Showbiz
Nigerian-born Ayobola Kekere-Ekun Shines at 2021 Absa L’Atelier
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Nigerian-born Ayobola Kekere-Ekun has been selected as one of the winners of the prestigious 2021 Absa L’Atelier at an online event hosted on the Absa Art Hotspot.
The artist was among the finalists from Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya and Namibia.
She is among the one ambassador per group chosen from the three groups of African countries. The others are Adelheid von Maltitz from South Africa and Blebo Michael Jackson from Ghana, while the winner Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto category was Abongile Sidzumo.
Absa, in partnership with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA), hosts the event to celebrate African art.
These winning artists now take on the title of Absa L’Atelier Ambassador 2021 received trophies that depict hands, symbolising the physical manifestation of creation, designed, and produced by established South African artist Roberto Vacarro, while the Gerard Sekoto trophy depicts a bull, representing prosperity and resilience.
Since its inception 35 years ago, Absa L’Atelier has showcased and continues to invest in some of Africa’s finest young artists between the ages of 21 to 40.
This year, the competition established itself as the first African art competition to be hosted completely virtually; from entry, submission and adjudication of the artworks, to hosting a series of masterclasses and a mentorship programme for the 2019 Absa L’Atelier ambassadors, culminating in the online awards ceremony.
Entries were received from across Africa and judged by an independent panel of adjudicators including acclaimed artist and Director at BKhz, Banele Khoza as well as Armelle Dakouo, independent curator and artistic director at AKAA Art & Design Fair.
Criteria for selecting the Ambassador included technical execution, conceptual and thematic engagement, the freshness of artistic vision within the context of the contemporary African art landscape; as well as aesthetic appeal.
Established 17 years ago, the Gerard Sekoto award goes to a South African artist, aged between 25 and 35 years, who has continued to demonstrate integrity in the quality of their artwork.
The award is made possible by the Embassy of France in South Africa, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), which is the cultural arm of the Embassy, and the Alliance Française network in South Africa.
“With our partners Absa and SANAVA, we are proud to support the Gerard Sekoto award and to accompany young artists to share their work both nationally and internationally.
“We believe in this award which grants a talented young South African artist an amazing opportunity: to expand his or her horizons with a 3-month artistic residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, and, of course, gain greater exposure as a result.
“The artists are inspired and inspire. They learn, and they teach. They explore, and exhibit, allowing people in France and in South Africa to learn more about their individual style and vision”, says Aurelien Lechevallier, who is France’s Ambassador to South Africa.
Though COVID-19 provided its challenges, the past two years were likewise a period of innovation and technological progression.
“The pandemic has allowed us to advance our digital art presence with the launch of the Absa Art Hotspot. This unique virtual experience platform made it possible for us to host live events such as webinars, art exhibitions, art masterclasses, and art auctions, while certain elements of our art-related sponsorships and partnerships such as this year’s awards event were also migrated to the platform,” says Paul Bayliss Senior Specialist Art Curator at Absa.
Hosting the competition digitally allowed for the removal of any barriers to entry as all the artist required was a smart phone or access to the internet.
“With this year’s theme The Act of Art, we called our continent’s fearless creators to act and to enter. This years’ competition once again provided an opportunity for visual artists to respond and make their voices heard.
“We are committed to putting the basic building blocks in place to ensure that young artists from across the African continent can reimagine their futures and bring their possibility to life,” says Bayliss.
SANAVA President, Dr Avitha Sooful, commended her partner, Absa, for forging ahead and continuously seeking ways to impact the African visual arts scene even during the ongoing pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic derailed our plans for 2020 but through some innovative thinking, we were able to come back stronger this year and we actually have more entries than we have ever had for this competition. I commend the work that our partners, Absa, have done in making sure that African artists continue to reap the rewards of their hard work,” Dr Sooful said.
