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FAMILY, FRIENDS&COLLEAGUES CELEBRATE WITH MERCY AIGBE AS SHE TURNS A YEAR OLDER

Actress, Mercy Aigbe was treated to a birthday party bash yesterday January 1, 2014 by her hubby Olanrewaju Gentry. The event which was held at La Veronique hotel had some of her family, colleagues and friends in attendance

Attendees include Doris Simeon, Toyin Aimakhu and hubby, Biodun Okeowo, Iyabo Ojo, Mide Martins-Owo, Femi Ogedengbe etc

Additional pictures by Movie Moments

"AN OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIA'S NEW GENERATION"- FUNMI IYANDA

(Award-winning journalist cum broadcaster, Funmi Iyanda penned and delivered this brilliant Keynote at ThinkOyo 30under30 awards held December last year). Thoroughly enjoyed the piece, you should too.

The thing about age is, it is catching. It’s like a hysterical jester lying in wait for the fool. I want to tell you about Mrs Okoro. Before l turned nine, school was a vaguely irritating distraction from the pursuit of happiness in play and adventure. Every school day, I’d wear my red checked dress and burgundy beret uniform and passively submit to school.

l was not a rebellious child. I was a bored
child who daydreamed through classes until lunch when the school served asaro and chicken with bananas and ground nuts as snacks. That was until l got to Mrs Okoro’s class. Mrs Okoro made letters become words, words which became stories, stories which became my life. I loved her dearly, perhaps it was transference as l’d recently lost my mother but at nine, l started going to school because she was there.
One day walking out the gates after school, l saw Mrs Okoro getting into a bus
ahead of me so l ran across the road to get into the same bus. I didn’t bother checking for traffic. The next thing l remember is thinking heaven looked rather like Akoka road. I had been hit by a car and was staring up at the
concerned faces of Mrs Okoro and others. The driver was distraught; he was a student at Unilag and in the moment before pain cut through my adrenalin, l remember being happy l had been hit by a grand university student not some infernal danfo bus driver.

He took me to the university health centre where the nurses gave me a large cone of ice cream to comfort me before treating me and putting me in the big university bus home. My heart was swollen with pride as the shiny big bus
drove down our dirt street in Bariga. Not a dime was exchanged, no one called
my father at work, there were no mobile phones and we had no phone at home. There was no need; the system took care of me. It was Nigeria 1980.

Recently on my way out of Nigeria, the Murtala Mohammed airport was thrown into chaos, people were sweating and swearing, passengers stranded as all electronic equipment had stopped working. The place stank because there was no water to clean the toilets. I watched the white airline crew walk by with barely contained derision as they
gingerly sidestepped the mess. The problem wasn’t that there was no electricity at the airport, that’s normal; it was that someone had not supplied the
diesel to run one of the generators.

I sat in a corner, observing people; those
who fascinated me most were the band of men, mid thirties to late forties, Nigeria’s emerging business and political elite. I recognised them by their Louis
Vuitton luggage, logo jacket and velvet slippers, disguising their social anxiety with an unabated desire for the pointless. Seemingly oblivious to their environment, they strutted about
backslapping and rolling their r’s, being cocky, rude and dismissive to everyone.

What stuck me most about these preening peacocks though, was their total lack of shame at the state of things. They are the band of new-Africa-rising, proudly Nigerian jingoists, living in a glass bubble as far removed from the Nigerian reality as you can get. For them patriotism is not a recognition of failure and a determination to redress it, but a slogan to be worn, tweeted or liked.
Later on, crammed into a rather unsanitary first class lounge, I watched them posturing for furtive young female travelling companions, clearly under
instructions to pretend not to know them.
The odd thing is that these are no corn farmers made good from my native Ida ogun, these lounge dwellers are very well educated and uncommonly well travelled Nigerians. A defective fraction of the immense amount of brainpower. and knowledge Nigeria has produced. They help prevent their peers fulfilling
their potential and a pool of brilliant thinkers, explorers, scientists, innovators and artists is lost, squandered by a nation that strangulates its best.
I often hear foreigners perplexedly comment that Nigerians are some of the best educated, urbane and confident black people they have ever met, so how
come the country is so, well, Shit? One reason staring them in the face is that, the best-educated, urbane and confident elite they delight in meeting has failed us. The question therefore should be, what is it about the country that makes it impossible for its bright, hard working, resource rich population to organise itself into collective prosperity? What is it that turns some of Nigeria’s brightest technocrats into hand wringing, head-scratching incompetents when they achieve power?

