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Neymar named best Brazilian in Europe

Barcelona forward, Neymar Jr has won the Samba Gold trophy for the best Brazilian in Europe for the second consecutive year. He garnered 37.8% of votes ahead of Bayern Munich’s Douglas Costa and Felipe Melo.
30 players were shortlisted for the award. And votes were cast by 11 journalists, a set of special guest Brazilian celebrities and former players and over 100,000 online users.

Samba Gold Winners
2008 Kaká (AC Milan)
2009 Luís Fabiano (Sevilla)
2010 Maicon (Inter)
2011 Thiago Silva (AC Milan)
2012 Thiago Silva (PSG)
2013 Thiago Silva (PSG)
2014 Neymar (Barça)
2015 Neymar (Barça)

Photos: Olamide and Don Jazzy settle rift

The feud between YBNL boss, Olamide Adedeji and Mavin Records honcho, Don Jazzy has ended… Peacefully. Apparently they had a meeting, thrashed their issues out  and are now cool.

Donjazzy posted the above picture with the caption below.
We are very sorry for the wahala. Make una no vex ooo. Its is our responsibility to lead but then again we re only human and we all make mistakes. #WeAreSorryHeadies #WeAreSorryFans #PeaceAndUnity #YBNL #SMD #OneLagos #OneNigeria”

Mikel Obi would wish today never ends.

Who saw Chelsea’s game today? I didn’t but the people who did have never stopped recounting Super Eagles midfielder, John Mikel Obi’ sterling performance. They said he shone brightly and singlehandedly took control of the midfield. I took a stroll down Twitter lane, brethren, the encomiums being showered on the Nigerian international are enough to last a lifetime. He earned it… 

It doesn’t matter if he didn’t register his name in the scoresheet or he has netted less than 10 goals for the Blues in his entire career, the most important thing is that he put up a sparkling display and the world stood still for him.
He sent so much shock waves down the spines of football fans around the globe that some even called for a statue to be erected in his honour at Stamford Bridge. The last time I saw Chelsea fans that elated was when they lifted the EPL trophy last season. 

Did I forget to add that a #MikelMania hashtag was created in his honour and he has also been dubbed Africa’s Zinedine Zidane. 

“We have to keep winning games. We need to get back to where we are supposed to be. If we keep performing, we will climb.” The 28 year-old stated in a post-match interview. 

Mikel Obi would love to replicate this performance and even improve on it…. but trust me the spirit is willing… 

On a serious note, wishing him more exploits for club and nation.

Opinion: This Olamide Is A…. | By : Joseph Edgar

As an ‘old man’, I really don’t follow the Headies or popular music so people like Olamide, Lil Kesh and Reekado whatever are just names I hear from my kids or whenever I visit  Blogs. But the high level of indiscipline showed by this Olamide young man cannot go without my comment.
First let me say that the Nigerian music industry has come of age and I personally believe that if it continues at this pace would sufficiently replace Oil as our major revenue earner. I congratulate all its points men, the talents and the money men including sponsors who have walked tirelessly to get the industry to this stage.

But with what I have read and seen on TV about what happened at the Headies leaves me with so much pain. That someone who you think does not deserve the trophy won does not give you the effrontery to pull a ‘kanye’. By the way what is a ‘kanye’? You now did not stop at that you went into a tirade on Twitter throwing carelessly and stupidly all sort of vulgar virtupurations on all your perceived enemies and ended up with the alleged  destruction of the green room.
You see this kind of behavior is very toutish to say the least and does not tell well of this Olamide fellow. There are more gentlemanly ways of registering your protests that would be more damaging to the organizers. A letter to sponsors would have held them in the jugular. I hear Olamide is ‘big’ whatever that means, then he should have relied on his weight to ‘kill’ the Headies. A letter to sponsors stating your disgust and informing them that you are launching a media campaign against their brand for supporting injustice would have gone a long way in redressing whatever injustice you have seen.

But no, you had to fall back to the ‘agbero’ tactics of smashing everything insight and in bad English abuse and curse everybody and everything insight. By blaming Don Jazzy for mentioning your name only shows the height of your cowardice. You went on your tirade without mentioning names, what is that? But Don Jazzy knowing like millions of Nigerians who and what you were referring to took you by your scrawny neck and handled the situation and yes if the car was your problem come and get it.

As an Investment Banker with a bias for the creative industry, I have seen your type flash for three years max and go back into the poverty and darkness you came from. So buying your protege a 2015 Range Rover from proceeds of one single or endorsement without putting down a sustainable plan for securing that artiste future only amounts to fishing in the Sahara Desert.

