Exclusives

Entertainment

10 times Nigerian celebrities gave us Mommy and daughter goals

In celebration of mother’s day, we have picked some of the most adorable mommy and me moments featuring celebrities and their daughters – daughters only because it is mot.

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Mercy Aigbe-Gentry and daughter
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Waje and daughter
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Reginald Chukwu

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Iyabo Ojo and daughter
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Toyin Lawani and daughter
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Annie Idibia and her girls
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Chacha Eke Faani and daughter

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Monalisa Chinda and da
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Entertainment

15 defining football moments in Nigeria in the year 2015

2015 has been a great year for football in Nigeria as a number of the teams representing the country achieved greatness. On the local scene, the Nigeria Professional Football League witnessed a lot of positive changes amid commendations and also, the age-grade teams all did considerably well.
Here are 15 key moments of the year:

1) The sack of Stephen Keshi
2015 was the year of ‘change’ and one of the first major changes that shook Nigerian football was the sack of Coach Stephen Keshi. The NFF sacked Keshi over news that he applied through his agent to be the coach of Ivory Coast – who at the time was searching for one – while still the manager of the Super Eagles.
It is instructive to note that prior to the incident, relationship between the NFF and Stephen Keshi was not rosy and at a point, it took the intervention of Ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan to prevent from being relieved of his duties. However, things got to a head with the Ivory Coast brouhaha and Keshi was asked to pack his belongings.
He would have ran to the Aso Rock but sadly, a change had occurred there too.


2)The appointment of Sunday Oliseh
After the sack of Stephen Keshi, It appeared the NFF must have consulted ace movie director, Steven Spielberg on suspense and drama creation as they put that in display in their quest for a new manager. It took weeks of speculations, denial and endless drama before the NFF President Amaju Pinnick made it known that ex-international, Sunday Oliseh would be replacing Keshi as the manager of the Super Eagles.
The news was met with a lot of optimism and praise following Oliseh’s good performance as a television pundit. Oliseh was dubbed the ‘Guardiola of Africa’ by Mr Pinnick and I am not certain if there has been a change of heart.
The way life works, today you are ‘Guardiola’, tomorrow you are ‘Onigbinde’. Hehe

3) Enyeama’s untimely retirement from the Super Eagles
As if to be reminded that the Super Eagles job is no child’s play, Oliseh faced his biggest test when involved in an altercation with former goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama. The cause of the altercation is sketchy but speculations were rife that it was as a result of Enyeama’s then late resumption to camp – due to his mother’s death – and the appointment of Ahmed Musa as the captain of the Super Eagles.
Things got to a head, there was a heated argument and the end result? Endless Instagram posts! Enyeama retired, Nigerians reacted and Oliseh stood his ground. As if to follow in Vincent’s footsteps, Emmanuel Emenike also announced his retirement although that didn’t gather any momentum as Nigerians couldn’t seem to remember the last time the striker got a goal. Not cool, eh?
Now we have an oyinbo keeper, Carl Ikeme and just in case you need more updates on the matter, stay glued to Enyeama’s Instagram page as that is his official media channel.
4) Ahmed Musa Appointed Captain of the Super Eagles
The decision to name Ahmed Musa the captain of the Super Eagles was one of Oliseh’s first changes in the squad and that didn’t go without some controversy as I already mentioned above.
Ahmed Musa has been very committed to the course of the Super Eagles although he needs to match that up with some consistency. Oliseh maintains his trust in him to lead the team and Nigerians expect him to lead them to victory and importantly, keep players like Onazi Ogenyi in check. That Onazi boy often lose his cool.


5) The NFF’s partnership with Zenith Bank
The Nigerian Football Federation announced a partnership deal with one of Nigeria’s financial institutions, Zenith Bank. The partnership was said to be focused on youth development and capacity building for officials.
Zenith Bank is expected to fund programs that would enhance youth development in the country and also help equip officials with required skills to successfully carry out their duties. In addition to that, Zenith Bank also committed to footing the bill of the salary of the Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh for a full year. Although, news have it that he is presently being owed. Who make we hold, NFF or Zenith?