You see, Nigeria was founded as an economic proposition to collect and remit resources to the empire, with the British government entrenching a feudal, centralized, western-education-phobic elite in the North and a westernized, Judeo-Christian, anglicised elite in the south. On departure, these elites with their distinct cultural differences but. common goal of avarice became the
new imperialists.
Imbued with a servitude underpinned by self-loathing and a voracious appetite to mimic their former bosses, they confused westernisation for civilisation and like all counterfeiters concentrated on the surface of things. Thus, to their thinking, the more resources of the land they could coral, the more trappings of the west they could possess and the more civilised they could become.

That unwelcome process continues today. For this elite, the rest of their kith and kin fill them with unease and even disgust and they condemn them to poverty and a passive consumption of other people’s science, innovations, religions, art and technology as though such achievements are beyond us. They also condemn their own children to future poverty not just material but emotional and cultural.

Notably the stolen wealth hardly outlives the first generation. Each time the elite is replaced, it is by a new generation similarly afflicted and culturally insecure
with the same desire to fraudulently acquire a large share of the common wealth themselves. This is self-loathing in action. It is a terminal disease. Our common humanity and civilisation should be guaranteed by carefully protected, ever evolving structures, systems and processes, which reflect all our highest values and aspirations. Kajola ni Yoruba
nwi. The system designed by the British was to serve the big empire. It was not designed to work for us and never will.
We all know this and every so often the government of the day will propose a state sponsored jamboree to endlessly chew the cud of that vexatious issue of
reform, only to artfully spit it out when the people are sufficiently distracted by the increasingly circus-like, mad-max dystopia we are living through. The dysfunction at Nigeria’s heart remains because it serves the interests of whichever big man muscles or cheats his way into power. (Note; I said man, the
system will never allow for a woman, at least not a woman who won’t do the needful.)
But what about the people? What about the youth? The subtext of Obasanjo’s recent letter to Jonathan is what they used to call two fighting boy and boy in
the streets of Shomolu. The people can sense this it is not their fight; they are as disconnected from the elite as the elite are from them. They know their place is to submit and dream. They want to be the next big cat. They have no real
distaste for those who have stolen their future; often they just want to replace them. The grudging admiration seeping through their envy fuelled whimpers of protest reveals fragile egos easily stroked by association with those who
have raped them, then thrown them a bit of Vaseline and warm towels.
They desire to be the ones at the airport with the designer bags and unplaceable accent. The one’s who are gearing up to follow the path of those before
them. To flaunt luxuries but live in situations so far removed from the vision of life those luxuries where designed for. When Karl Lagerfeld designs each Chanel bag he cannot possibly envisage it may end up in a place where the carrier can be dragged out of a car and raped in daylight with witnesses and no repercussions. Yes that happened.
The baubles do not make us civilised, a country built on a political structure that allows the creativity, innovation, and
talent of all to thrive does. Nigeria in 1980 was by no means a perfect place but would my counterpart in Shomolu today have a Mrs Okoro or such access to public health care? Let us sound a warning to our “betters,” as they push
and pull the country one way and another in their hustle; it is untenable, there will be a snapping, one, which no
one can predict. So what shall we do? What will the young intellectual elite of today do differently?
A youth cultural revolution of ideology and values perhaps? Jettison the hypocrisy, the pseudo religious, anti women, anti children, anti poor patriarchy. Turn away from the bigotry, the megalomania, and the cultural bravado. Free yourselves and your future
Speak the truth to power and each other not just on twitter, to face. Refuse to participate in the racket, the hustle, and the lie. Be better than that which is on offer.
Thatcher, a deeply polarising figure, but outstanding leader once said; “Watch your thoughts for they become words. Watch your words for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become habits. Watch your habits for they become your character. And watch your character for it becomes your
destiny. What we think, we become. “
Start now before you become the company CEO, the minister, the commissioner, the senator. Lead from
within and without. Abraham Lincoln once said of citizens desiring change; make me. Make your elders and leaders take you seriously. Help the few good men and women in power by showing there is a generation who can and will stand with them. Insist on the structural and constitutional changes that which will free our collective creativity, innovation, science, ideas and culture.
Civilisation is neither westernisation nor exclusive to other climes. It is building a society on values and institutions designed to protect not the strongest but the weakest as we are only as strong, as honourable, as respected and valued as the sum of our weakest parts.
Now what? My job is to tell stories with context, sometimes l don’t know the end.