That Don Jazzy has not allegedly bought a car for his kids does not mean that he is not putting in structures in place to secure their future. I have just designed the Creative Industry Fund which aims at working with Industry People to invest some of these their monies wisely so that when the so called Hits stop coming they can continue to live their lifestyles without having to rush to the public to beg for money to treat Malaria after driving their 2015 Range Rover when the going was good.

I have reached out to a lot of industry honchos and the kind of feedback I have gotten from serious labels have been encouraging. But frivolous labels who prefer the flash of the moment, doing the Kanye and driving 2015 Range have simply just rebuffed the idea leaving themselves exposed to the vagaries of planlessness.

What this episode shows is that there is a high level of illiteracy and non education in the industry and I am concerned. The music industry is great and it’s growing defying all negative economic indices that we are facing in Nigeria today and if people like Olamide who are expected to be the leading lights can have this kind of warped sense of thinking then the industry will be short circuited.

Let me at this juncture say a word to the organizers of the Headies. I have never met with the main man but I have had an opportunity to speak with him on the phone and he came across like someone who knew what he was on about. But the truth is that the kinds of controversy this award show generates annually leaves one with a massive doubt as to his integrity and capacity. If he had lived above board this would not have happened at best it would have been muted. 

The Silverbird group have been organizing beauty pageants for years specially in a field where there is a lot of subjectivity but we hardly  hear of this kinds of allegation. How difficult is it to organize a music award with the public voting? Why do we have to be faced with so much cry of injustice every year? There is no smoke without fire, are these people selling these awards? is it true that Don Jazzy was called to leave the Ali Baba show to come since his person would soon be announced winner? If this is true, then shame to the organizers.
My grouse will definitely go to the sponsors who also do not limit themselves to a high level of integrity when choosing projects to sponsor. You see wishy washy events getting a high level of sponsorships when serious projects cry. I have personally been involved in a theatre production where we begged a beverage company for sponsorship and were dribbled and humiliated and eventually turned down claiming no funds only for them to now go and sponsor a run down comedy show. What I found out was that they took back half of the amount sponsored as kickback, got half the tickets as complimentary and the Promoter now did not have enough money to put up the kind of show he needed to put on. 

So you see where the Headies is having these problems. I suspect the whole thing from its organisation to the sponsorship all reeks of corruption hence the annual fight all culminating in Olamide doing ‘the Kanye.’

To Don Jazzy I am on your side expect you have been implicated in paying for this award, your continued dignified silence is golden. Do not come down to the mud pit that is Olamide and his cohorts and yes if you have been attacked or feel disrespected whether your name is mentioned or not you owe it to yourself and family to defend your honour. If you want to fight, fight. No need of fighting kurukere fight by making strong allegations without mentioning names , that is cowardice.

Finally, the greatest losers in all these is Headies and their sponsors for spoiling and ruining an otherwise wonderful festive period with this tragedy of a show. Shame.

*********************************************************************************Joseph Edgar is an investment banker who writes as a hobby. He comments on trending issues in Nigeria and around the globe from a satirical point of view. He blogs at josephedgarng.blogspot.com

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I will rather invest N10m on Lil kesh's career than Reekado – DJ Timmy

Here’s an open letter to the organisers of the Headies awards in the wake of the messy fight between Olamide and Donjazzy. Written by DJ Timmy.  Please find the details below.
When i wrote my first open letter to Headies on December 29, 2013, the majority opinions I got was that I was correct while others felt I was just an “Attention seeker”. Headies as an award should be credibile and not just over hyped. We have hundreds of award shows every year in Nigeria and they are not as controversial as this one. Headies as an award are still not appreciating certain artiste, producers, entertainers and Dj’s who work 24/7 to make sure they bring out the best. They give us the impression that once you are not nominated or you do not win, you have not started your career;This is a BIG LIE. Over the years, All Ayo Animashaun and HipTv family have proven that it is Money over Integrity and that is why he always ignores the choices of majority of Nigerians or could it be that they innocently dont even know what they are doing?

