot read through the thoughts in our friend’s minds.

    So, women have to be careful with friends once they are married. So we should think more of how to keep a home not just how to keep the house. They are two different things. The whole essence of the song is to teach and advice couples o the importance of the home and how to keep it in the true context of ideal marriage.

    When are you going to drop the song?

    It will out in a couple of days. The video should be out soon too. We are shooting at a live wedding scene soon. We will also on that day be giving out promo materials and lots of gifts to my fans and others who will be attending the wedding. It will be shot at Abeokuta.

    What plans do you have for the song?

    Getting a song out there for someone like me is easy but I still have to concentrate more on the promotions aspect. Nevertheless, we have structured out a plan to get the song out there: Particularly to make reach a lot of people through popular available means.

    What is your opinion of the Nigerian entertainment industry?

    It’s a vibrant industry, many of us are doing well, and more youth vibrancy is coming on. But emphasis is more on entertainment and not education. I guess our musical works should also educate and not only entertain. Lots of people are doing well with content in their music.

    Which particular genre are you comfortable with?

    I do Fuji fusion a lot. Like this new singles, I have fused highlife with Fuji.

    Does it mean that for now we should just be expecting singles from you rather than an album?

    Yes, singles for now. But as soon as my song takes over the industry with extended play, then I will start working on an album. One cannot tell; it may even be soon. Also, I am working on more shows. And I will be dropping more songs in near future.

    You started out as a campus star, have you been going back to campuses for shows?

    Yes, campus has really been fascinating and captivating for me. I am equally happy the way I am celebrated on the campuses where I hold shows. I get to some institutions and I am shocked on how I am celebrated. I didn’t know that my fan base had really grown to that extent. People sing my song along with me; they get fascinated the way I perform. It’s really wonderful. The recent ones were at Tai Solarin university campus at Ijebu, University of Ilorin, and Lagos Polytechnic.

    Why Fuji?

    I feel the genre is losing its value, so I want to revive the interest in it. And to a large extent, I’ve noticed that more people are getting to know and love Fuji. More so, as I fuse it with other interests, I actually plan to take my genre of music beyond Africa.

    As a young man in music, how are you handling women?

    Ladies are the first that admire an artiste. When they do, it means your music will move into success, that’s because ladies know good music and enjoy good music. I have lots of women friends. They are supportive. They understand my music and enjoy it. As a young artiste, I need them and God knows it might be from one of my fans that I will eventually find my woman when I am ready: Though I am not in a relationship now because it is not a priority right now. But also that doesn’t mean they are not there right now, they are there.

    Have you been embarrassed by any female fan?

    Of course I have been embarrassed. I was on stage when I removed my agbada during performance. At the end of the performance, still half clothed, I left the stage and a lady blocked my path, grabbed and kissed me full mouth! I was dazed and helpless as I stood frigidly to the spot. She kept saying ‘I Love You’ repeatedly.

    You seem to love African dress and you also have this special styled haircut. Can you explain?

    Looking good is good business and as an artiste, I have to brand myself. I have to be consistent about what I do. If I can’t be consistent about my hairstyle, then I may not be consistent with my music. So I keep it going.

    Tell us about your hair, we see different colours, what does it stand for?

    I have two parts, the lower side and the upper side with a parting going in between. The lower side is the place I am now, while the upper side is where I am going to. The parting between the two sides is the road that I have to pass through to get to that upper side. If you notice the parting is tiny, that means that the road to success is very tiny, one can fall, so I have to be careful as I journey on.

  • Roti, others triumph at ZIFF 2017

    Roti, others triumph at ZIFF 2017

    Nigeria movies have once again been put on the spotlight as the 2017 edition of the Zuma International Film Festival held sway for three days in Abuja.

    Held at Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja, in attendance were top functionaries from the three major arms of government, the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary.

    Speaking at the Zuma Film Festival annual lecture on Saturday, December 2, the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Nigerian Film Corporation Dr. Chidia Maduekwe said that Nigeria is a country with diverse ethnic groups existing side-by-side, struggling for survival, identification and recognition in the country.

    Maduekwe who spoke on the topic, ‘Sustaining the Socio-Cultural and Political Integration of Nigeria: The Film Perspective’ opined that feelings of suspicion of one ethnic group’s domination over another were inevitable. However, one would expect Nigeria after several decades of independence to have put behind the problem of national identity and crisis of integration resulting from its multi-ethnic composition.

