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 Nigerian actress, Temitope Osoba, fondly called Tope Osoba by her fans, has reportedly passed away.
She died barely a year after she survived a battle with breast cancer, reports say.
The 41-year-old entertainer left the acting world to cater to her health, but returned shortly after she had a successful treatment in 2025.
The movie producer, however, has not been very active in the past months, ostensibly due to her health.
Her demise has come as a shock to some of her colleagues and admirers, as she was very lively during her lifetime.
Details about the unfortunate incident, which became known to her fans on Wednesday morning, have not been given by her family.
The first official voting of Big Brother Naija Season 11 is here, and fans have the power to decide who stays in the House and who leaves the competition.
After a week of getting to know the housemates, watching alliances form and seeing personalities emerge, this is where fans move from watching the game to influencing it. If you’ve been thinking about voting, here are five reasons why now is the time.
1. This Is the Season’s First Real Eviction
First evictions are always significant. They set the tone for the weeks ahead, reshape the House and often change the direction of the game. Viewers hold the power to change the trajectory of the game as they influence who continues their BBN journey and who the first set of housemates to leave are.
2. It’s Too Early to Lose Someone You Enjoy Watching
You may not have settled on a favourite housemate yet, and that’s perfectly normal. It’s only the first eviction. But if there’s someone you’ve enjoyed watching over the past week, this is your chance to help keep them in the House. Waiting until you’ve picked a favourite could mean losing a housemate you wish had stayed a little longer.
3. Every Vote Shapes the Competition
Who stays and who leaves affects everything from alliances and rivalries to tasks and strategies. The decisions viewers make this week will have an impact on how the game unfolds in the coming weeks.
4. Online Buzz Doesn’t Keep Housemates in the House
A housemate may trend all week, but that doesn’t automatically translate into safety. At the end of the day, it’s the votes that determine who survives eviction.
5. Don’t Leave It to Someone Else
It’s easy to assume other fans will do the voting, but every vote contributes to the final result. If there’s a housemate you’d like to see remain in the competition, this is your opportunity to back them.
Here’s How to Vote
Voting is available through the MyDStv app and MyGOtv app, as well as the Africa Magic voting website.
To vote:
-
Register or log in using your mobile number and password.
-
Select your favourite housemate.
-
Choose the number of votes you’d like to cast.
-
Submit your votes before the voting window closes.
Looking to boost your voting power? You can also earn bonus votes by playing games and completing quizzes on the MyDStv app and MyGOtv app.
The voting window for the first eviction is now open and closes on Thursday at 10:00 p.m. If there’s a housemate you’d like to see in the House for another week, be sure to cast your votes before the deadline.
Catch all the drama live and 24/7 on DStv channel 198 and GOtv channel 49. BBNaija season 11 is also available to watch on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream. For updates and exclusive news, visit www.africamagic.dstv.com/
After days of anticipation, Flora and Aikou have been confirmed as this season’s Gambits after receiving the highest number of votes from viewers. This was revealed during Sunday’s live show, where host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu announced the pair as the viewers’ choices.
Introduced as a brand-new twist for Season 11, The Gambit guarantees two selected housemates a place in the House until the final day. Although they will participate in tasks and House activities throughout the season, they will not be eligible to compete for the grand prize.
Sunday’s live show also marked the end of the Ladies-versus-Gentlemen format that defined the opening weeks of the competition. With the teams officially dissolved, the housemates will now compete as individuals.
Biggie also unveiled this week’s wager task, Game On, challenging the housemates to define the identity of Season 11. Through a creative presentation incorporating elements such as a logo, slogan, song, artwork and props, the housemates have been tasked with capturing what they believe this edition of Big Brother Naija should stand for and how they want it to be remembered.
The excitement continues today with the second Head of House Challenge at 2:00 p.m., where housemates will once again battle for power in the House. This will be followed by this week’s nomination show at 7:00 p.m., when viewers will find out who will become the first set of housemates to face possible eviction.
With Flora and Aikou’s fate in the House secured till the last day and the housemates now playing as individuals, the stakes have never been higher as the battle for the grand prize gathers momentum.
Viewers can enjoy the 24/7 BBNaija Season 11 experience on DStv and GOtv, or stream every episode live on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream.
For more updates, visit Africa Magic’s Big Brother Naija page and follow #BBNaija on X (@bbnaija), Instagram (@bigbronaija) and Facebook (Big Brother Naija).
