Business Post Nigeria

Category: Showbiz

Apprehension as Davido’s Son Ifeanyi Adeleke Drowns in Swimming Pool

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Master Ifeanyi Adeleke, son of a popular music act in Nigeria, David Adeleke, otherwise known as Davido, has drowned at their home in Banana Island, Lagos.

The three-year-old boy was said to have drowned at a swimming pool in his father’s residence on Monday and was taken to a nearby hospital.

It is not certain at the time of filing this report if the doctors have stabilised the boy. This has caused apprehension among fans of Davido, who some have blamed for this unfortunate incident.

Davido and his partner, Chioma, welcomed Ifeanyi three years ago. Their union was almost formalised into marriage until it was put on hold some months ago. The two lovers only reignited their flames a few months ago and had been seen together again at different events.

Recall that in 2018, a Nigerian music star, Daniel Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’Banj, lost his son, Daniel Jr, in a swimming pool at their home in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.

The boy died a month after he clocked one. The ugly incident happened while the singer was in Los Angeles, United States, for a music show.

01/11/2022
Kelechi Amadi Takes Photo Exhibition to EPAC

One of Nigeria’s foremost photo-storytellers, Mr Kelechi Amadi-Obi, in partnership with The Macallan, is organising a photography exhibition themed Amazing Nigeria.

The exhibition, which will be held between October 28 and Sunday, November 6, is being hosted by Ecobank at its sprawling head office complex, Ecobank Pan-African Centre (EPAC), on the highbrow Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to him, the 10-day exhibition will focus essentially on Nigeria and its diversity in arts, culture and, more importantly, the ingenuity of her creatives, adding that it would also capture the beauty and scenes in Nigeria, including iconic buildings, monuments, landscapes, rainforest, caves, stones, rocks, waterfalls and more.

He explained that the exhibition, which promises to be captivating, will involve public and private viewing by art lovers, creatives and students on excursion.

He stressed that, “Throughout the exhibition, visitors will be taken on a tour of the resplendence of Nigeria through my lens, talent, and belief in our nation’s greatness. Together, we will behold breathtaking images of our dear country, from landscape to lore, inspiring us to the lofty heights we are confident Nigeria can attain.”

The ace photographer thanked Ecobank for supporting his project and the photography industry in Nigeria. He recalled this year’s World Photography Day on August 19th, where Ecobank hosted a highly successful ‘Photo Walk’ as part of the Photography, Arts and Design Exhibition (PADE) to mark the event.

Kelechi Amadi-Obi, a seasoned fine artist has over the years entertained the world with his globally acclaimed commercial and artistic photographs. His skills are rare, and his clientele is the preserve of the accomplished.

The Ecobank Pan African Centre is a place where the Bank celebrates creativity and entrepreneurship, and it has played host to many high-profile events such as Future Face Africa, Adire Lagos Experience, Photography Arts and Design Exhibition, Fintech Breakfast Series, Annual Women Directors’ Conference, Insurance Meets Tech and host of others since the building was commissioned a year ago.

31/10/2022
Organisers Fix November 26 for 2022 Okeho Day

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The 2022 edition of the annual Okeho Day Celebration will hold on Saturday, November 26, the organisers have confirmed.

In a disclosure, it was stated that sons and daughters of the Okeho, the headquarters of the Kajola Local Government area of Oyo State, would have the opportunity to partake in different activities lined up for one week, culminating on D-Day.

“We are set for the homecoming of our sons and daughters from all across the world to mark another historic event in our hometown with pomp and pageantry.

“It is always a joyous occasion where we celebrate our achievers, motivate our youngsters and also showcase the beauty of our community to the world,” the Onjo of Okeho, Oba Rafiu Osuolale Mustapha, Adeiitan II said.

“With myriads of self-developmental efforts of the town, we are delighted to say that our community has continued to experience tremendous growth from the confederation of eleven independent communities, namely Alubo, Bode, Gbonje, Ijo, Imoba, Isia, Isemi, Oke-Ogun/Ogbinte, Ogan, Olele and Ashin/Pamo. The new quarters are Ilupeju, Asaka, Ajegunle (Abu),” Meseole, Ojete, Opin, the Oba added.

