The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kunle Afolayan

  • Two times blessed: Celebs who were born rich, ‘connected’

    What is the thing that is common to music superstar, Davido, superstar social critic, Falz and Naeto C? Music? Yes, but what again? Pedigree, wealth and solid’ connections’ within Nigeria’s economic and political circles!

    Grass-to-grace stories are quite common and popular because many people believe those who are at the top started with nothing and got extraordinarily lucky.

    Yes. And of course, many of our style, music and sports celebs were also born into great wealth or into families with super ‘connections’.

    However, while it is true that there are people whose rise to the top were facilitated by the wealth and ‘connections’ of their parents or families, some of these celebs also had to work as hard as the rest of us. Some even work harder.

    We are taking a look at some of the stars who come from rich and famous families. The roll call:

     

    DJ Cuppy

    The female disc jockey star is the daughter of the oil business magnate and philanthropist Femi Otedola and his equally popular wife, Nana. Her late grandfather, Sir Michael Otedola, was a politician and the former Governor of Lagos State. Although Cuppy’s music has only enjoyed mixed reviews, she’s got her fans and can be described as one of Nigeria’s rising DJs and musicians.

     

    Clarence Peters

    Cinematographer, filmmaker, music and video director, Clarence Peters, is the founder and CEO of Capital Dream Pictures. Clarence Peters grew up in the entertainment industry. Dad Shina Peters is a popular Nigerian musician and the creator of Afro-Juju music, while the mom is the famous Nollywood veteran actress, Clarion Chukwura.

     

    Davido

    The pop star’s story has a familiar ring. We all know that he grew up in a well loaded familly. The Omo-Baba-Olowo crooner is the son of Adedeji Adeleke, who is the founder and president of Adeleke University and CEO of Pacific Holdings Limited.

     

    Charlie Boy

    Charlie Boy, popularly known as Area Fada, is the son of late former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa. He was meant to be a priest but left the seminary after a year. He was sent off to the United States of America to study Law just like his father had done but he ended up with a degree in Communications and later delved into showbiz.

     

    Naeto C.

    Hip pop star Naeto C’s mother, Kema Chikwe, is a former Minister of Aviation and she currently holds the position of National Woman Leader of the main opposition party, PDP.

     

    Falz 

    Falz was born to renowned lawyers Femi and Funmi Falana. His father Femi Falana(SAN)is a  human rights activist and lawyer. Falz followed in his parent’s footsteps having graduated with an LLB honors degree in Law from the University of Reading England but veered into entertainment after a short time of practice.

     

    Lynxx

    ‘Fine lady’ crooner Chukie Edozien, Nigerian rapper whose stage name is Lynxx, doesn’t need a day job but it turns out that he can live outside his father’s shadow. Lynxx’s father is Chief John Edozien, is first deputy governor of Old Delta State. A corporate tycoon, he’s the chairman of a number of Nigeria companies, including Jenkyns Consults Nigeria Limited and Mercedes Benz Automobile Service Limited. He has also served as director of Linkage Assurance Plc and Diamond Bank Plc.

     

    Kunle Afolayan

    Kunle Afolayan’s late father, Adeyemi Afolaya, popularly known as Ade Love, was a Nigerian film actor, director and producer. He was one of Nigeria’s greatest cinematographers. Kunle, who stepped in into his father’s big shoes after some years in banking, is one of Nigeria’s most successful movie gurus. He also stages exhibitions and educational projects for various governments, businesses and political figures.

     

    Shina Peller

    The CEO of Aquila Group of Companies and owner of upscale night club-Quilox Shina Peller, is one of the sons of Nigeria’s most famous magician, perhaps one of Africa’s most renowned magicians, the late Professor Peller.

  • Kunle Afolayan provokes thought with new fashion

    Over since he made debut with his Ire clothing line, filmmaker Kunle Afolayan’s fashion style has taking a new dimension – partly in promotion of the brand and partly to provoke creativity in the fashion industry.

    Spotted at the AMAAs red carpet event in Kigali at the weekend, Afolayan who wore a suit atop his most tauted Kembe trousers, made from Ankara fabrics, says he received mixed reactions from fans.

    He stated on his Instagram:. “I decided to provoke the conservatives yesterday by wearing Kembe on Suit and tie and it’s been mix reaction. Some people ticked Yes while it was a No for some.

    “The thing about art and creativity is the fact that you are free and allowed to try out things as it comes to mind meaning rules can be broken if there is any, who made the damn rules anyway.

    “Attached here is also a beautiful picture of my die hard fan of Ire Clothings rocking the kunleskembe and kunlesdansiki. Of course women are not really cut out to wear such was the rules then but now they do. The Scottish piper typical outfit is complete suit on skirt, who set that rule for oyinbo and who broke it? For those creative minds out there, keep breaking boundaries by redefining fashion as Ire Clothings brand is doing and to those with boxed mind, E mura si.”