6) The many failings of the Super Falcons
The Super Falcons, that used to provide succor for Nigerians in the absence of the Super              Eagles, were disappointing this year. There was little or nothing to cheer.
It started with the Women World cup in Canada where they were eliminated in the group stages after picking just a point from three games and then, they failed to qualify for the Olympics after failing to beat Equatorial Guinea over two legs before rounding things up with a fruitless campaign in the All Africa Games.
It was a sad tale and issues have been raised on the need to pay more attention to female football, starting with the League. Restructure the League, discover new talent and reclaim lost glory.
In short, Bring Back Our Falcons!

7) Asisat Oshoala named BBC Women’s footballer of the year
It was a bad year for the falcons and by extension, female football in Nigeria but it wasn’t all doom and gloom as Asisat Oshoala did well enough to make the country proud.
Oshoala did not only sign for Liverpool Ladies to become the first African to feature in the Women’s Super League, she also beat Spain’s Veronica Boquete, German Nadine Kessler, Scot Kim Little and Brazilian Marta to the BBC award, all at age 20.
It was a great year for Asisat and Nigerians have every reason to be proud of her. We won’t be famzing if we do.
8) The U17 World Cup victory
Against all odds, Emmanuel Amuneke and his boys (real boys this time) went on to win the U17 World Cup in Chile, making Nigeria the only country to win the trophy for a record five times and also the second country after Brazil to have won it back-to-back.
Beyond winning the first place, new stars like Victor Osimhen – who got the most goals and set a new record -, Kelechi Nwakali, Amunudu and the likes were discovered to the betterment of the country.
9) Kelechi Iheanacho’s good exploit abroad
As stated earlier, Nigeria have been very successful at the U17 level and as part of its success, Kelechi Iheanacho can be proudly added. The 19year old star at the 2013 U17 World Cup in UAE made headlines this year for his good exploits in England with top club, Manchester City.
Manager of Manuel Pellegrinni expressed confidence in Kelechi’s ability on several occasions and the lad did not let him down in any way. This year, he has made eleven appearances for the English side and scored two goals – one of which was a match winner.
Not bad for a 19 year old, eh?

10) Odion Ighalo’s goal rage in England
A record six consecutive goals for his club, one of the top scorers in the English Premier League as far as the season is concerned and the top scorer in England’s top five divisions in the calendar year. No, I am not talking about Sergio Aguero or Wayne Rooney, I am talking about our home boy, Odion Jude Ighalo.
Without a shadow of doubt, the Nigerian has given us plenty of moments to cheer this year. His goals have helped Watford secure a decent position on the EPL log and has fueled specualtions that he could be moving to a bigger club anytime soon.
Whatever move he makes at the club level, Nigerians are sure that he won’t be doing the same at the National level. He is no Ibe. If you know what I mean…
11) The Dream Team are going to Rio
Despite a shaky start that raised a lot of doubts, Samson Siasia’s Dream Team won the U23 Africa Cup of Nations and importantly, secured qualification to the Olympics billed to take place in Rio De Janiero, Brazil in 2016.
Captain of the side, Oghenekaro Etebo was very instrumental in the team’s triumph and I am sure his performance will also propel him to even greater heights.
When the Olympics kicks off next year in Brazil, watch out for Nigerians! Even if they do not win, they can at least come back with some Brazilian hair. Win-win situation.

12) Solomon Dalong appointed minister of Sports
Away from the football pitch a little and into some of the politics that takes place in the background. Nigeria got a new Sport Minister this year in the person of Barrister Solomon Dalong.
His appointment was met with mixed feelings as some expressed concern over his non-involvement in sports prior to his appointment while others vouched for his intelligence and administrative know-how.
The barrister has been urged by many not to focus only on football but also help develop other sports as they could serve as a source of revenue generation. You can also forward your advice, I heard he is a cool person and even sef, this life is not that hard. Yes, Aye o le.



13) Segun Odegbami’s FIFA Presidency bid
Still on politics, one of the things that shook the political scene of Nigeria football this year was the tussle that stemmed out of Segun Odegbami’s ambition to be the president of football’s world governing body, FIFA.
Segun fought really hard and in the process, got into the face of a number of people. End of the day, he couldn’t fulfill the requirements needed to contest and so, his ambition was laid to rest.
I heard betrayal, sabotage and bad belle all over the place at the time but I am not sure who did what or what really happened. If you guys want to really know, I suggest you hit up Odegbami. I don’t want to say something now and my Oga at the top will say another. Moreover, we are in the era of probing and EFCC.
14) Kano Pillars finally lost a game at home
After 12 years and 201 games, NPFL’s Kano Pillars finally lost a game at the Sani Abacha stadium this year to Nasarawa United on match day 25.
The victory was not only historic, it also marked the resurgence that had taken place in the league – more away victories, improved officiating and better organization.
But guys, 12 solid years and not one single home loss? That’s some streak!