The Secretary of the Central Planning Committee, Pastor Tim Amosun, while reeling out the programmes of activities for the weeklong celebration, said there would be an interdenominational church thanksgiving service; an interschool quiz competition scheduled to take place at Onjo Secondary High School, Okeho; a community-wide clean-up Day; and a political summit.

Other activities are an economic summit; Gbagede Oba, where all the quarters and community societies pay homage to Kabiyesi, the chief host, the custodian of the norms, values, culture, and tradition of town; a Jumaat prayer and a novelty football match.

According to him, these activities will commence on Sunday, November 20, assuring residents and visitors of their safety as efforts are being made to cross the t(s) and dot the i(s)

The Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Dr Leye Babalola, disclosed that this year’s Okeho Day is another call to build the town continually.

“We are converging again for a weeklong celebration to fraternize with one another. The main project to be commissioned during the celebration is solar street lighting for the Okeho community,” he said.

On his part, the Chairman of Egbe Omo Ibile, Mr Azeez Lakanla, called on the sons and daughters of Okeho, both home and abroad, to contribute immensely towards the success of the programme and the development of their source.

Okeho is a valley-town agrarian community surrounded by seven hills: Eti-Igun, Oke-Olofin, Akasube, Biayin, Okofori, Meseole and Obaapa.

25/10/2022
Spotify Offers Nigerian Podcasters, Others $100k

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A first-of-its-kind podcast initiative in Africa aimed to support podcasters and further amplify their stories has been introduced by a top global streaming platform, Spotify.

The company is providing $100,000 for the scheme tagged Africa Podcast Fund, which will bolster the careers of these podcast creators through financial grants, workshops and networking opportunities.

It is offered to 13 creators from African countries with the biggest podcast listenerships, namely South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana.

The grant also includes a Cameroonian podcast with large listenerships both in France and in Francophone African countries, such as Cote d’Ivoire. Given the wide range of selected countries, the winning podcasts are recorded in a range of languages, including Pidgin, English, French, Sheng, Ga, and Twi.

The fund will be administered by Africa Podfest, a Kenyan-based company focused on inspiring and elevating African podcasters by building a sustainable and inclusive podcasting industry across Africa.

“Africa Podfest is excited about the development of podcasting in Africa, particularly because the medium allows underrepresented African voices to tell the story of Africa,” says Melissa Mbugua, Co-Director, Africa Podfest.

In Nigeria, the firm has picked the host of I Said What I Said, Feyikemi Abudu, an entrepreneur who is excited about helping small businesses to grow, and Jola Ayeye, a storyteller with a core interest in contemporary African culture.

Another podcaster chosen was Taymesan, who covers societal issues and personal experiences in a fun, light-hearted and entertaining way through Tea With Tay; and F&S Uncensored hosted by Feyikemi Akin-Bankole and Simi Badiru.

In Cameroon, a journalist and art collector, Diane Audrey Ngako, who hosts Si Maman M’avait Dit, which roughly translates to If my mom had told me, was picked for the initiative, and from Kenya, the Sandwich Podcast hosted by Joan, Kibz, Nyamita and Owen was picked.

Spotify also selected from the East African nation the hosts of the Messy Inbetween, Murugi Munyi and Lydia Mukami, for the scheme. Others include Mantalk.ke hosted by Kenyan creators Eli Mwenda and Oscar Koome; and Nipe Story hosted by Kevin Mwachiro.

24/10/2022
Mike Abdul, Nathaniel Bassey, Others to Electrify 2022 Arise Women Conference

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Notable gospel artists like Mike Abdul, Nathaniel Bassey, Beejay Sax, Gospel Force, Efe Nathan, Ayan Jesu, Bidemi Olaoba and others have been billed to spice up the 2022 Arise Women Conference taking place on Saturday, October 29, the Trinity Towers of City of David, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Oniru, Lagos.