     

  • Feelings I get when I drive my ancient cars – Kunle Afolayan

    ON location to shoot his latest work, ‘Mokalik’, Nollywood producer Kunle Afolayan, has revealed how much attention he gets when he drives his vintage cars.

    “Most times, people don’t care who is in the car,” said Afolayan. “From afar, you can see them staring. Then, when they now see that it is me, they now like to say hello and all of that. But the first thing is that they are surprised that such cars can still be in existence. And it’s good, you know, because it sets you aside and it gives you some sorts of fulfilment for the fact that all eyes are on you, not that you’re driving Ferrari but you’re driving something that’s like 60 years old, even older than you.

    “A few times, people have stopped me and said; please, can we take pictures with you, can we take pictures with the car, can I see inside? That happens all the time. I remember there was a day somebody in Lekki, the guy was driving a new Range Rover and he said to me, ‘you know I can shoot you and collect your car. So, you get comments like that.”

    Afolayan, a lover of vintage cars, recently acquired a 1965 Ford Thunderbird. It was while spending time at the mechanic workshop that he got the inspiration for the movie, ‘Mokalik’, a corrupt pronunciation of the word ‘mechanic’.

    The movie details the goings-on in a typical mechanic garage, starring music superstar, Simi and actors like Femi Adebayo, Ayo Adesanya, Faithia Williams, Lateef Oladimeji and veteran comic actors like Ayo Ogunsina and Dayo Akinpelu, popularly known as Papalolo and Alabi Yellow respectively.

    Afolayan also disclosed that shooting would take 10 days. But he is not sure of when the movie would be released. “I really want to take my time to ensure that it is well done,” he said.

  • Ambode embraces Kunle’s Kembe

    Apart from the kind of relaxation which the Kembe pants could give a busy State Executive like Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, he beams the kind of pride one displays when a protégé is delivering on the promises of lifting a cherished culture and tradition.

    Heartily, Ambode embraces the fast-trending pop Kembe fashion, a baggy-styled debut brand of wears under Kunle Afolayan’s label called Ire Clothings.

    Afolayan is a member of the Board of Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, and apart from running Ire Clothings as a business,Kunle’s Kember,  the ‘funkified’ Yoruba attire, made entirely from local fabrics, is just one of his ways of promoting Lagos State, and the South-West by extension.

    Afolayan told The Nation that patronage has been so unprecedented, running into thousands in less than a month of launching the product. He is optimistic that apart from the present local and international distributions for the product, Ambode’s subtle endorsement of Kunle’s Kembe is sure to galvanize market demand, being the People’s Governor.

    Already the ‘October 1’ director is inundated with demands for the product by fellow celebrities, socialites and politicians who have found the simple-styled fashion as a refresher.

    Some of the celebrities who have signed for Kunle’s Kembe include Richard Mofe-Damijo, Ali Baba, Desmond Elliot, Faithia Balogun, Falz the Bahd Guy, Femi Adebayo and Toyin Abraham among others.

    The filmmaker, on Thursday, also unveiled the official logo of Ire Clothings, a creative lettering bearing the scissors as a center of attraction on a blue fabric, dotted by sparkling cowries.

    The filmmaker reiterated that the attire “is one of the products that I intend to also use to promote Lagos. It is one of the souvenirs that tourists will have to take away from here subsequently. And I must add that all fabrics are locally sourced and so are the hands used in piecing them together. It is hundred percent Nigerian.”

  • Ambode embraces Kembe fashion

    Apart from the kind of relaxation which the Kembe pants could give a busy State Executive like Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, he beams the kind of pride one displays when a protégé is delivering on the promises of lifting a cherished culture and tradition.

    Heartily, Ambode embraces the fast-trending pop Kembe fashion, a baggy-styled debut brand of wears under Kunle Afolayan’s label called Ire Clothings.

    Afolayan is a member of the Board of Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, and apart from running Ire Clothings as a business,Kunle’s Kember,  the ‘funkified’ Yoruba attire, made entirely from local fabrics, is just one of his ways of promoting Lagos State, and the South-West by extension.

    Afolayan told The Nation that patronage has been so unprecedented, running into thousands in less than a month of launching the product. He is optimistic that apart from the present local and international distributions for the product, Ambode’s subtle endorsement of Kunle’s Kembe is sure to galvanize market demand, being the People’s Governor.

    Already the ‘October 1’ director is inundated with demands for the product by fellow celebrities, socialites and politicians who have found the simple-styled fashion as a refresher.

    Some of the celebrities who have signed for Kunle’s Kembe include Richard Mofe-Damijo, Ali Baba, Desmond Elliot, Faithia Balogun, Falz the Bahd Guy, Femi Adebayo and Toyin Abraham among others.