Write your own ending. Shape history.

WHO WINS CAF'S BEST AFRICAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD?

The 5-man CAF finalists list has been whittled down. We now have 3 distinguished footballers vying for the 2013 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards, best African player of the year category. They include Nigeria/Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi; Ivorian pair, Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure.
Winners will be announced during a colour gala in Lagos on January 9.
CATEGORIES
1) BEST AFRICAN PLAYER
– Mikel Obi
– Yaya Toure
– Didier Drogba
2) NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR
– Burkina Faso
– Ethiopia
– Nigeria
(3) BEST COACH OF THE YEAR
– Manu Garba (Nigeria)
– Paul Put (Burkina Faso)
– Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)
(4) CLUB OF THE YEAR
Al Ahly
CS Sfaxien
Orlando Pirates
(5) HOPE OF THE YEAR
– Ebenezer Assifuah (Ghana)
– Saleh Gomaa (Egypt)
– Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria)
(6) REFEREE OF THE YEAR
– Alioum Nil (Cameroon)
– Papa Gassama (Gambia)
– Haimoudi Djamel (Algeria)
(7) LEGENDS OF THE CAF
– Mehdi Faria (Morocco)
– Bruno Metsu (France / Senegal)
CAF Platinum Award
Supporters of Nigeria
Young National Team of the Year
Nigeria U17

READ: JOSEPH BENJAMIN MEANS SERIOUS BUSINESS

Hello, thinking of approaching actor Joseph Benjamin for some free jobs? Don't even go there. The TV show host has made it clear to everyone via a BB broadcast that he isn't ready to render any of his services free anymore. According to him he has serious bills to pay just like everyone. Read his message

"Happy New Year folks, glad we all had a seamless crossover into the new year. It is new year, things take a turn for the better. Change is constant. We should all desire to grow and achieve as much as

God desires for us. Please permit me to share this general announcement: Please don't ask me to do things pro bono for you, or your organization/magazine

/newspaper/etc, unless you fancy being let down, personally.

I have serious bills to pay, just like the rest of y'all, so if you want to hire my services, we can talk, but otherwise, don't even think about approaching me – the time for me to pump up my resume with the fleeting thrill of being a good samaritan is over unless you pay for it. I repeat over! And nope- no friendship calls as far as business is concerned. Thanks, I have to draw the margin somewhere, and since this last yearly quarter seems to be the one where I've been asked the most for free expertise, let me reiterate once and for all: nothing in the world is free, my expertise being the least amongst them."