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I am not here to analyse the faults of headies in full but you can read the other complains on twitter with thehashtag #TheHeadies2015.
Firstly, I noticed your hall was half empty. Your live broadcast that you always brag about had the picture quality of NTA channel 10 and your technical crew were going offline every time things became awkward and they immediately have to switch to “lyrics on the go” to cover up your shame. I watched BET African awards live and Mtv and i can see a very huge difference in all aspects. You still have a lot to learn. Another disturbing fact is that headies as an award is creating bad blood among colleagues in the Nigerian music scene. Headies is the reason why we have not seen collaborations among certain musicians. Tell me why Phyno,Davido, Falz, Solidstar and many other music producers and artiste who have been topping charts this year where not recognized?
Next Rated
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Now Of all the categories, this is the only one worth arguing over.Even though this is not a voting category, I stand by million of Nigerians to say that Lil Kesh or Kiss daniel deserve the award. What are the reasons? Lil Kesh has more hit tracks, Swag, Stage performance, Composure and in the long run Lil Kesh may last longer for years to come. Infact, I will rather invest N10m on Lil kesh career than Reekado’s. That is not to say Reekado is not hardworking or he does not have the talent but lil kesh has that special something. Infact Reekado still does not have any Hit track to date. Yes !!!!! I say that with all sense of authority. Songs like Corner, Sugar baby, Catapult are NOT hit tracks, they are just popular and they could have gone National but they are NOT hit tracks. Dont confuse a popular song with a Hit track. Let me explain, As a DJ if I dont play “Gbese” “Efejoku” “Shoki” “Reggae Blues” “Woju” “Laye” “Godwin” at any party, i will have loads of people coming to request for them but people dont disturb me if i do not play Reekado banks songs. Do you get the point? In fact another proof Reekado still does not own a hit track is that an average Nigerian parent who do not follow music still know songs like “Woju” “Bobo”, “Ojuelegba” and “Efejoku”. While i was writing this, i played reekado’s songs to the older generation and they claimed never to have heard them.
In conclusion

All Nigerian artiste and producers, do not place your hope on the Headies which should now be referred to as “The Leggings”. Do not say because you where not recognized it means you are not trying, keep doing what you are doing and let the Headies keep on doing what they are known for – NONSENSE.. !!! Do not forget to send your insults and blessing to the writer @Baddestdjtimmy and tell me exactly how you feel. I also need someone to clear this please, Don Jazzy said ” The organizers told him to call Reekado to come…So he left Alibaba’s show” Does that mean he knew Reeky was going to win that category? Cynthia Morgan was absent and i am sure the organisers did not tell JudeOkoye to tell Cynthia Morgann to rush down there.”
You be the judge !!!!!
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The Headies: Olamide allegedly destroyed the green room (Photos)

Apparently it didn’t end with the Twitter outbursts. According to Linda Ikeji, Following the announcement of Reekado Banks as the Nextrated winner, last night, at the 2015/2016  edition of the Headies, Olamide allegedly stormed the Headies green room, smashed glasses and turned the whole place upside down…….. all because his protégé, Lilkesh lost that category.

No comment. 

2016 CHAN: Sunday Oliseh unveils 23-man squad.

Super Eagles manager, Sunday Oliseh has unveiled 23-man squad for the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda. A statement by NFF Assistant Director (Communications), Ademola Olajire, said the coach released the team’s final list of 23 players for the championship. The CHAMPIONSHIP will hold from January 16 to February 7, 2016. 

The list also has Enyimba International FC’s winger Ezekiel Bassey, former junior international Ifeanyi Mathew and Sunshine Stars’ trio of Paul Onobi, Prince Aggrey and Tunde Adeniji. Former junior international goalkeeper Femi Thomas, Shooting Stars’ central defender Jamiu Alimi and former Supersand Eagles’ ace Bartholomew Ibenegbu have also been included.’’ 

“There, the squad will stage a 10-day pre-Championship training camp, and play two friendly games against Angola and Cote d’Ivoire, who are also CHAN-bound on January 6 and 11 respectively,’’ the statement said.

The Full List:
Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba International FC); Okiemute Odah (Warri Wolves)
Defenders: Austin Oboroakpo (Abia Warriors); Kalu Okogbue (Rangers International); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Mathew Etim (Rangers); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars); Christopher Maichibi (Giwa FC); Samson Gbadebo (Lobi Stars)

Midfielders: Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba); Yaro Bature (Nasarawa United); Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Warri Wolves); Ibrahim Salau (Shooting Stars)
Forwards: Osas Okoro (Rangers); Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC IfeanyiUbah); Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars).