15) Enyimba won the NPFL title
Nigeria’s most successful club side, Enyimba of Aba made history as they won the Nigeria Professional League title for a record seventh time!
The Elephants – as they are popularly called did so with exciting football, vital away wins and a high level of consistency at home.
Stuff of Champions! Hopefully, they will do the country proud on the continent.

From all of the foregoing, it can be safely concluded that it was indeed a great year for football in Nigeria, right?

Which moment(s) did I miss out? Let me know!
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Entertainment

EPL success is a blessing and a curse – Biola Kazeem

One of Nigeria’s foremost sport analysts, Biola Kazeem has tagged the tremendous success of the English Premier League as a blessing and equally, a curse to its indigenous country. He mentioned this in an online chat he had with Loladeville yesterday. The chat kicked off on Twitter by 8pm with both accounts – @loladeville_ and @biolakazeem as well as the HashTag – #Loladevillechat

Biola was reacting to a question on the homegrown player rule that compels EPL clubs to play home grown talent in order to improve the quality of indigenous English players. He claimed the success of the EPL will always give the clubs the room to go for the best players while the English players will have to be good to really get played as the rule will only but give them a chance.

Furthermore, Biola believes that the signing of Cech by Arsenal will give them a much needed balance ahead of the new season. He argued that the signing may be important than getting a striker which seem to be a more pressing need. He hinged his argument on the fact that Manchester City had the highest goalscorer in the league the previous season but failed to win it.
On the teams in Manchester; Biola spoke high of Ed Woodward who he believes has made some great moves and more importantly, brought down the wage bill and reduced average age of the Manchester United squad.

In the same vein, he opined that Manchester City have made some good signings including that of Raheem Sterling although he admitted that was extortionate.
Speaking of good signings, Biola thinks the loan move for Falcao and Wilnaldjum to Newcastle doesn’t entirely belong in that category.

In conclusion, he is looking out for Liverpool whom he believes will score goals aplenty, Stoke City and crystal Palace while also anticipating a far more dramatic end to the summer transfer window.
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Entertainment