GHANA MOVIE AWARDS: FULL LIST OF WINNERS

The 2013 edition of the Ghana Movie Awards took place on Monday, December 30, 2013 at the Accra International Conference Center. Below are list of winners
(1) BEST AFRICAN COLLABORATION (BEST ACTOR)Contract  -Hlomla Dandala – WINNER
Number One Fan – Yemi Black
Finding Mercy- Desmond Elliot
House of Gold -Francis Odega
Volunteers – Bobby Obodo
(2) BEST AFRICAN COLLABORATION (BEST ACTRESS) Nse Ikpe Etim- Purple Rose
Rita Dominic –Finding Mercy
Omawumi Meglele- House of Gold
Ivie Okujaye- Volunteers
Patience Ozokwor – Slave Boy WINNER(3) BEST ORIGINAL SCOREIvan Ayitey- Contract
Berni Anti –House of Gold – WINNER
Shaun Burdick- Northern Affair(4) WRITING- ADAPTED OR ORIGINAL SCREENPLAYContract–by Herty Owusu and Shirley Frimpong-Manso WINNER
House of Gold – by Pascal Amanfo
Northern Affair – by Leila Djansi
The Pledge– by Benjamin Dwomoh
Cheaters- by Frank Rajah(5) PRODUCTION DESIGNA) Okomfo Anokye OKOMFO ANOKYE – Production design- Brinks Abdullai, Set decoration- Bismark Gyamerah
B) The Pledge– Production design-D.J Vegas, Set decoration-Ghana Armed forces – WINNER
C) Northern Affair- Production design-Tony Tomety, Set decoration- Palm Gottfried
D) Contract- Production design-Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Set decoration- Ken Attoh
E) House of Gold- Production design-Pascal Amanfo, Set decoration- Bismark Nii Odoi
(6) EDITINGNorthern Affair -Dave Goldberg (WINNER)
Contract -Nana Akua Manso
Nkuli -Afra Marley
House of Gold -Okey Benson
The Hunter -Enoch Opoku(7) MUSIC- ORIGINAL SONGA) One Night Vegas  -Music and lyrics by Kobby Maxwell
B) Okomfo Anokye – Music and lyrics by Abena Fosua
C) House of Gold – Music and lyrics by Berni Anti and Mercy Chinwo
D) Northern Affair  -Music and lyrics by Jon Germain and Kofi Aykeame (WINNER)
E) Contract- Music and lyrics by-Raquel(8) PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLEKwadwo Nkansah (Lilwin)- Time Changes (WINNER)
Henry Adofo Asiedu- House of Gold
Jon Germain – Northern Affairs
Van Vicker- One Night in Vegas
Edward Agyekum Kufuor –The Pledge(9) PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLELydia Forson- Volunteers
Lisa Nana yaa Awuku- Nkuli
Rose Mensah- (Kyeiwaa)- Time Changes
Roselyn Ngissah- The Pledge
Joselyn Dumas- Northern Affair (WINNER)
(10) PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLEJohn Dumelo- Northern Affair (WINNER)
Kofi Adu (Agya Koo)- Okomfo Anokye
Adjetey Annang- The Hunters
James Gardiner- Nkuli
Majid Michel-The Price
(11) PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLEJackie Appiah- Cheaters (WINNER)
Yvonne Okoro-Contract
Maame Serwaa – School Girl
Yvonne Nelson- The Price
Sonia Ibrahim- Number One Fan(12) MAKE UP AND HAIR STYLISTBarima Nye Sunye – Jude Odeh (WINNER)
Purple Rose – Lydia Ashietey
The Price- Foreal Mensah
House of Gold -Joyce Mensah
(13) SOUND MIXING & EDITINGContract- Mawuli Tofah
House of Gold- Berni Anti
Northern Affair- Shaun Burdick (WINNER)
One Night in Vegas- Black Tim(14) SHORT MOVIECampus Scandals
Galamsey (WINNER)
Hospitals
(15) BEST PICTURENorthern Affair (WINNER)
Contract
Hunter
House of Gold
One Night in Vegas
Number One Fan
Purple Rose
The Pledge
Finding Mercy
Okomfo Anokye (16) CINEMATOGRAPHYContract- Ken Attoh
House of gold – valee Dakup
Number one fan -Anankwa Samuel and
Moses Inwang
Huter – Adam Omar
Northern affair- Aaron Wong – WINNER(17) DIRECTINGHunter-frank rajah
Contract – Shirley Frimpong Manso –
WINNER
Okomfo Anokye – Frank Gharbin
House of gold- Pascal Amanfo
Northern Affair- Leila Djansi – WINNER
(18) COSTUME AND WARDROBEHouse of gold -Gloria Ogwu
Pledge -Augustine tsunami and Ghana
armed forces
Hunter – Samira Yakubu
Okomfo Anokye – George Atobrah – WINNER
Northern affair – Marbel Dawusu

STEPHEN KESHI UNVEILS CHAN SQUAD

Super Eagles' Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has unveiled the list of 23 players who will represent Nigeria at the third edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), scheduled to hold from January 11- Febr 1, 2014 in three South African cities. Nigeria will face South Africa, Mali and Mozambique in Group A of the 2014 tournament.