According to the organisers of the annual event, these musicians would be joined by other dignitaries to electrify the programme, currently in its 14th edition.

The convener of the conference, Mrs Siju Iluyomade, disclosed that no fewer than 5,000 less privileged families would be given a free Arise Pink Basket containing different foodstuffs like rice, beans, tomato paste, Semo, groundnut oil and many other items.

She said this year’s event, themed By Appointment, would attract thousands of physical and online participants, noting that the conference would be televised live on Channels TV.

The trained lawyer urged social media enthusiasts to join the hashtag #appointedtolive on the various social media platforms to be part of the programme, which she promises to be soul-lifting.

The Arise Women Conference is a platform designed to gather women of substance in society to discuss, motivate and empower the women folk, particularly the most vulnerable.

20/10/2022
Airtel Africa Sponsors The Voice Africa

By Dipo Olowookere

Building on the success of The Voice Nigeria, Airtel Africa Plc is partnering with FAME Studios Africa to sponsor the debut edition of The Voice Africa.

At a high-profile event in Lagos to unveil the programme on Wednesday, the leading telecommunications and mobile money services provider explained that it was throwing its weight behind the music talent hunt show to budding artists in all 14 Airtel Africa markets a platform to showcase their skills.

Airtel sponsored seasons three and four of The Voice Nigeria, and to expand the reach, it decided to include other African countries. The Voice Africa commenced a call for virtual auditions today, Wednesday, October 19, 2022, and will be followed by live auditions later this year. The show will be broadcast in March 2023, with the grand finale taking place later in the year.

The Voice is the number one competition format music and entertainment show in the world, airing in over 180 countries.

At the event today, it was stated that The Voice Africa would be streamlined to millions of Africans via Airtel TV, free-to-air stations (FTAs) and paid channels across 14 countries in Africa.

It is expected to attract and showcase the brightest of African musical talents alongside a high-profile panel of coaches and TV hosts and act as a launchpad for global recognition.

Seven participants from each of the 14 countries will be selected to participate in the programme, with one of them eventually crowned The Voice Africa.

“As a business, we are driven by the purpose to transform lives, and that means unlocking the potential for people to grow.

“The Voice Africa gives us an incredible platform to help discover and champion the musical talents of young Africans, enabling them to achieve their full potential. I believe the drama and excitement around their stunning performances will unite people across the continent,” the group chief executive officer of Airtel Africa, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, said.

Speaking further, he said, “Our musical landscape is culturally rich, vibrant, and dynamic, and the rhythms of Africa are already making a massive impact globally.

“There is a huge opportunity for African music to be exported on a scale larger than ever before, and The Voice Africa has come to empower our young talent and help them fulfil their ambitions. Airtel Africa is facilitating the emergence of successful musicians who can compete with their peers from anywhere in the world.”

The Voice Africa is the latest initiative from Airtel Africa designed to support the continent’s most valuable asset by far: young Africans.

Over the years, Airtel Africa has sponsored MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), the Zain Africa Challenge, which brought university students together in a quiz contest, and the Airtel Rising Stars, a football tournament for Under-15 boys and girls.

“Airtel Africa has always believed in Africa and will always do so,” Mr Ogunsanya continued. “As the continent with the youngest population worldwide – some 50% – harnessing their creativity, talent and energy could be transformational for Africa. Through The Voice Africa, Airtel Africa is providing a platform for Africa’s youth to showcase their talent and be the best they can be. The future of Africa is bright. The future of Africa is now.”

Airtel Africa and The Voice’s innovative partnership will drive excitement for fans through on-air customized content integrations, digital and social media activations and in-country events.

19/10/2022
Nigerian Cinemas Generate N495m from Ticket Sales in One Month

By Adedapo Adesanya

The president of the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN), Mr Ope Ajayi, has said it realised N495 million from ticket sales across cinemas in the country in September 2022.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ajayi said this in an interview in Lagos.