“We look forward to working with this year’s ambassadors and Gerard Sekoto winner and providing the next generation of young African artists with the support, recognition, and exposure they need to solidify their careers and build their brands,” concluded Bayliss.
Showbiz
What Gen Z Wants From Entertainment Today
For Gen Z, entertainment has become social, interactive, and deeply tied to culture. A good show doesn’t end when the credits roll; it lives on through memes, group chats, reaction videos, and trending conversations online. The same goes for music, reality TV, and increasingly, live events that bring people together in real time.
This generation doesn’t simply consume content. They participate in it. They want moments worth sharing, stories worth discussing, and experiences that make them feel part of something bigger.
This is what entertainment looks like for Gen Z, it’s no longer just about watching, it’s about participating. And nowhere is this more obvious than during the FIFA World Cup.
For previous generations, football was largely a one-screen experience. You sat in front of the television, watched the match, and discussed it later. Gen Z does things differently. They’re watching the game while texting friends, checking player stats, posting reactions on X, and scrolling through TikTok for instant highlights all at the same time. The match itself is only part of the experience.
The real entertainment lies in the shared moments: predicting scores in group chats, celebrating last-minute winners, debating refereeing decisions, and creating memes before the post-match analysis even begins.
That is why live sports continue to hold such power in today’s entertainment landscape. In an era where almost everything can be watched on demand, live football remains one of the few experiences people still want to consume in real time. Nobody wants to be the last person to know a goal has been scored.
The World Cup, in particular, has evolved into more than a sporting event; it is now a global cultural moment. Fans aren’t simply supporting teams, they’re joining conversations, participating in trends, and sharing experiences with millions of people around the world.
Convenience matters too. Gen Z expects entertainment to fit seamlessly into their lifestyle. Whether they’re watching from home, catching a match on the go, or switching between devices, flexibility is now part of the viewing experience. This is why platforms like DStv and GOtv continue to remain relevant during major tournaments, with SuperSport’s live coverage making it easier for fans to stay connected to the action wherever they are.
But beyond convenience, Gen Z wants one thing above all else: moments. The unexpected upset. The breakout star. The last-minute winner. The scenes that dominate timelines and become part of internet culture. Because for Gen Z, entertainment isn’t measured by what they watch, it’s measured by what they experience and few experiences deliver that quite like the World Cup.
To make football’s biggest moment even more accessible, MultiChoice has introduced special World Cup bundle offers across DStv and GOtv ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US, Mexico, and Canada. From June 1, 2026, new customers can get a full decoder kit plus a one-month subscription for ₦15,000 on either platform.
The offer is aimed at helping more Nigerians stay connected to the tournament, which will feature 48 teams and 104 matches. Through SuperSport, viewers will enjoy full live coverage of all games, dedicated 24-hour World Cup channels, expert analysis, highlights, multilingual commentary including pidgin, and flexible viewing options on TV and streaming so fans don’t miss any moment of the action.
Showbiz
Samuel Obinna Positions Skite as Nigeria’s Creator Economy Future
By Adedapo Adesanya
Mr Samuel Obinna, founder and chief executive of Skite, has announced the company’s expanded focus on Nigeria’s fast-growing knowledge economy with a platform designed to help creators and professionals monetise expertise from a single system.
Skite is building an all-in-one infrastructure for knowledge entrepreneurs, enabling users to sell courses and digital products, host paid communities, run live events, offer one-on-one consultations, and manage audience monetisation without relying on multiple tools.
According to Mr Obinna, the platform is aimed at solving a long-standing fragmentation problem in the creator economy, where professionals are forced to combine several apps to manage payments, content delivery, community engagement, and marketing.
He said early users on Skite have recorded up to 30 per cent increases in revenue after consolidating their operations on the platform, while premium users benefit from a zero transaction fee model.
“The knowledge economy is creating unprecedented opportunities for professionals to earn from what they know,” Mr Obinna said, adding that, “Skite exists to provide the infrastructure that makes it easier to build and scale those businesses in one place.”