    “The introduction of films into our society has seldom failed to shape centuries old cultural practices, simple lifestyles, social integration and economic pattern. Communication system over the years have proved to be potent tool of changing and re-integrating cultural identity in most countries; if not all because communication is a part of culture as much as an influence upon it,” he said.

    According to Maduekwe, the festival is packaged to further explore and expand the economic and audio-visual potentials of Africa’s largest motion picture industry.

    The festival, he further stated, has sustained its objectives which are; to provide a platform for film networking between Nigerian filmmakers and their counterparts from other film countries, explore, expand film coproduction opportunities beneficial to Nigerian film makers, recognise and reward cinematic excellence, entrench professionalism, boost export potentials of Nigerian films and herald Nigeria as Africa’s tourism and film destination hub.

    Among the winners of the ZIFF Awards which wrapped up the festival were Juyin Sarauta, (Best Language Film), What Lies Within (Best Feature Film), Roti (Best Cinematography), Sogie Efe Guobadia (Best Actress), Bachir Skirej (Best Actor) as well as What Lies Within, (Best Picture).

  • Small Doctor, Simi promise to thrill fans at ‘GOtv Boxing Night 13’

    Small Doctor, Simi promise to thrill fans at ‘GOtv Boxing Night 13’

    MUSICAL raves, Small Doctor and Simi, have vowed to thrill fans when they perform live at GOtv Boxing Night 13, holding on 26 December, 2017 at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The two artistes will be joined by Falz The Bahd Guy and Reekado Banks on the stage at the event.

    Speaking in Lagos, Simi said, “I will be performing live at GOtv Boxing Night 13 with my band, The Banjos. I can hardly contain my excitement because I know it will be incredible. I am looking forward to having the time of my life.”

    On his part, Small Doctor said he will put on a performance that fans will never forget.

    “It will be WOW! I promise to thrill fans and give them an experience they will always remember. I am calling on every fan of mine to come to the show to have plenty of fun,” he said.

    Tickets for the event are available online at ariiyatickets.com, SLOT and Ebeano Supermarket outlets as well as the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Free bus rides are also available to take ticket-holding fans to the venue and bring them back at the end of the show.

  • When celebrities tax their goodwill

    Life is indeed sweet. And no matter the sorrows within, living is sacred. Thus, it is believed that those who took their lives have not explored every option available to remain alive.

    It is true that no man begged to come to this world, but fighting to remain alive is an obligation that comes with earthly responsibilities. No matter how we choose to look at it, these responsibilities demand that we live, not just for ourselves, but for others, including the Creator, that we may serve Him until such a time when it pleases Him to call us home.

    Several people are dying around the world because they do not have the opportunity to stay longer than they desire. But there are others who, by virtue of their position in the society, will enjoy public concerns and sympathy when in distress. Celebrities fall in the latter category, which is why we have instances of public donations to ailing actors and musicians. In some cases, governments, politicians and corporate organisations have risen to the occasion to offset medical bills of celebrities. In view of the goodwill that celebrities enjoy, some of them have also used their clout to influence charity towards ordinary people who are in need. But at what point did the goodwill they enjoy become a right?

    We all have served our fatherland in different capacities, but I have not seen people in other professions arrogate so much national importance to their services like the entertainers. Yes, not even the soldiers. And I ask; were those services rendered for free?

    We pay to see movies in cinemas; we pay to enjoy music at concerts, even when we are not paying, some companies are paying as part of their social responsibility projects. No doubt, we enjoy the movies, the music, and football. We have created a fan base for you among ourselves. We have even made role models of you, sometimes for the wrong reasons.

    Our children idolize you, they scramble for selfies and autographs at the sight of you. When you are sick and in need of help, we give our widow’s mite, just to keep you going for us. But when did these privileges you enjoy become a right? The kind of rights that farmers never claim for feeding us, the kind that soldiers never claim for fighting our battles, the kind that doctors never claim for saving lives, the kind that engineers never claim for giving our lives a spark.

    I have often quarreled with a mindset among some entertainers who feel that government owe them a huge debt for developing the creative industry without its (government) support, forgetting for a moment that it is a personal profit-making business they are engaged in. Footballers too have held government by the jugular, for what they consider a national service on the pitch of play.