He added that when compared with the revenue generated in the same period of 2021, it was a 48 per cent increase and a 31 per cent growth on a month-on-month basis.

The CEAN president explained that N334,071,950.00 was realised from ticket sales across cinemas in September 2021, while N495,324,900.00 was generated in September 2022.

“Comparing monthly revenues in 2022 to 2021, September had a 48 per cent increase in performance year-on-year, while against August 2022, box office takings increased by 31 per cent in September 2022.

“The 19 Nollywood films shown in September accounted for 36 per cent of box office revenues while 15 Hollywood films contributed to 62 per cent,” he said.

According to him, the top five performing films for the month were The Woman King, Passport, Brotherhood, Beast and Thor: Love and Thunder.

He listed the films to be out in the rest of October as – Win or Lose, Detective Knight Rogue, Black Adam, Invaders, Halloween Ends, Lyle Lyle Crocodile, and One for Sarah.

“Like we predicted, Viola Davis and the stars of The Woman King came through with a fantastic delivery for an epic/action.

‘It was also a great delight seeing Nollywood’s Jimmy Odukoya in a whole different light with all the sword fights and flicks.

“Then the party got merrier with Brotherhood, as it was obvious that the production crew at Greoh Studios didn’t come to play.

“All cast brought their A-game, delivering power-packed action as promised and raising the bar for the action genre in Nollywood,” he said.

17/10/2022
Court Sentences Seun Egbegbe to 7 Years Imprisonment

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A popular filmmaker and Lagos socialite, Mr Olajide Kareem, otherwise known as Seun Egbegbe, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

He was convicted by the judge after he was found guilty of one of the 44-count charges levied against him by the police. The court held that he was guilty of count 19.

“Having considered the entirety of the circumstances and taking judicial notice of the allocutus, I hereby sentence the 1st Defendant (Kareem) to imprisonment for a term of seven years with hard labour, only in respect of Count 19 of the Amended Charge.

“The term is to begin from the very first date the 1st Defendant was detained in police custody and/or remanded in prison, whichever comes first. I so hold,” a part of the judgment delivered on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, and obtained by The Nation read.

In 2017, Seun Egbegbe, who once had a romantic affair with popular actress, Toyin Abraham, was arrested by the police for fraud.

The police accused the convict of obtaining money under a false pretence from some Bureaux De Change (BDC) operators in Lagos. He was said to have collected money to the tune of millions of Naira from them. He was subsequently arraigned along with one Oyekan Ayomide.

However, he pleaded not guilty and was remanded in prison custody on February 10, 2017. He was later granted bail but he was unable to meet the terms and remained in detention for 57 months of the trial.

During the trial, the police amended twice the charges and increased the number of defendants to five after the addition of Lawal Kareem, Olalekan Yusuf and Muyideen Shoyombo.

Meanwhile, Justice Oguntoyinbo accused the police of tampering with the pieces of evidence brought before the court, especially the money collected from Seun Egbegbe.

“From the avalanche of evidence before this honourable court, it is crystal clear the Nigeria Police tampered with the various sums of money collected from the 1st & 2nd Defendants. The serial number of the various sum of money was not recorded by the exhibit keeper nor the exhibit ledger tendered before this honourable court.

“The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Police State Criminal Investigation & Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba and the entire Lagos Police Command and, sadly, its legal department have failed in the discharge of these solemn responsibilities to present the actual exhibits before this honourable court. I so hold.

“These law enforcement agencies should not be seen to play hanky – panky with crucial items necessary for the determination of issues of this ilk. I so hold.

“Therefore, I am inclined to direct the registrar of this honourable court to return the 1st & 2nd Defendant’s sums of money entered as exhibits before this honourable court back to the 1st and 2nd Defendants, respectively. I so hold,” the judge held.

12/10/2022
Fashion is Coming! Experience Africa’s Finest Fashion at the 2022 GTCO Fashion Weekend

Fashion and style enthusiasts around the world can once again look forward to experiencing unparalleled fashion moments at the 2022 Guaranty Trust (GTCO) Fashion Weekend scheduled to hold on November 12th and 13th, 2022, at the GTCentre, Plot 1, Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Lagos.