He told Business Post that the idea for Skite was shaped by his personal experience with content creation.
According to him, he had previously explored teaching and sharing knowledge through content online, but found it difficult to monetise consistently.
He noted that much of the value he was putting out was being consumed for free without a structured system for earning from it. That experience, he said, influenced his decision to build Skite as a platform where creators and professionals can directly convert expertise into income.
He further stated that the platform is targeting a growing wave of creators, coaches, consultants, and educators in Nigeria who are shifting toward structured knowledge-based businesses rather than traditional content-driven influence alone.
Mr Obinna added that Skite’s long-term vision is to become the core operating system for knowledge entrepreneurs across emerging markets, simplifying how expertise is packaged, sold, and scaled.
Skite is an all-in-one creator monetisation platform that enables knowledge creators to build, grow, and monetise their businesses from a single system.
The platform provides tools for selling courses and digital products, hosting paid communities, running live events, offering one-on-one consultations, monetising direct audience interactions and managing sales funnels. Skite is designed to help creators turn expertise into sustainable and scalable income.
Showbiz
What to Watch This Week: 5 Movies You Shouldn’t Miss
What happens when a woman who has built her entire identity on control suddenly wakes up with none of it? In Little, Jordan Sanders, a powerful tech mogul known for her strict and unapologetic leadership style, finds herself trapped in the body of her teenage self right before a career-defining moment. Forced to relive life from a completely different perspective, she has to navigate school, friendships, and adulthood pressures all at once, while trying to fix a life that is quickly slipping out of her control. To catch Little, tune in on Movie Room Africa on Tuesday, June 17, at 6:40 AM.
Stories like this are part of what makes this week’s viewing lineup worth tuning into.
Across DStv and GOtv, a fresh mix of titles is currently airing, bringing together drama, romance, comedy, action, and suspense for every kind of viewer. From emotional family conflicts and psychological twists to superhero adventures and light-hearted rom-coms, there’s something new every day for viewers looking to unwind with a good story.
If you’re looking for something fresh to watch, here are the movies you can catch this week.
The Other One
What begins as a desperate attempt to survive soon takes a disturbing turn in this psychological thriller. After being kidnapped, a woman devises an unusual escape plan: gaining her captor’s trust by pretending to care for him. But as the lines between manipulation and genuine emotion begin to blur, both find themselves trapped in a dangerous relationship neither can control.
Showing on Africa Magic Showcase on Tuesday, June 16 at 3:30 PM.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Being a superhero is no easy task, especially when you’re still trying to survive high school. Peter Parker must balance everyday teenage life with the responsibilities that come with being Spider-Man as he faces off against Adrian Toomes, also known as The Vulture, whose dangerous weapons operation threatens countless lives.
Showing on Movie Room Africa on Friday, June 19 at 8:00 PM.
Shazam!
Life changes in an instant for a troubled teenager when a mysterious wizard grants him extraordinary powers. But while being a superhero sounds exciting, he soon learns that great abilities come with even greater responsibilities. As he struggles to balance his newfound identity, a dangerous enemy emerges, threatening not just him but everyone around him.
Showing on Studio Universal on Saturday, June 20 at 5:00 PM.
Asoebi Mamas
Family tensions take centre stage in this drama about privilege, resentment and responsibility. Ajoke enjoys a lavish lifestyle while paying little attention to the hardworking stepdaughters under her roof. But when long-standing grievances begin to surface, her actions threaten to upend the family’s fragile balance.
Showing on Africa Magic Family on Friday, June 19 at 10:00 AM.
Whether you’re planning a quiet evening indoors or simply looking for something new to watch, these titles offer the perfect excuse to settle in and press play.
To upgrade, subscribe or reconnect, download the MyGOtv App or dial *288#. For catch-up and on-the-go viewing, download the GOtv Stream App and enjoy your favourite shows anytime, anywhere.
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