Top 10 Good Things That Happened in 2015 | By: Etcetera

I have been accused of being too negative in my reviews. You have accused me of ignoring the positives and focusing only on the stupid, the tragic, the evil, the disgusting, the fake and lying entertainers.
OK, my critics: I have heard you. I have repented. What better time to turn a new leaf than the beginning of the year. And this year, instead of dwelling on the negatives, let me start off with a list of the  Top 10 Good Things That Happened in 2015. Are you ready? Ok, here we go.
Actors Guild of Nigeria finally stopped fighting — “Otito dili Chineke” — Before you scream amen, you may want to note that the reason for the truce might be as a result of the acute shortage of crumbs from the presidency. Just six months after Jonathan left office, the guild’s finance was hit by famine. There has been no free money from the presidency and the beautiful thing is that Buhari’s table is not built to let out crumbs. Ibinabo and co. make una no stop the fight ooo…!
Ermmmmm, ermmmmm, Good lord!! I can’t find another good thing from 2015 for number 2?
OK, let me think and get back to you on Good Things from number 3 down to 10. Hmmmm, 2015 had so many negatives that I am having trouble seeing the positives. Living in Nigeria through the second half of 2015 was like being on a plane flown upside-down by an inexperienced pilot who also had the plane flying tilted to a dangerous angle and with a shaky voice pleading with his passengers for more time to “change” the situation.
Am I saying that 2015 was the worst year ever in Nigeria? Yes I am saying it was worse than 1969, the year that kwashiorkor killed so many people in the country as a result of the civil war.
Yes, I said it. Because back then at least the survivors of the civil war were not exposed to months of which the news media focused only on the question of whether the president will, or will not, appoint his cabinet with each day or make another blunder.
We actually saw it all in 2015. This was the year when our president addressed the German chancellor as the president of West Germany. This was the year when the “lying” epidemic of politicians, which was already horrendous, somehow got even worse. Did Dasuki say President Buhari got two bullet proof cars plus some cool cash from the money he is being charged of embezzling? My question is, when did President Buhari receive this gift from Dasuki? Was it before or after he declared his assets? If it was before, then how come they weren’t included as part of his assets? 2015 was indeed the year of the lying politicians.
Now let me think deeply! What other good thing happened in Nigeria in 2015? Hmmmm ok, I think I have found something.
We didn’t hear much from Tiwa Savage last year. “Oh sorry” she showed us her baby bump. Yes! A baby bump is all we saw from Tiwa last year. Ok, let’s get things straight here, Tiwa in her usual desperate attempt to be in the news wanted us to see her baby through her skin. Madam, we don’t have microscopic eyes naa — and to think that you have resorted to some Michael Jackson sh*t, hiding the same baby from the same public you so desperately wanted to see your swollen stomach is straight-outta dumb.
And as if Tiwa’s baby drama wasn’t bad enough, this was the year Asa chose to do the smelliest collabo of her career with Korede Bello and to crown 2015 as the year of music smellos, Chidinma made it crystal clear to everyone that she no longer needed the bulk of her fan base, chasing them away with the release of one crappy song after another. And why is Chidinma trying so hard to sound like Cynthia Morgan?
Oops!! Did I say Cynthia Morgan? But sincerely, between Jude Engees Okoye and Joy Tongo, whoever took the decision that the “bad-gyal” personality works better for her should have a rethink. Cynthia, you know I love you **wink** – but please leave the nose ring and red hair for Afro Candy.
Hahahahaha where’s Omoni Oboli? The minute Sai baba got sworn into office, premiering movies at the presidential villa went through the window… Aso Rock cinema is now officially closed until further notice. Sai baba nor get time for sme-sme or blue skimpy gowns and heavy makeup. But come to think of it Sister Omoni Oboli, when is your next movie coming out? Or are you still in search of a venue for the premiere? Pen-cinema Agege is available ooo!Lmaooooo!
At this point, I know you are saying: “Ahan Etcetera! Surely there were some positives from 2015 now! – Ok, maybe Jonathan brought a semblance or something close to democracy with freedom of speech and passing of the Freedom of Information bill into law but before we could start having rational, open-minded conversations about issues concerning the country, BOOOMMM!!! the lawmakers moved to gag social media.
Whoever is suggesting that 2015 was a good year for Nigerians must be high. Yes, you must be very high! And I intend to join you in that ‘highness’ later this evening at my usual joint. But before then, let me take you back to some more hideous realities of 2015.
This was the year the prayers of the chickens, goats, cows and rams got answered as Nigerians couldn’t afford to slaughter them for the festivities. This was the year of the worst Christmas ever for Nigerians.
The picture of former President Goodluck Jonathan kneeling before the Obas asking for their blessing was one of the most embarrassing sights of 2015. Jonathan went into the elections with the worst set of advisers. As president, the Obas are below you. You don’t go kneeling before them for any reason.
Davido and his baby mama brought the year to an epic end with a splendid display of fireworks at the airport. This is exactly the type of shows we see when artists fail to use condoms.
Happy New Year everyone!!!