GOAL-KEEPERS

Chigozie Agbim (Rangers International); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC); Dele Alampasu (Abuja Football College)

DEFENDERS

Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Francis Benjamin (Heartland FC); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars); Ikechukwu Gabriel (Bayelsa United); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars); Bright Esieme (Enyimba International); Erhun Obanor (Bendel Insurance FC)

MIDFIELDERS

Ugonna Uzochukwu (Rangers); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC); Ikenna Hilary (Sunshine Stars); Abdullahi Shehu (Kano Pillars); Joshua Obaje (Warri Wolves)

FORWARDS

Ejike Uzoenyi (Rangers); Gbolahan Salami (Shooting Stars); Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars); Aliyu Ibrahim (Nasarawa United); Christian Obiozor (Rangers); Ifeanyi Ede (Enyimba International)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 14 INSPIRING QUOTES TO START 2014

Yessss! We finally made it to a brand new experience, another great 12-page book has been opened. It’s 2014; our year of unlimited breakthrough and exceedingly great miracles. Happy New year people! We are going higher. May this year bring opportunities your way, turn your dreams to reality and efforts into achievements. Wishing you, your family and loved ones a productive and great 2014! Here are 14 inspiring quotes to kick-start the year on a positive note.

(1) “For a new year to bring you something new, make a move, like a butterfly tearing its cocoon! Make a move!” —Mehmet Murat Ildan
(2) “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it.” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(3) “Maybe this year, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives not looking for flaws, but looking for potential.” —Ellen Goodman

(4) “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” —Mark Twain
(5) “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing
Something.” —Neil Gaiman

(6) “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” Oprah Winfrey
(7) “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” Edith Lovejoy Pierce
8) “The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.” G.K. Chesterton

(9) “Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.” Goran Persson
(10) “Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” Helen Keller
(11) “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” – Albert Einstein

(12) “What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(13) “You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands – your own.” – Mark Victor Hansen
(14) “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

5 NIGERIAN MOVIES TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2014

It’s my list of 5 Nigerian movies to watch out for in 2014. These are films with mind-blowing trailers, classic behind-the-scene photos and top-flight cast and crew. Trust me, these are films the public will wait for with bated breath next year.

(1) Half of a Yellow Sun- When the first trailer came out, we were all taken by surprise over how good this movie looks so far. The film explores the effect of the Biafran war on the relationship between political figures, a Professor, a British Citizen and a houseboy. Directed by renowned Nigerian Playwright Biyi Bandele. The cast include international actress, Thandie Newton, Dominic Cooper, Onyeka Onwenu, Genevieve Nnaji, Chiwetel Ejiofor and so on.

(2) October 1- Did anyone see the location pictures of Kunle Afolayan’s new film titled October 1? Oh well, you need to google if you missed out. The award-winning actor is such an intriguing film-maker and he’s the type who takes his time to produce classic movies. Interestingly, the film has gotten an award before it’s release date; it recently won the International Movie Trailer’s Festival’s (IMTF) award in the Best Fiction Trailer Category. October 1 cast include Sadiq Daba, Kehinde Bankole, Kayode Aderupoko, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Bimbo Manuel, Ibrahim Chatta, Femi Adebayo, Kunle Afolayan, David Bailie, Nick Rhys, Colin David Reese, Lawrence Stubbings and Ifayemi Elebuibon etc.

(3) Dazzling Mirage- seasoned film-maker Tunde Kelani’s middle name is blockbuster, anything he touches seem to turn to gold. Dazzling Mirage tells the story of a young sickle-cell patient who
overcomes social stigma and prejudice to achieve her dreams. Dazzling Mirage features Kemi (Lala) Akindoju, Kunle Afolayan, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Seun Akindele, Taiwo Ajai Lycett, Bimbo
Manuel, Carol King, Khabirat Kafidipe, Bukola Awoyemi among others.

(4) Unconditional- The buzz that surrounded Uche Jombo’s yet-to-be-released film, ‘Unconditional’ makes it a must-watch for me next year . The movie tells the story of a woman whose 8 month old child was stolen, and her struggle to get the child back 11 years later, after she was found. The flick features, Uche Jombo, Dakore Egbuson, Annie Macaulay Idibia, Lepacious Bose, Ruth Kadiri and others.

(5) Father Moses- asides being a popular face on screen, Yomi Fabiyi is also a fantastic producer and that’s evident in his new movie, Father Moses. The film will also rule the cinemas next year. It tells the story of a Catholic Church with diverse families; The Governor, a Revered father and Adaobi. It features Jide Kosoko, Ini Edo, Desmond Elliot, Yomi Fabiyi, Hafeez Oyetoro, Kemi Afolabi etc

THANK YOU EVERYONE! IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING YEAR

It's been an amazing 365 days, so before this year signs out, I want to take some time and really appreciate you ALL; my esteemed readers who have kept this blog running. As we approach the New Year, my overriding emotion is profound gratitude for your support; for stopping by to read my posts and making comments.