14 people, issues or events that shook Nigeria in 2014

As the year draws to a close, Loladeville Blog takes a look at 14 people, issues or events that shook Nigeria in 2014‎. From the Bring Back Our Girls campaign, Ebola and the shocking deaths of Prof. Dora Akunyili, Amaka Igwe and others. These are the stories worth reviewing before the year ends.
(1) NIS recruitment tragedy- The Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment tragedy of March 15, 2014 is one that will not be easily forgotten. The issue is not that over 6million people paid an application fee of N1,000 for 4,000 vacant positions but that 23 Nigerian job seekers who left their homes were trampled to death whilst trying to gain entrance to venues, several others were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals.
(2) Bring Back Our Girls– Albeit interest in it has waned considerably, the abduction of nearly 300 Chibok school girls on April 14, 2014 in Borno State Nigeria by Islamic sect, Boko Haram topped social media’s most trending topics list in Nigeria in 2014. The kidnap prompted a global campaign tagged ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ to ensure the safe release of the poor girls. The #BBOG campaign drew unprecedented attention from the international community, protests were held severally in different parts of the country and abroad. High-profile international figures shew their support/solidarity via placards with the #BringBackOurGirls caption, tweets, instagram and facebook posts etc. Today marks the 261th day of their captivity and sadly the the girls have not been brought back
(3)Patience Jonathan’s viral bant– All Nigerians picked from an “emotional” 2-minute video of Nigeria’s first lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan addressing Mrs Asabe Aliyu Kwarmbula, the Principal of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State over the abducted 234 students of the school at a press briefing was her pidgin English. We all agree that her relationship with English is strained, Nigerians had a field day with the video just like they did with last year’s ‘Oga At The Top’ bant. The video went viral, (and of course it was available for download) and phrases like “Diaris God”, “Na only you waka come” became an anthem on the lips of both young and old.
(4) Dora Akunyili– Will Nigeria ever forget Dora Akunyili? Certainly not. The widely revered woman of substance passed on on June 7,2014 after a 17-year battle with uterine cancer. She was aged 59. The amazon was an ex Minister of Information and former Director General of The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control. Needless to say she was a passionate campaigner against fake and substandard drugs in Nigeria. She will be sorely missed.
(5) Amaka Igwe– The sudden death of one of Nigeria’s iconic filmmakers, Amaka Igwe which occurred in Enugu on April 28, 2014 left several if not all entertainment practitioners in shock. According to reports, the 51 year-old multi award-winning movie producer suffered an asthma attack on a movie location and gave up before she was rushed to the hospital. Her death has been described as an irreparable loss to the motion pictures industry.
(6) Kefee– It all started with the news of her collapse in a Chicago-bound plane. The plane we gathered had to make an emergency landing so she could receive medical attention. Fans, family and friends were however shocked out of their wits when the news of the death of the sapele-born frontline Gospel singer, Kefee Don-Momoh seeped into the air. The Branama queen died in an undisclosed Los-Angeles hospital after 15-days in coma.
(7) Ebola– In Nigeria, the name Patrick Sawyer is synonymous to Ebola. The 40-year-old Liberian brought the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to Nigeria on July 20, 2014. He vomited frequently during his flight and on arrival was hospitalised at the First Consultant Hospital, Obalende. His arrival set a chain of transmission that got 19 people infected, 8 of whom died. He died on 25 July. But for Dr Stella Adedavoh, a senior consultant at the hospital who promptly alerted health institutions after a malaria test carried out on Sawyer came out positive and stopped the Liberian from leaving the hospital for a conference in Calabar, the death toll would have increased. Sadly Dr Stella died few days later after a direct contact with the Ebola victim. Nigeria was declared Ebola-free by World Health Organization (WHO) on October 20, 2014
(8) Psquare’s alleged breakup– The news of their breakup started with Jude Okoye, the elder brother of singing duo, Psquare’s tweet one fateful day, “After 10 years of hardwork, I am done”, it was difficult to believe all was well with the Okoye brothers. There were reports that they fought severally at rehearsals and had to be separated by their dancers. Shortly after that fans, celebrities and friends of the singers took to several social media platforms to advise them to sheathe their swords and shelve their planned break-up. Fans however heaved sighs of relief after the brothers debunked the rumour via their various twitter accounts. “Forever Psquare”. “Psquare! Stronger than ever.” They wrote.
(9) 2014 World Cup– The World Cup is unarguably the biggest sporting competition in the world. The 2014 edition held from June 12- July 13 2014 in Brazil. 64 matches were played, 32 countries were represented, 12 venues were featured and 1 winner emerged- Germany. There were those who jetted out to Brazil, some saw the games in the comfort of their homes, viewing centres and in large malls. There were others who followed the games on several social media platforms and got connected to a community of football fans around the world. They followed live updates, analysed matches and players/teams’ performances, talked about goals or funny/bizarre goal celebrations, praised or lashed out at players, won prizes for predicting games correctly etc. 
(10) Ayo Fayose- The return of Ayodele Peter Fayose to the Ekiti State Government house is one of the issues that dominated political discourse in the country in 2014. Fayose who was impeached from office in controversial circumstances in 2006 defeated Dr Kayode Fayemi in the Ekiti gubernatorial election held in June this year. He made history in Nigeria as the first politician to defeat two incumbent Governors for the same office twice. He was sworn in on October 16,2014.
(11) ‎Entertainers in politics– The year 2014 saw many Nigerian entertainers expressing their interests in qualifying for one political office or the other. Roll call of celebrities who vied for political seats include: Julius Agwu (Rivers State Governor), Desmond Elliot (Lagos State House of Assembly Surulere Constituency), Abolore ‘9ice’ Akande (House of Assembly Ogbomosho North/South Orire Constituence Oyo), Kenny Saint Best (Lagos State House of Assembly Ikeja Constituency 1), Daniel Chibuzor a.k.a Dan D’ Humourous (comedian) (House of Assembly Ikweme Constituency), Kate Henshaw (Federal House of Representative Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency), Bob Manuel Idokwu (Anambra State House of Assembly Idemli North) and a host of others. Sadly, majority of them lost out in the primaries.
(12) AFCON – Two goals from Super Eagles’ Sone Aluko didn’t help Nigeria to qualify for the African Cup of Nations 2015 to be held in Equitorial Guinea. Nigeria crashed out after failing to beat South Africa at the newly commissioned stadium in Akwa Ibom. Nigeria garnered a total of 8 points and came third in a group comprising of South Africa who qualified with 12 points and Congo who occupied the second spot with 10 points. Nigeria is however the only country who has not defended the nations cup after winning it in 1996 and 2013.
(13) Primary Elections- Primary elections were held in several states of the nations for candidates vying for Gubernatorial, Presidential and other positions in the 2015 elections. While President Jonathan emerged PDP candidate for the Presidential election, General Muhammadu Buhari garnered a total of 3,430 votes to emerge the presidential candidate of APC. Who wins a ticket to Aso Rock next year? That’s one question Nigerians will find answer to in 2015.
(14) Keshi’s sack and reinstatement – National team coach, Stephen Keshi was highly commended for helping Nigeria to win the African Cup of Nations in South Africa last year. The story is different today. The ex international was relieved of his job on October 15, 2014 after a disastrous AFCON 2015 qualifying campaign and a former handler, Amodu Shuaibu took over.
Two weeks after, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan ordered his reinstatement to oversee the two remaining qualifying matches. That didn’t help matters as Nigeria failed to pick the 2015 AFCON qualifications ticket. The debate for Keshi to remain as the Super Eagles coach is one of the most controversial issues in the Nigerian sports circle.
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Entertainment