    The carry-over effect is that when these celebrities suffer personal losses, they still expect government or the public to pay damages. Whatever happens to their salaries, allowances and personal savings?

    A celebrity who was reported recently to be suffering life-threatening sicknesses has called the bluff of everyone who should help because he does not want to be seen as begging to stay alive. The seeming arrogance stems from his long service to the nation, for which there are no accounts of being owed salaries or performing for free.

    There have been such cases where initially, a celebrity keeps their health status in secrecy, dispelling reports about their indisposition until it becomes late.

    I thought they say that a man drowning does not care who saves him. We must fight to stay alive, even if it requires begging. Begging to live is different from begging to feed; only God gives the former, so there is no shame in asking.

    Banky W was happy he got another chance to live. Many of us have been given multiple chances and we appreciate life better.

    “For those who’ve been wondering why I’ve been away so long; I had my third surgery on a rare strain of skin cancer tumours in my shoulder last month,” said Banky W.

    According to him, “The first two times were over ten years ago, then it recently resurfaced. But this isn’t a sad story as much as it is a reminder and a testimony.

    A reminder that you should never take life for granted.”

    Yes, we should never take life for granted. We treat it like a trash when we don’t bother if we lose it, by feeling too big to keep it, no matter what it takes.

  • Delta State celebrities honour Ibori today

    TOP musicians, comedians, actors and actress from Delta State have put up an event tagged ‘A Day With The Boss” to honour and celebrate the former Delta State governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, today at Oghara Township Stadium in Delta State.

    Among the celebrities that will be in attendance are PMAN president, Mr. Keston Okoro, Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), Buchi, Ras Kimono, Daddy Showkey, Oritz Wiliki, Tisio – Tisio, Alegbe Baba, Gandoki, I go save, MC Abbey, Sim Card, Stella Moye, Erigga, Mr. Paul, MC KK, Douglas, DJ Osahon, DJ soft, Wiskero, lady judith, Mosusu, pastor, obakpororo, Lucky Okri, organiSer and many more.

    The event that will feature festival of music and culture is organised by Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) Delta State chapter in conjunction with Alegbe organisation.

    The CEO of Alegbe organisation, Mr. Benson Chukwuma told journalists in Oghara that the event is aimed at celebrating the ex-governor.

    “We put up the event to honour and celebrate our father, brother, uncle, and our hero for all he has done for our great state. We love him so much,” he added.

  • Nollywood welcomes RIEL

    Nollywood welcomes RIEL

    A new entertainment company with interests in film, theatre, music, television, publishing, events, promotion, artistes’ management and arts’ distribution, Riveting Integrated Entertainment Limited (RIEL), has been launched.

    The launch which took place recently at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos was attended by some top Nollywood actors and actresses.

    According to its founder, Leke Akinrowo, a former staff of Chevron, RIEL, as an entity, is committed to producing entertainment offerings which meet international standards, and these can be seen from the few products the company has showcased so far.

    “For instance, our stage show, ‘The Walking Stick’, is intended to be a reference point when it eventually gets staged in February 2018,” he said.

    Also speaking, Engineer Afobali Oladele, Senior Pastor, The Christian Brethren Church (TCBC), in Lagos, described RIEL as derivate of ‘Gabriel’; the Angel of GOD that see visions as a man of GOD.

    “Images are so compelling and seductive that they have revolutionized communication as depicted in Ki Lo Fe and Trapped in the Creeks; a movie; The Walking Stick, a stage show,” he said.

    Nollywood actor, Nobert Young, also said that Akinrowo should not be deceived into thinking that everything he needs would simply fall on his laps.

    “In our industry, things are not as rosy as they appear on our TVs. The striking realities are quite far from that. However, I wish you the very best as we welcome you on behalf on the entire Nollywood,” Young said.

    Akinrowo, who worked with Chevron Nigeria Limited for 21 years, is a graduate of Dramatic Arts at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife. His inspiration for the entertainment world was inspired by Theatre Arts students’ open-air performers of the University of Jos he encountered while trying to gain university admission.

    After his mandatory National Youth Service in October 1990, he had a stint in the entertainment industry with Chuck Mike’s Collective Artists as an ad hoc staff up till 1991. He later co-formed Tempo Productions led by Felix Okolo.