To my clients and contributors; God bless you abundantly. May your pockets never run dry! Thanks for considering this platform one of the best to put your stories on, Thanks for believing in me. Your words of encouragement are immensely appreciated.

This year, I got a couple of emails from people asking if they could send articles for publishing. 2014 is going to be a super fruitful year, if you want to contribute your writeups, would be posting lots of stories next year. Feel free to email them to me. (Note: articles must be meaningful and not be more than 5 paragraphs). You can write on a variety of topics; sports, health, relationship, etc.

Thank you everyone! You're the BEST!!!

LOLADEVILLE EXCLUSIVE: 13 PEOPLE, ISSUES OR EVENTS THAT SHAPED NIGERIA IN 2013

As we bid 2013 goodbye and approach the new year with new vigor and optimism, Loladeville blog (LVB) brings to you 13 events, issues or people that shook the tiers of Nigeria in 2013. From the unforgettable AFCON victory to the heart-wrenching Associated Airline crash, these are 13 news stories that are worth reviewing before the year rolls over.
  (1) Bisi Komolafe and Goldie’s death- the news of the untimely passing of a very vibrant actress, Bisi Komolafe broke on January 1st, 2013; the period the world was busy celebrating the New Year, exchanging messages, filling their hearts with new hopes and reaching out for new opportunities. She had been in admission for months and was responding well to treatment, Bisi’s death sent shock waves into many spines. A month after she was buried, another bad news filtered in. Free-spirited, friendly and hardworking singer, Susan ‘Goldie’ Harvey died few hours after returning from a trip in the US (Grammy Awards to be precise). She reportedly died in the arms of her best friend Denrele Edun at Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island. The death of these young, promising, ambitious and talented celebrities shocked not a few people this year.
  (2) African Cup of Nations (AFCON) – the most touching part of the AFCON story is that nobody gave  the  team any chance but they braced up, fought hard and went all the way to win the coveted prize. The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated the Stallions of Burkina Faso 1-0 on January 13, 2013 in Johannesburg to win the 29th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. It was the third time Nigeria will be crowned African champions after 1980 and Tunisia’94.
  (3) Endorsement deals- 2013 was indeed an amazing year for most Nigerian artistes as companies mostly telecommunication giants rolled out a good number of endorsement deals to A-list celebrities. Roll call of artistes who smiled to the bank include D’banj, Waje, Omawunmi, Lynxx, MI, Chidynma, Naeto C, Lagbaja, Bez, and Flavour, Iyanya, Olamide, Funke Akindele, Ufuoma Ejenebor, Praiz, Kcee, Wande Coal, Don Jazzy, Seyi Shay. Iyanya for example raked in over N100m from 3 different endorsement deals.
 (4) Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde- The Quintessential Nollywood actress needs no introduction. Omosexy has fondly called is unarguably one of the strongest brands in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde added another feather to her cap, this year when she made the 2013 Time 100 world’s Icon list, as one of the most influential people in the world comprising artistes and athletes, leaders and titans and icons.. Here’s what TIME said about the super-talented curvy actress.
“Called OmoSexy by her fans, she has made 300 or so features, from the 1996 Mortal Inheritance to the 2010 superproduction Ijé, shot partly on location in Los Angeles. Married to an airline pilot she wed on a flight from Lagos to Benin, Jalade- Ekeinde brings a juggler’s grace to her roles as actress, singer, reality-show star, mother of four and philanthropist (the Omotola Youth Empowerment Programme). Success hasn’t spoiled Africa’s most renowned leading lady. Rather than going Hollywood, Omotola wants to stay Nollywood.”
(5) Mo Abudu – She goes for everything she wants at break neck speed and works hard at making things happen. Her Moments with Mo programme is the first syndicated daily talk show on African regional television. Mosunmola Abudu has gained acclaim for professionalism and drive.
She recorded a landmark success this year after she launched Ebonylife TV (Africa’s First Global Black Multi-Broadcast Network) on July 1st, 2013. Described as a woman revolutionizing pay TV in Africa. In October 2013, the trail-blazer made The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural
25 most powerful women in Global TV list.
 (6) Blessing Okagbare- First Bank ambassador and Nigeria’s Queen of the tracks brought glory to Nigeria and herself in 2013. Earlier this year, she
picked up two medals at the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) championships in Moscow. The 25 year-old Delta indigene helped Nigeria end her 14-year medal drought at the championships, she also became the only Nigerian athlete ever to have won the national championships five times. It will be recalled that in July 2013, she set a new African record at the Women’s 100 metres record at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games in London. Now all hopes are pinned on her to win gold in the 100 metres, 200 metres and women’s long jump at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
On November 27 2013, she clinched two awards (Track and Field Star of the Year, Sports Woman of the Year) at the Nigerian Sports Awards. She was also presented a N3m cheque by President Goodluck Jonathan and also considered for a national honour.
 (7) ASUU Strike – needless to say is one of the issues that have always plagued the Nigerian education system. Members of the union embarked upon an indefinite strike on July 1st 2013 to press home demands for implementation of agreement reached with the Federal Government in 2009, few institutions who pulled out of the strike had their classes disrupted and some of the officials harassed. Well, rather than engage in untoward activities, some Nigerian students saw the strike as an opportunity for financial empowerment; those who didn’t learn one trade or the other took up temporary jobs. The strike was later called off early this month after a marathon meeting held at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State. ASUU and the federal government will meet again in 2014 to resolve the last remaining issues.
 (8) Associated Airline Crash- Nigeria witnessed a tragedy on October 3, 2013 when an Associated Aircraft conveying the corpse of former Governor of Ondo State, Chief Olusegun Agagu from Lagos to Akure for burial, crashed less than 10 minutes after it took off at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos. 13 out of the 20 persons on board lost their lives in the tragedy, while seven others survived. Surprisingly, the casket bearing the remains of Late Olusegun Agagu was brought out unscathed. Ondo State former Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Deji Falae; Olatunji Okusanya, Executive Director, MIC undertakers, his son Tunji jnr&four members of staff, to mention a few lost their lives in the ill-fated plane. May their souls find repose. Amen.
  (9) Stephen Keshi- the success story of the current Super Eagles team will be incomplete without ample space being accorded the Super Eagles Head Coach- Stephen Keshi; a major participant in Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations victory and qualification for the World Cup finals in Brazil. The 51 year-old who was appointed coach of the team in November 2011 following the dismissal of Samon Siasia helped Nigeria end her 19-year wait for her third Cup of Nations. The ex Nigerian forward is the first Nigerian to win the Cup of Nations as coach. His hardwork and passion for the team hasn’t gone unnoticed& from what we’ve seen so far, he’s deeply committed to building and maintaining a strong, formidable team for Nigeria.
  (10) Oga at the Top- the massively popular interview of NSCDC Commandant, Obafaiye Shem with Channels TV is one that cannot be forgotten in a hurry. Infact it emerged one of the most-watched youtube videos of 2013 in Nigeria. What was considered to be a national embarrassment became the subject of jokes and an anthem on the lips of both old and young for some time. The “my oga at the top” mantra went viral to the extent that t-shirts and face caps with the insignia were produced.
   