Opinion: Don Jazzy, Olamide and the 'Hyundai Skelemba'-Taking It To A Bank | By : Charles Novia.

The Headies 2015 ( which ironically held on the first day of 2016) was an anti-climax after that.
And perhaps the public tantrums of both Don Jazzy and Olamide were the highlights of what was before then an above average telecast with glaring lapses which could have been remedied with more precision.
When the artistes nominated in the ‘Next Rated..’ category were shown in a mini-documentary somewhere in the show, taking photo-ops in the Hyundai SUV and pleading for votes from their fans so as to win the prize, I told myself after seeing the earnest expectations on their faces that this category would surely be competitive but would have some bad blood drawn thereafter.
The visuals of the four nominated acts seated side-by-side in the hall thereafter, being interviewed by the Hip TV Presenter just before the category was announced also showed an unease amongst them even if they were trying to put up aloof facades.
Korede Bello, Kiss Daniel, L’il Kesh and Reekado Banks. Four nominees in perhaps the ‘closest-to-call’ category in The Headies ever. Looking at the list, they each had hits in 2015. But in my personal opinion ( which I’m entitled to, innit?) I would have pruned the list at the final stage to just two; Korede Bello and Kiss Daniel.

‘Godwin’ was probably the biggest song of 2015, transcending both the secular and gospel charts and finding resonance all across Africa. How could such a song not get the artiste a winner in that category? On the other hand, ‘Woju’ by Kiss Daniel was another monster hit in 2015 which certainly would have won him that prize without raising eyebrows.

With due respect to Reekado Banks, I don’t think his ‘ Katapot’ track was that much of a phenomenal hit in 2015 but it was a good track. And L’il Kesh too, who was touted by Olamide as having back to back hits in 2015 ( by his reckoning) stood a chance as well but I would say a misfit of personal branding by the YBNL team for Kesh might have added to his loss in that category. Club and dance hits are different from acclaimed general hits when it comes to the brass tacks and ‘Gbese Re’ was huge on the club and dance circuits but can’t be termed a huge hit compared to Korede’s and Kiss’
Thus, when Reekado won, I was one of the surprised folks watching on television. Obviously this didn’t go down well with Olamide, on whose label Kesh is signed on to and he went on a profane and perhaps alcohol-induced rant onstage a few minutes later, calling out the organisers and storming off the stage thereafter.

Don Jazzy, the acclaimed Producer, who is the Head Huncho at Mavin Records which has Reekado as one of its acts, picked up the gauntlet a few minutes after while receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award and called out Olamide. He asked Olamide to come take the car won by Reekado and stormed out of the awards with his crew.
Olamide later went on twitter to rant more expletives on Don Jazzy.

Both artistes were wrong on many fronts. For Olamide, his open inebriation on stage calls for much questioning of his public conduct when he’s not in performance mode. As he boasts in his songs, he might have packed halls and swayed trends in the past year but trying a Kanye West onstage at The Headies was ill-advised. One should ask this question ( which I will also throw at Don Jazzy later as well) that if L’il Kesh had back to back hits as Olamide claimed, why didn’t YBNL deem it fit to buy him a car ( if he hasn’t any) all these months?

And Don Jazzy too should have stuffed it when he said that he had told Korede and Reekado not to bother themselves about the car if they didn’t win because he would buy them a car. Really? Did he mean to tell us that with all the shows and endorsements both acts had last year under his management, there wasn’t any ‘change’ left to buy his acts cars?
If that’s the case, something is wrong somewhere.

Don Jazzy screwed up though by calling out Olamide in his speech especially as Olamide never mentioned his name. But to a discerning mind, it seems those two had festering issues before last night and that incident was the last straw.
Mutual discontent and petty misgivings are common in the entertainment industry. I am never fooled by put-on smiles and show of camaderie most times by artistes as they are human like everyone else. What sets off animousities are usually a struggle for a space on top; a definition of ambitious egos or just plain loathing for petty reasons.

The struggle and not the hustle is what is real. Territorial dominance and egotistical relevance.
The major beneficiary from all this, in spite of the furore over the winner, is Hyundai. The brand now has more exposure than it bargained for and everyone would remember the brand for months to come. No publicity is bad at all in this regard for them.
To think that Don Jazzy and Olamide did a collabo a couple of years back and an anaemic one too, in my opinion. A song which didn’t make sense and was soon forgotten as soon as it came out.

With the storm over this award and the degenerative posibilities it portends, one can only suggest to Hyundai to come out with a new model inspired by this.
And calling that model ‘Hyundai Skelemba’ won’t be a bad idea.
The sales might just be something the company can ‘bank’ on.
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