GTCO Fashion Weekend is a free business platform that combines elements of global fashion trends, the delicate nuances of African streetwear styles, and human creative enterprise to create one of the most delightful experiences in fashion retail. Over the years, the event has brought together universally celebrated fashion icons and engaging style personalities to interact with young Africans who are passionate about fashion. This year’s event will feature masterclasses, runway shows, free retail stalls, and a streetwear village. All-comers are in for an immersive shopping experience as indigenous small businesses showcase their fashion collections and style accessories.

Commenting on the 2022 GTCO Fashion Weekend, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Segun Agbaje, said; “We have kept our vision of supporting Small and Medium Enterprises in focus through the uncertain times of the past two years. Just like our core values as a financial institution, our promise of Promoting Enterprise will never change. We will continue to lend the full weight of our franchise to improving the lives and livelihoods of every African, not only through servicing the full range of our customers’ financial needs with innovative products and services but also by creating and championing initiatives that help businesses and economies thrive.”

He further stated that; “Fashion is primarily a form of self-expression, and in light of everything that has happened since our last Fashion Weekend event in 2019, we are happy to be able to explore the possibilities within the fashion industry locally and abroad, particularly as people increasingly return outdoors and get to experiment with new fashion and style ideas.”

Guaranty Trust Bank is the flagship subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, a leading financial services company providing banking and non-banking services across eleven countries spanning West Africa, East Africa, and the United Kingdom. The Group operates a diversified, proudly African franchise and is renowned for its innovative approach to customer service and stakeholder engagement, especially through its non-profit, consumer-focused fairs and capacity-building initiatives for small businesses, which has endeared the brand to millions of people across Africa and beyond.

The GTCO Fashion Weekend is critically acclaimed as one of the main events in Africa’s fashion circuit, and its 5th edition is sure to entertain.

For more information on this event, please visit, https://fashionweekend.gtcoplc.com

01/10/2022
YouTube Announces New Ways for Creators to Make Money

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

YouTube has introduced an improved monetisation system for creators to boost their earnings through the video-sharing platform.

At the inauguration of Made on YouTube, the company said content creators could make more money through an initiative it called the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).

The firm said from early 2023, beginning in early 2023, it would move from a fixed fund to a unique revenue-sharing model for Shorts for both current and future YPP creators.

It stated that Shorts-focused creators could apply to YPP by meeting a threshold of 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days.

These new partners will enjoy all the benefits YPP offers, including ads monetisation across Shorts and long-form YouTube videos. This is in another option to the existing criteria where long-form creators can still apply to YPP when they reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours.

Creators can choose the option that best fits their channel, while YouTube maintains the same level of brand safety for advertisers.

To support creators in their early journey to YouTube, YouTube will also introduce a new level of YPP with lower requirements that will offer earlier access to Fan Funding features like Super Thanks, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Channel Memberships, the platform explained.

“Over the last three years, YouTube has paid out $50 billion to over 2 million creators, artists and media companies through its Partner Program – more than any other platform; that’s $45 million a day, $1.9 million an hour, $528 a second.

“Today’s announcements prove that YouTube is continuing to lead the way in its commitment to creators everywhere,” YouTube creators Colin and Samir, said.

The CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki, while commenting on the new initiative, stated that, “The YouTube Partner Program was revolutionary when we launched it back in 2007, and it’s still revolutionary today.

“Over the last three years, YouTube has paid creators, artists, and media companies more than $50 billion. That $50 billion has changed the lives of creators around the world and enabled new voices and stories to be told. But we’re not done yet.

“When we introduced the YouTube Partner Program, we made a big bet: we succeed only when our creators succeed. And today, we’re doubling down. We’re introducing the next chapter in how we reward creativity on our platform by expanding access to our YouTube Partner program.”

22/09/2022