Children's day Special! See photos of 27 Nigerian Celebrities' children.

Happy Children’s Day to all the wonderful children in the world. In the spirit of Children’s Day, I decided to put together photos of 27 Nigerian celebrities’ children; 27 representing Children’s day. These are pictures they shared on their facebook, twitter and instagram accounts and I bet you have seen most of them before. here they are; in alphabetical order.

                                                     (1)Basketmouth (Comedian)

(2) Desmond Elliot (Actor)
(3) Doris Simeon and Daniel Ademinokan (Actors)
(4) Eldee (Musician)
(5) Fathia and Saheed Balogun (Actors)
(6) Ibinabo Fiberesima (Actress)
(7) Genevieve Nnaji (Actress)
(8) Ice Prince (Musician)
(9) Iyabo Ojo (Actress)
(10) Julius Agwu (Comedian)
(11) Kanu Nwankwo (Footballer)
(12) Kunle Afolayan (Actor)

                                                          (13) Mide Funmi Martins and Afeez Owo (Actors)

(14) Mercy Johnson (Actress)
(15) Oge Okoye (Actress)
(16) Omoni Oboli (Actress)
(17) Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde (Actress)
(18) Ope Ayeola (Actress)
(19) Peter and Paul ‘Psquare’ Okoye (Musicians)
(20) Shan George (Actress)
(21) Stella Damasus (Actress)
(22) Taiwo Aromokun (Actress)
(23) Terry G (Musician)
(24) Timaya (Musician)
(25) Waje (Musician)
(26) Wizkid (Musician)
(27) Yobo Joseph (Footballer)

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Entertainment

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

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Entertainment

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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FUNNY BUT ANNOYING ISSUES ABOUT NIGERIAN MOVIES (CONT'D)

Lemme first of all apologise for the bringing the concluding part of this writeup very very late. I promised to be back the following week but weeks rolled into months and I forgot about it. If you’ve not read the Part 1 of this article, you’ve missed lots, check the link below and read up. So, here I am, with my remaining points. Click here if you missed the part 1.