    The filmmaker, on Thursday, also unveiled the official logo of Ire Clothings, a creative lettering bearing the scissors as a center of attraction on a blue fabric, dotted by sparkling cowries.

    The filmmaker reiterated that the attire “is one of the products that I intend to also use to promote Lagos. It is one of the souvenirs that tourists will have to take away from here subsequently. And I must add that all fabrics are locally sourced and so are the hands used in piecing them together. It is hundred percent Nigerian.”

  • TKMG Art Auction house, Terra Kulture, Mydrim Gallery hold auction

    TKMG Art Auction House, Terra Kulture and Mydrim Gallery held an auction at the Terra Kulture Arena yesterday.

    Activities leading  to the event had kicked off with Collector’s Preview  and Cocktail Night on  July 20.

    The preview night gave collectors a chance to view some of the pieces to be auctioned, and to have first choice on the auction night.

    It also showed a new and emerging crop of collectors and art enthusiasts, including Tokini Peterside, Dakore Egbuson, Kunle Afolayan, Sonia Irabor, Abimbola Craig, Bolanle Olukanni, Afua Osei, Yasmine Belo-Osagie, Denola Grey, Ozinna Anumudu, amongst others.

    Also present at the preview event were artists whose pieces would be up for auction – Kolade Oshinowo, Nse Abasi, M. Inyang, Nzennaya Barry Ikechukwu – giving them a first-hand chance to persuade art collectors present to buy their pieces on the auction night.

    The event welcomed the two winners of the Instagram Art Competition which gave winners, Prince Idiage and Laju Sholola, the opportunity to showcase their pieces to art lovers and collectors present at the preview event.

    Art auctions in Lagos are rather few and far between in the usually vibrant Lagos art scene, but are gradually becoming some of the most drooled-over events of the thriving art industry. This is thanks to platforms such as the TKMG Art Auction House – giving artists a chance to showcase their best pieces, and even better yet, to sell them off at as high a price as possible.

    Guests were expected to stop by the TKMG Auction House all week (from 23rd – 26th July) to view the pieces before the auction. The TKMG Auction House is located at  Terra Kulture Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island Lagos.

  • Kunle Afolayan unveils 1965 Ford Thunderbird

    Ace movie maker Kunle Afolayan has added a vintage 1965 Ford Thunderbird to his collection of cars.

    Sharing the image of the maroon-coloured car which bears ‘IRE OO’ as the license plate on Instagram, Afolayan wrote, “Be different. I am! #standout #value #classic #vintage @adekunlegold @vintagecarsnigeria @vintagecarscollector Thunderbird Ford 1965.”

    The 1964 to 1966 model is the fourth generation of the Ford Thunderbird has a V8 engine which pushes the car to 60 mph (96 km/h) in nearly 11 seconds.

    Afolayan also has a vintage Mercedes Benz with the licence plate, ‘OCTOBER 1’ after the name of one of his movie by the same name.

    However, to keep in vogue with modernity, Afolayan, who as an Ambassador of Peugeot, also drives a 605 saloon car which has ‘THE CEO’ on its license plate.

  • Kunle Afolayan buys 1965 Ford Thunderbird

    Ace movie maker Kunle Afolayan has added a vintage 1965 Ford Thunderbird to his collection of cars.

    Sharing the image of the maroon-coloured car which bears ‘IRE OO’ as the license plate on Instagram, Afolayan wrote, “Be different. I am! #standout #value #classic #vintage @adekunlegold @vintagecarsnigeria @vintagecarscollector Thunderbird Ford 1965.”

    The 1964 to 1966 model is the fourth generation of the Ford Thunderbird has a V8 engine which pushes the car to 60 mph (96 km/h) in nearly 11 seconds.

    Afolayan also has a vintage Mercedes Benz with the licence plate, ‘OCTOBER 1’ after the name of one of his movie by the same name.

    However, to keep in vogue with modernity, Afolayan, who as an Ambassador of Peugeot, also drives a 605 saloon car which has ‘THE CEO’ on its license plate.

  • Nollywood skit: Kunle Afolayan puts Macron on the spot

    The visit of President Emmanuel Macron of France to the Afrika Shrine on Tuesday was laden with memories of cultural interactions with the different segments of the creative industry.

    Nollywood took its own spot on the stage with the vibrant visitor playing a part in a skit that expresses the true character of the Nigerian motion picture industry by injecting comics in educative and informative subject matters.

