The annual Nigerian Topleaders International Magazine Award and conference will hold in Accra, Ghana on August 31.
According to the Director of Communication, Toplead Media Communications Company, publisher of the quarterly West African celebrity magazine, Mrs. Mercy O. Ajayi the occasion will also mark the 14th year anniversary of the publication dedicated to promote and unveil eminent achievers in Nigeria and abroad.
Mrs Ajayi said among the prominent awardees are former Nigerian Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, MD/CEO Nigeria Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman, Vice Chairman, Sifax Group Ltd, Taiwo Afolabi, Chairman, FCMB Ltd, Otunba Subomi Balogun, M.F.M General Overseer Dr. D.K Olukoya while some of the special guests of honour are Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo, Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana Ambassador Micheal Abikoye, Ambassador Shaban Audu Nizazo 111, Etsu of Kwali FCT Abuja, Engr. Musa B. Bott and Apostle Dr. Anthony Ikalama.
Other awardees are Chairman Morlap Group Limited, Chief Isaac Jolapamo, Customs Comptroller General Col. Hammed Ali (rtd) Senator Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah, NIMASA Director General Dr Dakuku Peterside, Mr Fidet Ikhiria among others.
It was fun, glitz and glamour as the much-anticipated NativeLand 2016 concert held penultimate Thursday at the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event, which was the launch of Native Magazine, had electrifying performances from Burna Boy, Maleek Berry, Ycee, Ajebutter 22, Odunsi, DAP the contract and Skepta.
UK grime legend, Skepta, excited the attendees with some of his hits including ‘Man’, ‘That’s Not Me’, ‘It Ain’t Safe’ and ‘Shutdown’, the hit single off his most recent album ‘Konnichiwa.’
London-based act of Gambian heritage, J Hus, 20, one of the UK’s most promising acts for his mix of reggae, electronic afrobeat and grime moved the crowd with performances of ‘Friendly’, ‘Playing Sports’ and ‘Lean and Bop’.
Also in attendance were Naeto C and Show Dem Camp’s Tec while other foreign-based Nigerian artistes at the event included Don Papi, Kashlanta, New World Ray, Isaac Umoren and PatrickxxLee.
First Lady, Aishat Buhari allegedly wore a N10million Cartier Baignoire Folle 18-Carat White Gold wrist watch which cost £34,500 (estimated at N10,453,000) during the inauguration of her husband President Muhammadu Buhari.
Neither the presidency nor Mrs. Buhari have refuted the claims, but there are indications that what Mrs Buhari had on was not the reported costly brand.
Although cased in “18K rhodiumized white gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds, octagonal crown set with a diamond, sapphire crystal, Roman numerals, silvered satin-finished dial, 2 motifs lacquered and set with brilliant-cut diamonds, blued-steel sword-shaped hands”, the first lady’s watch was not a Cartier Baignoire Folle 18-Carat White Goldwrist watch.
Instead the one she had on was a Cartier Baignoire Folle Manual Watch priced at $129 (approximately N26,832 when converted at the rate of $1 to N208). Its strap is mainly a black semi-matt alligator-skin strap and an interchangeable “toile brossée” fabric strapwhich is opposed to the Cartier Baignoire Folle 18-Carat White Gold’s fabric strap.
On Friday, June 5, it was reported that former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi’s N11m Rolex wrist watch was stolen by his houseboy.
The houseboy also allegedly stole other luxury accessories valued at N9 m.
Here is the world’s 10 most expensive wrist watches, some of which are more expensive than a Ferrari, which some Nigerians may have.
1. The A. Lange & Söhne Grand Complication is from the German luxury watch brand A. Lange & Söhne. Priced at approximately $2,497,000, this grand complication features a grand sonnerie and petit sonnerie in addition to a minute repeater, a monopusher chronograph with a split-seconds function and jumping seconds, and a perpetual calendar with a moon-phase display. According to WatchTime magazine, “it is the most expensive watch we’ve come across in recent years”.
A. LANGE & SONHE Grand Complication 1
2. Richard Mille Tourbillon RM 56-02 Sapphire, combines a tripartite sapphire case with the Richard Mille’srevolutionary “cabled movement” design, the Tourbillon Sapphire costs $2,020,000.
Richard Mille Tourbillon-RM56-02 Sapphire
3. Richard Mille RM 56-01, features a distinctive, all-sapphire glass case, and is priced at $1.85 million.
Richard Mille RM 56-01
4. The Greubel Forsey Art Piece 1 is priced at approximately $1.6 million. It’s stand out feature is the nanosculpture by artist Willard Wigan in the crown. It also has an inclined tourbillon.