11) Plagiarism– i saw a film some time ago, I was so impressed by the unique
storyline that i persuaded few friends to get their copies. Few months after, I
discovered it was a duplicate of an old Indian film and this happens every
freaking time.
(12) Flashback in a flashback– while collating points for this article, i
asked a few friends to send in their thoughts and a good number of them
mentioned this multiple flashbacks in a flashback issue. It irks me a lot. Mr
David sees an old classmate of his, suddenly, they launch into a flashback, in
that flash back is Miss Sarah carrying a baby, then another flashback of how
they argued over the paternity of the baby comes up. Total Crap!
(13) Posters- You find about to 6 or 8 scenes on a single movie jacket. And
this reason for this is not far-fetched, to lure viewers.
(14) Unrealistic comedy scenes- please for how long will a gateman be
insulting his boss or his boss’ girlfriend or wife. Well, a bit of exaggeration
isn’t bad to spice things up but this has become a norm.
(15) Roles– The person playing the role of a Doctor in a Yoruba film is a
go-to actor for crime roles, with badly-constructed English sentences and
unkempt look. I understand that a thespian has to be versatile but No, Ajigijaga
isn’t appropriate for that role.
(16) Hairstyle-  An actress would wear two hairstyles throughout a movie. One
hairstyle throughout her university days and the second during her wedding and
child’s naming ceremonies. Whatever happened to wigs?  Not good enough.
(17) Unthinkable titles– When it comes to movies with absurd titles. Nigerian films take
the cake.  What in this world inspired titles
like Tear my bra, fuel subsidy, Oga at the top, Limpopo Babes and the likes?
Well, be certain that such movies have nothing to offer.
(18) Locations- What’s with the idea of turning sitting rooms to police
stations, balconies into prisons? Or asking about 6-10 ladies and guys to start
walking around a shopping complex with books just to make it look like they are
in a campus. You think we won’t know?  

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FUNNY BUT ANNOYING ISSUES ABOUT NIGERIAN MOVIES

The Nigerian movie industry has witnessed a tremendous growth
over the years. We now have super fantastic crop of actors parading our
screens, exceptional movies with social messages are being churned out and no
doubt, Nollywood is one of Nigeria’s greatest exports. However, inspite of this
impressive development, there have been certain let downs which, with each passing
day are becoming difficult to ignore.  So, let’s highlight some of those annoying
issues that are being shoved in our faces in Nigerian films. Candidly, the
Yoruba section of the Nigerian movie industry is the major culprit here.

(1) Fetishism– This is the biggest snag of the industry. 7 out of
10 of Nigerian movies are laced with fetish or witchcraft scenes. Infact, we
are now convinced that visiting a native doctor would solve a problem quicker
and better than seeking medical help.

(2) Subtitles– How best to ease off stress than watching a poorly
subtitled Nigerian movie? Whoever told their writers all sentences have to be
translated literally need several smacks in the butts. For example, a woman who
is angry with her son might reply his greeting thus, “Ti n ba kaaro
nko” meaning, what’s good about the morning? Or please don’t greet me. My
people would “upload”, “what if I don’t good morning?” What
the hell is that?

(3) Shooting- A man would be stabbed several times and his
singlet would be as white as snow. Guys, we don’t mind tastytime or zobo? Then, in yoruba movies, it takes 24 hours or maximum of 48 days for a deep wound to heal. 

(4) Car and Passerby– In most street scenes, there’s always this fine or ugly lady
waiting for a cab at the road side. And a young, handsome man who never knows
his way around pulls over, asks for direction, zooms off a bit, reverses and
offers to give her a lift. She turns down the offer at first and after persuasion,
she enters the car, they exchange numbers, the rest is history. Meanwhile, ever
since i started giving out directions, I have never been offered a lift, infact
they just zoom off before I finish talking. Maybe i should try harder.lol

(5) Running in the street– has anyone noticed? There’s always a car
waiting somewhere for every child or adult running on the street. He or she has
to be hit by a vehicle. Yesoo, abi what’s the purpose of the running? And of course
he has to hug the bonnet, slide and die.