    Macron sure had fun on stage calling the shots in the drama designed by Kunle Afolayan’s Golden Effects Production, and starring Nollywood ‘s bests like Joke Silva, Jide Kosoko, Chika Okpala (Zebrudaya), Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Ramsey Nouah, Caroline King, Dakore Akande, Rita Dominic, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Kemi Lala-Akindoju, French actor, Florent Cedric and director of the award-winning French/ Mauritanian film, ‘Timbuktu’, Mr. Abderrahmane Sissako who was invited by Macron to join the play.

    Entitled ‘Love from Lagos to France’, the skit, written by Tunde Babalola , exposes the beautiful world of diplomats from Nigeria and France and their affinity to the tourist attractions in both countries.

    A typical scene in the skit reads:

    “…Do you remember when we used to take the boat cruises along the Seine River?

    Yes… and stroll along The Avenue des Champs-Élysées?

    And take in the sights at the Notre Dame Cathedral?

    And visit the Eiffel Tower? Honey, I can’t wait!”

    But the comic moment was when the Nigerian diplomat, in his attempt to ask where he could take his wife for dinner in French, rendered a statement implying where he could ‘kill’ his wife for dinner.

    Afolayan may have been chosen to lead this narrative based on his track records with films like ‘The Figurine’, ‘Phone Swap’, October 1′, and his most celebrated pan African film, ‘The CEO’.

    Speaking at the event, the ace filmmaker described Macron’s visit as one that will open a new vista of opportunity for both countries.

    According to him, “A lot of times, we travel to France and other European countries looking for partnerships and co-productions, and for some reasons the president of France has decided to bring partnership and co-production to us in Nigeria. I think this is phenomenal. I think it’s going to bring about new trend and development in the future of film and entertainment in this country.”

    Afolayan who is a member of the Board of Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture is optimistic that Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode will make good his promises to boost tourism, arts and entertainment in the state.

    “The truth is that I cannot speak for Nigeria as a country,” he declared. “But I can speak for Lagos. I think the governor of Lagos, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and the President of France seem to share some familiarities. Ambode is a lover of arts and entertainment who also believes in the youths. This is also the same for president Macron. So, I think the new synergy between both of them will strike a new beginning for Lagos and Nigeria.”

  • Afrika Shrine: Macron to perform with Omotola, Rita Dominic, Ramsey Nouah, others

    The choice of the New Afrika Shrine as rendezvous for visiting President of France, Mr. Emmanuel Macron members of the creative industry may not be unconnected to the historical place of late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti in the world of music.

    While raising concern about the size of the Afrika Shrine as venue of his meeting with stakeholders in the arts and entertainment sector, a source told The Nation that “Macron chose the venue himself.”

    Currently managed by Femi Kuti and Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti, the new Afrika Shrine is the replacement of the old Afrika Shrine created in 1970 by the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, founder of Afrobeat music, until it was burnt down in 1977. The new Shrine is an open air entertainment center located in Ikeja, Lagos State, and serves as the host location for the annual Felabration music festival. It is a tourist attraction that showcases photo galleries of Fela, with regular music performances by Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti.

    Macron is expected to land in Abuja and meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the National Assembly before being hosted in Lagos.

    He will be at the Shrine for an event organised by the Lagos State government, with full participation by members of the Nigerian creative sector.

    Tagged ‘A Celebration of African Culture’, the event has been planned as ‘an evening of Music, Fashion, Nollywood, Dance, Visual Arts, Performance and Design with The President of France, Emmanuel Macron’.

    Expected to perform on the night is Afrobeat artiste, Femi Kuti, and others singers like Banky W and Yemi Aladem just as ace filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan and founder of Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Chioma Ude, will make special presentations to Macron on the Nigerian arts and entertainment industry and CineAfrique, a Nigeria/France film institute in Lagos respectively.

    The presentation by Afolayan – a short stage play titled ‘Love from Lagos’, featuring Macron himself, will have other thespians like Jide Kosoko, Joke Silva, Chika Okpala (Zebrudaya), Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Ramsey Nouah, Caroline King, Dakore Akande, Rita Dominic, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Kemi Lala-Akindoju and another French actor.

    The visit is expected to open a new vista of opportunity for both countries in the area of film funding and co-production treaties.

    As part of his visit, Macron is scheduled to commission a new centre of the Alliance Francaise in Lagos, on Wednesday.

    The Wednesday’s event kicks off by 9 a.m. with the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, top government officials, members of the diplomatic community, captains of industry and cultural ambassadors, amongst other dignitaries in attendance.

    The purpose-build edifice, located at No.9 Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos will serve as the organisation’s headquarters in Nigeria. Tastefully furnished, the mansion is also aesthetically finished with an expansive car park complete with a comely ambience and luxuriant flower beds and trees.

    Alliance française, a French language and cultural center has 10 associations throughout Nigeria and located in Enugu, Ibadan, Ilorin, Jos, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Maiduguri, Owerri and Port Harcourt.