Greubel Forsey Art Piece 1
5. Vacheron Constantin’s Tour de I’Ile was produced as a limited edition of only seven pieces to celebrate the brand’s 250th anniversary. It has two faces (on the front and back) to make room for its many displays, including a second time zone, perpetual calendar, and sunset time indicator, among others. Priced at $1,538,160, it may be the most complicated serial timepiece on the list of watches over $1 million.
Vacheron Constantin Tour de I’Ile
6. Jaeger-LeCoulture Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie is retailed at $ 1,474,070. The watch boasts 1,300 parts, which make it capable of playing the entire Big Ben chiming sequence. According to WatchTime it was released in 2009 as part of the Hybris Mechanica 55 trilogy, a trio of very expensive watches that comprised 55 complications altogether.
Jaeger-LeCoulture Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie
7. The Roger Dubuis’ Excalibur Quatuor. Its case is made entirely of silicon, and a material with half the weight of titanium and four times the hardness. The Excalibur Quatour equipped with the RD101 movement, is notable for its four sprung balances, which work in pairs to compensate for the effects of gravity much faster than a tourbillon would, resulting in a more accurate watch. It is priced at approximately $1,125,000.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Quatuor
8. The Hublot Classic Fusion Haute Joaillerie “$1 Million,” is limited to only eight pieces. Its $1 million price tag comes with the 1,185 baguette diamonds covering every surface of the watch, from the case and bracelet to the open-worked dial. For the case alone, a 15-person team had to perform 1,800 hours of cutting and 200 hours of dimensional checking and quality control.
Hublot Classic Fusion Haute Joaillerie “$1 Million
9. Patek Philippe REF 5016P costs $762,000. Rounding out the Patek trinity is the Ref 5016P (where the P stands for platinum). This watch is the second most complicated that Patek has produced. The problem with watches of this caliber is the need for adjustments, but Patek has an app for that. If you keep this moon-phase, perpetual calendar, retrograde behemoth running continuously it won’t need adjusting until 2100. Cool Material thinks it is something that your children’s children’s children will most certainly appreciate.
Patek Philippe REF 5016P
10. The AP Royal Oak Grande Complication is priced at $560,000. Audemars Piquet (AP) grande complication has a perpetual calendar accurate until long after you will no longer be alive. It has a lot of the same complications as the other watches (minute repeater, split seconds chronograph, aforementioned perpetual calendar) but presents them in a way that doesn’t require a thousand page instruction manual just to read.
The second quarter issue of African Banker Magazine has profiled Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina and seven other candidates vying for the African Development Bank (AFDB) Presidency.
In the magazine’s one-to-one sessions, Adesina and other candidates, for the continent’s premier multilateral financial institution, shared their strategic visions, priorities and agendas for the bank.
In the extensive dossier, the eight candidates indicated their suitability for this momentous job and the credentials required to lead Africa’s most prominent development institution.
The eight candidates spoke candidly and openly about their ambitions for the bank. Among the eight contenders vying for the Presidency, five currently serve as ministers, one former minister and a Development Banking specialist.
Adesina feels that his experience in transforming the agricultural sector in Nigeria, and his first experience working and operating in various African countries will keep him in good stead. “My vision is based on continuing decentralisation and increasing support for private initiatives,” he said.
Having overseen Ethiopia’s strong growth into one of Africa’s leading economies, the country’s Finance Minister, Sufian Ahmed, believes the AfDB will be safe in his experienced hands.
The former Minister Finance of Tunisia, Jaloul Ayed, asserts that his banking experience has allowed him to gain a clear understanding of Africa’s full potential. He calls for an AfDB that is closer to its markets.
Chad’s Minister of Finance and Budget, Kordjé Bedoumra, states that following his previous tenure at the AfDB, he has the experience and expertise to improve operational efficiency of the bank as well as shape its short and long term policies.
The only female candidate in the race is Cape Verde Minister of Finance and Planning, Cristina Duarte, who says whatever improvements need to be made, the AfDB can never forget its mission, which is to serve Africa and its people.
Nigeria’s leading luxury boutique, Polo Avenue, has opened its doors to prominent fashion designers and lifestyle enthusiasts in Lagos, with the hosting of the online media launch for women’s lifestyle magazine, Genevieve.
The boutique, which is reverred for its innovative approach in representing women’s fashion within the growing luxury market, hosted the event to celebrate the contribution of Genevieve Magazine to the advancement of fashion, lifestyle and the Nigerian-woman in all spheres of life.
The launch was full of glitz and glamour and graced by renowned fashion designers, such as Mai Atafo, and Lanre Da Silva Ajayi.
Executive Director, Polo Luxury Group, Jennifer Obayuwana, said that Polo Avenue decided to identify with Genevieve’s laudable achievements in amplifying the voices and successes of women.
Ms. Obayuwana added: “Women have a mandate to consistently utilise their platforms in illuminating and honouring the achievements of Nigerian women and their legacies.’’