(11) U-17 World Cup- Nigeria recorded another huge victory on Fri November 8, 2013 at Abu Dhabi. The Golden Eaglets won the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup and also set a new world record of highest number of goals scored during the tournament; they netted a total of 26 goals. Nigeria has now won the competition four times (1985, 1993, 2007 and 2013).
 
 (12) 2face, Peter Okoye and Tiwa Savage’s weddings- Although so many celebrities tied the knot this year but you’ll agree that some ceremonies stood out. After his shocking proposal to his fiancee on Feb 14, 2012; 2face Idibia and Annie decided to make it official this year, their superlative wedding was held in Dubai on March 30th, 2013. Peter ‘Psquare’ Okoye/Lola Omotayo and Tiwa Savage/Tunji TeeBillz Balogun’s strictly-by-invitation tradition wedding ceremonies took place at the same venue; The Ark Vicinity, located at Okunade Bluewater, Lekki, on November 17th and 23rd 2013. Dunno much about Peter’s white wedding for now but Tiwa’s will take place in Maldives next year.
 
 (13) Open Letters- December 2013 was indeed the month of open letters. The first open letter penned by former president Olusegun Obasanjo was directed to the incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan. Few days later, GEJ replied. The most shocking letter was the one written by Iyabo Obasanjo; the first daughter of President Olusegun Obasanjo to her dad.
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