Showbiz
Mark Zuckerberg’s Visit Excites Nollywood
By Dipo Olowookere
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg visited Afrinolly, a studio which is using cutting edge technology to help make Nollywood films.
Whilst there, he met some of Nigeria’s top stars including comedian Basket Mouth, Kunle Afolayan, Rita Dominic and Yemi Alade.
Nigeria is home to the second largest film industry in the world, known as Nollywood, which produces more than 100 movies a month.
Zuckerberg was in Nigeria this week to see first-hand how entrepreneurs in the country are creating the next wave of mobile innovation and to learn how Facebook can better support tech development and entrepreneurship in emerging markets.
Mark was given a tour of Afrinolly by Chike Maduegbuna, who runs the production studio.
Maduegbuna gave Zuckerberg an overview of how films are made and distributed in Nigeria, with Afrinolly’s mobile app being one of the most popular ways that Nigerians watch African music videos, films, comedy and trailers.
Maduegbuna demonstrated how Nollywood film studios are already using cutting-edge 360-degree cameras and virtual reality to create new experiences. He also gave the Facebook CEO a guided tour of the studios where the films are made and introduced him to some of the talent in front and behind the camera.
Chike Maduegbuna, owner of Afrinolly said: “Nollywood is struggling to grapple with the level of organization and resources required to provide Studio-based Production Infrastructures/Services. Similarly, piracy and inadequate cinemas have limited the movie distribution channels available to Nollywood.
“We see two opportunities for Nollywood: first, is to embrace technology and establish viable mobile-phone distribution of movies to complement the expanding cinema chains. Second is to reconcile content production and its business model to accommodate technological changes in available audience-screens. It used to be cinema, TV and DVDs but we now have a huge digital audience that use Mobile phones and Portable Devices to watch movies. Nollywood must adjust to the new audience by redefining content production to include short films, comedy skits and music videos. These are areas that Afrinolly is currently focusing on.”
At the end of the tour Mark dropped in on a special content creators’ workshop which was being held with some of Nigeria’s biggest stars, designed to help them master Facebook Live and Instagram Stories.
Stars in attendance included Basket Mouth, Kunle Afolayan, Rita Dominic, Richard Mofe-Damijo, DJ Cuppy, Chidinma Ekile, Yemi Alade, Stephanie Linus, Adebola Williams and more.
Showbiz
Husband of Late Gospel Singer Osinachi Nwachukwu to Die by Hanging

By Dipo Olowookere
Mr Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of the late popular gospel musician, Osinachi Nwachukwu, has been sentenced to death by hanging.
Recall that in April 2022, the singer was said to have died from a domestic violence in the hands of her husband.
Mr Nwachukwu was taken to court on a 23-count charge bordering on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, and spousal battery, among others.
It was reported that while in alive, their spiritual father intervened in the marital crisis between the couple, but the late singer was advised to endure, especially because of her status.
However, things degenerated and she died in the marriage, leaving their children devastated.
At an FCT High Court in Abuja on Monday, April 28, 2025, Justice Nwosu-Iheme found Mr Nwachukwu culpable of killing his wife.
According to the judge, the prosecuting team proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Nwachukwu was responsible for the death of the late musician.
The case could still head to the Appeal and Supreme Courts.
Showbiz
Popular Artist Terry Apala in Ikoyi Prison for Naira Abuse

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.
Showbiz
Spotify’s AI Playlist Now Available in Nigeria

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.
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