The Editor-in-Chief, Genevieve Magazine, Mrs Betty Irabor, thanked the Polo Avenue boutique for hosting the soiree. She expressed gratitude to the brand for associating with the positive activities of women, adding that together they would boost the representation of women in Nigeria, Africa and other parts of the world.
Mrs. Irabor added that the new online platform is distinctive and that it will highlight and celebrate the achievements of women.
The maiden edition of the annual magazine of the Sparkle Media Group, which is based at the Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, has hit the market.
The 60-page variety magazine, it was gathered, is a publication by a group of students in the department of Mass Communication.
Speaking during the event, the group’s President, Abiola Idowu, said the magazine was a dream come true, noting that it was designed to set the pace for journalistic excellence on the campus.
Abiola attributed its success to the hard work, commitment and dedication of members, saying they were able to set aside their personal engagements to realise the magazine.
One of the leaders of the group, Emmanuel Oyebade, said its vision was to perform the traditional functions of the media which were to inform, educate, and entertain. He added that the group had grown since inception, with members drawn from various higher institutions of learning in the country.
Editor of the magazine, Julius Omokhunu, commended the team spirit and ingenuity of members, pleading on them to redouble their efforts to give the group a pride of place in the media profession.
High points of the launching included unveiling of the group’s website and blog.
Presenting the magazine, its grand patron and head, department of Mass Communication, Dr Babatunde Oyinade, lauded the group for the initiative and charged them to do more.
Ahead of his silver celebrations, renowned DJ and music producer, Jimmy Adewale Amu, aka DJ Jimmy Jatt, has graced the cover of the current issue of Red Sheet magazine.
In the edition, the award-winning DJ opened up on his family, his career and how his passion for music, particularly as a disc jockey, had evolved over the years.
An icon in the Nigerian entertainment industry, his first single, Stylee, which featured Tuface Idibia, Modenine and Elajoe, enjoyed impressive airplay and the music video stayed on the MTV Africa countdown for weeks. It also won him several awards like Channel O Africa Music Video Award, Hip hop World Award, Sound City Music Video Award, Nigerian Music Video Award and Nigerian Music Award, among others.
Over the years, Red Sheet magazine, a lifestyle publication, has featured a number of celebrities on its cover. In its latest issue, Jimmy Jatt appears dapper with his style: three-piece blue suit, a white shirt, a striped tie, a brown hat and his signature dark shades.
Meanwhile, his biography titled Avant-Garde: The Cool Dj Jimmy Jatt story,was presented yesterday. Announcing the completion of the book, co-author, Toni Kan, said: “Every new book comes with its own special feeling, just like every child. You spend months writing and re-writing and then publishers and printers take over. My partner, Peju, and I just took delivery of our latest biography project: Avant-Garde: The Cool Dj Jimmy Jatt story. And it feels mighty good.”
he Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) has unveiled Outdoorable magazine, its trade publication.
The magazine is designed to provide information on the agency’s initiatives and happenings in the Outdoor Advertising sector.
Its Managing Director George Noah said: “The goal of Outdoorable is to provide a platform for accessing information about LASAA and on the latest trends in the outdoor advertising industry, new initiatives and campaigns breaking forth, ideas and institutional development, fundamentals of outdoor advertising practice as well as promote a ‘one corporate culture’ in the industry.”
The glossy publication will be published bi-annually. Noah explained that Outdoorable “will fully represent the Nigerian outdoor advertising industry while reaching a mass audience and readership that cuts across the borders of Nigeria and extends to the rest of Africa and beyond”.
Nollywood actress, Linda Ejiofor, is the cover girl for this month’s edition of Nolly Silver Screen magazine.
Linda, who plays Bimpe in Tinsel, talks about her journey as an actress, her ideal man and plans for the future.
“He has to have a deep relationship with God and have a clear vision first for his life and then for his family. He must have a good sense of humour and nice smell,” she said.
The actress was nominated for an Africa Movie Academy Awards for her role in Rita Dominic’s movie, The Meeting.
The edition also features interviews with Deyemi Okanlawon, O.C. Ukeje, Iretiola Doyle and Adejoke Laoye. “We decided to expand the magazine for our sixth edition. There is so much happening in the industry and it is our job to communicate it. We owe it to our readers to give them more. Varied contents and great designs are some of the things we have done in this edition, which spans 40 pages,” said Isabella Akinseye.
The 3rd Annual Lecture Series/Cocktail Party of Yes Magazine took place recently at the Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos. Dignitaries who graced the occasion included the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa; former Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Muiz Banire; Sir Steve Omojafor; Ras Kimono; Wunmi Obe ;Prince Ifeanyi Dike; Emeka Opara, Director at Airtel, and others.
