Showbiz
Minister Tasks Musicians On Rich Lyrics
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, has hailed Nigerian musicians for putting the country’s name on the global map, urging them to pay more attention to the need for socially-relevant messages in their music.
The Minister gave the commendation in his keynote speech at the Business Roundtable of the 2016 African Music Awards (AFRIMA) in Lagos on Friday
“The whole country is listening, dancing and sending via all forms of social media, our music and videos, and our artists clearly have more influence and reach than our law enforcement agencies. As 9ice and 2Baba boasted, they are the ones with Street Credibility,” he said.
Mr Mohammed, who spoke on the topic ”Championing Social Justice and Advocacy Through Music,” observed that for music to achieve the desired objective, it must have the right content to drive home the message, saying the works of foremost musicians in Africa, including Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Rex Lawson, Sonny Okosun, Victor Uwaifo, Dan Maraya Jos, Mamman Shatta, IK. Dairo and Ebenezer Obey continue to reverberate because of the message they contained.
He said the legendary musicians all used music to fight social injustice or for advocacy, listing many examples, including ”Unknown Soldier” by Fela; ”Fire in Soweto” by Okosun and ”Nigeria go survive” by Veno Marioghae.
The Minister described music as a powerful tool of communication, saying the federal government will leverage on the power of music to promote the National Re-orientation Campaign tagged “Change Begins With Me,” which was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on Sept. 8th 2016.
“Because this campaign is about returning to those moral values that stood our country in good stead, a lot of that can be done through music. In order words, music is a powerful tool of advocacy. Good music has no tribe, no gender, no section, no religion,” he said.
Mr Mohammed hailed AFRIMA organisers for promoting, celebrating and elevating creativity in the area of music.
“This, to me, is one of the most important and credible platforms to promote African Music globally, using Nigeria as a pivot. My sincere hope is that you will do everything possible to sustain AFRIMA which, in your own words, is propelling African Music to the glorious pinnacle far beyond the borders of Africa.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A popular music act, Mr Terry Alexander Ejeh, otherwise known as Terry Apala, has been remanded in a correctional centre in Lagos for alleged mutilation of the Naira notes in January 2025.
He was arraigned on Friday, April 25, 2025, by the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) on a single-count charge bordering on mutilating the Naira notes.
The musician was accused of committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.
“That you, Terry Alexander Ejeh, on January 5, 2025, at La Madison Place, Oniru, within the jurisdiction of this court, whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by marching on the same and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007,” the count read to Terry Apala today at a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, read.
However, he pleaded not guilty to the offence when it was read to him, which prompted the prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, to ask for a trial date, urging the court to remand him in a correctional centre.
The defence counsel, Mr Felix Nwabuda, informed the court of a bail application dated April 23, 2025, and prayed the court for a short date for the hearing of the application.
“Whilst praying the court for a short date for the hearing of the bail application, I will be craving the indulgence of the court to release the defendant to the defence.
“We undertake to produce him in court. He will not evade hearing. He came in from the United Kingdom on April 23, 2025; and on the invitation of the EFCC, he came on his own,” he stated
But the prosecution counsel opposed the application, saying, “The application is alien and unheard of.”
“I urge the court to afford us the opportunity to look at the application and respond properly so that the court can make a well -informed ruling,” he said.
In a short ruling, Justice Akintayo Aluko refused the application of the defence, ordering the remand of the defendant in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the determination of the bail application. The matter was, thereafter, adjourned till May 5, 2025.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Global streaming platform, Spotify, has announced the availability of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) playlist in Nigeria.
In a statement on Friday, it said the AI Playlist in beta is for its premium users in more than 40 markets, including Nigeria.
This feature can be found via the search tab of Spotify by simply typing AI Playlist and selecting one of the suggestions.
With AI Playlist, Spotify will curate a personalized playlist made just for users based on the tracks, artists, genres and more. This is easy to revise and refine as users only have to ask for what they want – like “more upbeat,” “more new releases,” or “happier songs.”
The most successful playlists are generated through “genre”, “mood” or “artist” prompts. But animals, activities, movie characters, colours – and even emojis – are all fair game too.
Some fun prompts the platform suggests users to try out include Afrobeat tracks for the dance floor, Trending K-Pop hits I need to know, Reggaeton for hanging out at the beach, Songs to hype me up for a football match, and Latin songs from my top genre, among others.
Since launching last year, premium users have created millions of playlists with the goal of finding music that fits any mood or moment in an instant.
Now, Spotify is making it even easier for users around the globe to create the perfect playlist and find their next favorite artist.
The company has promised that this feature would expand to markets across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.
The wait is over – Nigerian Idol Season 10 is finally here, and the premiere delivered all the excitement and talent fans of the show hoped for.
Back on the judges’ panel are Omawumi and Ric Hassani. Last season, we saw them strike a balance between fun and honest feedback, and this year, they’re stepping it up.
Ric shared that he’s watching out for contestants with soul, skill, and voices that are just genuinely enjoyable to hear. Omawumi is looking for something more instinctive, a spark of originality, showmanship, and a voice that immediately makes people sit up.
Then there is Iyanya, the newest judge at the table. As a product of a reality music show himself, he knows the pressure these contestants are under. For him, it’s all about raw talent, star quality, and people who are ready to command the stage.
From the first auditions, you could tell the competition this season is going to be tough. There were strong voices, bold performances, and yes, a few funny and unexpected moments that reminded everyone why the audition stage is a fan favourite.
One standout moment was the return of Mikky, the very first contestant to ever receive a Platinum Ticket in the history of Nigerian Idol. He came back this season stronger and more confident and delivered a performance that had the judges impressed again. It earned him another Platinum Ticket, proving that when talent meets growth, it’s a winning combo.
So far, the scorecard reads: 17 yeses, 9 no’s, and 1 Platinum Ticket gone, with two still up for grabs.
Season 10 is shaping up to be one worth watching. If this first episode is anything to go by, we’re in for a season full of standout moments and new stars in the making.
Catch all-new episodes every Sunday at 7 p.m. on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv ch. 151, GOtv ch. 12) and Africa Magic Family (DStv ch. 154, GOtv ch. 2). For non-stop Idol content from auditions to backstage moments, tune in to the 24/7 Idol Extra channel on DStv channel. 198 and GOtv channel. 49.
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