(6) Makeup– What will it cost to employ professional makeup
artists for their movie projects? The makeup on some actresses, (Yoruba
actresses especially) can make you puke. Purple lipstick, silver eye shadow and
then a straight-lined brow. It is always an eyesore Sigh!
(7) Bland sound track- I’m sure you have something to say on this.  And you’ll agree with me that instrumentals
are better used than those bland/wacky soundtracks they make us listen to. Soundtracks
that tell the entire story are the most annoying. And then they start singing
like strangled cats. Oh please!
(8) Poison– Please help an ignorant lady here. Do they really sell poison
in chemist’s shops? I mean the one in liquid form, with POISON boldly written
across the bottle? Dear filmmakers, once you bring out a bottle, cry, down the
contents and then writhe in pains, leave the rest to us. It’s pointless writing
POISON on bottles. We can think!
(9) Date/romantic scenes: Some date scenes discourage you from going into a
relationship. In fairness, some are brilliantly shot. If they are not hugging
pillow up and down, they run round a certain palm tree till one of them decides
to fall down. Please stop that!  There was one I saw, I actually forced
myself to forget the title. The couple visited an eatery, bought ONE bottle of
Maltina drink and ONE piece of chicken and then shared it between them.
Taaaar!!! If you will take out of your lover’s food, you should at least have
one plate to yourself.


(10) Diagnosis/Hospital Scene– Their Doctors be like, “your son
has been diagnosed of cancer, we need to get some Panadol extra and Vitamin C
which cost N100, 000. You have to deposit N50, 000 before we commence
treatment”.  And then the person playing
the role of the Doctor turns out to be, a go-to actor for crime roles. Sigh!

To be continued
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CELEBRITY LIST: LIKE FATHER LIKE SON

This week I’ll be talking on ‘Like father like son’ and this dwells on veteran celebrities who have made their mark in their chosen fields of endeavour and whose children are now toeing their paths.
While some are deceased others are still active and at times paired with their children in movies. Here’s my 7 list and as usual in alphabetic order.

1) Adebayo Salami (Oga Bello)/ Femi Adebayo

59 year-old Adebayo Salami is one of the most successful and most celebrated veteran actors in the Nigerian film industry. He’s starred in over 200 movies and garnered a lot of accolades.
His son Femi Adebayo who dumped his wig and gown for acting about 8 years ago is also doing incredibly well in the yoruba movie scene.

2) Adeyemi Afolayan (Ade Love)/Kunle, Aremu&Gabriel Afolayan

Adeyemi Afolayan (Ade Love) needs no introduction. Though now deceased, but in his lifetime the foremost filmmaker raised a lot of bars. Asides acting, his vocal dexterity was also a plus, infact he also produced soundtracks of movies.
Needless to say his sons Kunle, Aremu&Gabriel who are seasoned and award-winning thespians are still hoisting their father’s colourful flag. And there’s this touch of style and excellence in what they do.

3) Arthur Modupe Alade/ Dare Art Alade

I’m sorry I have no picture for Dare’s father but during his realm, he was versatile and talented; he could sing different parts of music, crack ribs and his Art Alade show was always a delight to watch. His son Dare got his talent from his father. The Project Fame West Africa finalist is one of the best R’n’b singers the country has ever produced.

4) Fela Anikulapo/Femi&Seun Anikulapo

Who doesn’t know Fela? The saxophone-wielding, musician and composer whose impact is still felt till date. Infact a considerable number of contemporary musicians draw so much inspiration from him.
But we take consolation in the fact that Femi and Seun, the most popular of his numerous sons have stepped into his shoes and continued where he stopped.

5) Jide Kosoko/Sola Kosoko-Abinna

Trained actor, Jide Kosoko who has been acting for over 15 years hasn’t in the least bit waned in influence. The 58 year-old theatre practitioner’s pretty daughter Sola Kosoko who got married few months ago is also a well-known face in the Nollywood industry.

6) Sunday Omobolanle (Aluwe)/ Olasunkanmi Omobolanle

Fondly called Pappy Luwe, when it comes to comic roles, Sunday Omobolanle isn’t a weakling. The Oyo-state indigene’s acting career spans decades.
His light-skinned son, Olasunkanmi who tied the knots last year has also been acting for the past 7 years and not doing bad for himself too.

7) Pete Edochie/ Yul Edochie
Heavily-bearded veteran, Pete Edochie has certainly paid his dues as long as Nollywood is concerned. Whether he is playing the role of a stern-faced man who would poison his sibling the nextminute over plots of land or a caring father (which is rare), the Igbo actor has been a blessing.
Unlike his father who fits into ‘wicked’ roles easily, handsome Yul maintains his cool, is soft-spoken and a gentle lover (in movies).

With this I draw the curtains..Till I come your way nextweek…Bye.Lol! (Don’t mind me)

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