Entertainment Briefs
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FEMI Kuti, Afro beat king, has received a medal from the Grammys for his efforts. After being nominated four times without winning, Kuti finally got a medal from the apex music award organisers for his immense talents.
An excited Afro beat king currently on international tour shared the news of his accomplishments with his fans via social media. Kuti lost out narrowly in the Best World Music category to joint winners, Gipsy Kings and Ladysmith BlackMambazo in latest version of the award.
Nigerian Idol Unveils Top New Contestants
AFTER the initial auditions in five cities across Nigeria, Nigerian Idol, season 4 sponsored has finally announced its top 12 contestants. The 12 contestants, who were unveiled at an event in Lagos, will be housed for another eight weeks to show their musical prowess before the esteemed judges and audience, as they battle for the top prize of N7.5 million, a Galaxy Tab, a Blackberry, an iPod and a brand new SUV car.
The lucky contestants are: Zibili Evelyn, Lisa Omoregebe, Elvis Ejiro, Paul Enoma, Odugbemi Idown Sarah, Ogechukwu Okafor, Obed Emmanuel Ogbonna, Ese Idowu, Ese Nyerhovoo, Anthony Akpan, Beebee Bassey and Jesse Okonkwo. They emerged from the crop of 30 brilliant youths that made the mark.
Nine contestants were selected by the viewers at home through their votes, while the remaining three contestants were the judges’ choice.
Star-studded ‘Blood in the Lagoon’ for Release Soon
A NEW movie which features Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, a Nollywood diva, as lead actress is set for release. ‘Blood in the Lagoon,’ an emotionally charged movie, will keep lovers of Nigerian movies glued to their seats till the very end.
Set against the backdrop of dichotomies surrounding the Lagos lifestyle, the film centres around George Dibiya (Okey Uzoeshi) who was born into an abject poverty. Dibiya ekes out a living in the treacherous murky waters of the waste deluged Lagos lagoon and just like thousands in the many slums of Nigeria, his life story is already written and sealed by fate even before he came into the world. But after the murder of his brother, Dibiya sets out not to allow his brother’s dream to die and along the way he gets entangled with the stunningly beautiful scarlet.
The movie which is released by Tropical Gem Studios has other movie stars such as Okey Uzoeshi, Ufoma Ejenobor, Akin Lewis, Eddie Ugboma, among others.
Stevie Wonder Leads Stars to Nigeria for Mandela
STEVIE Wonder, an American music superstar, is among the top stars expected in Nigeria for the country’s leg of the Nelson Mandela Commonwealth Nations and America Unifying Wrestling Championship, which will also hold in South Africa, the United States and Britain.
According to Tee Mac Itseli, project coordinator and ace musician, Stevie Wonder, the multi-talented Grammy Award winner, will lead a strong cast of stars from the US, Britain and South Africa, who would join Nigerians (musicians and comedians) to spice up the wrestling carnival in honour of the late Mandela.
Itseli said: “We have some interesting stars coming for the event, but I think the coming of Stevie Wonder for the event further testifies to the power of Mandela name to draw the best in all areas even in death. Soon, we will come out with the list of all the participants in the championship, which is a collaboration of the South African High Commission, American embassy and the Ultimate Wrestling and Charity Organization, TUWCO.”
Meanwhile, Osita Offor, who holds the world champion belt of the Universal Professional Wrestling Federation, UPWF, has gone into camp to prepare for the championship, which will see him facing some of the top wrestlers in the profession. Offor, also known as De Ultimate Commander, said he had concluded consultations with top local and foreign wrestlers to ensure that he emerged from the bouts with his title still intact. Offor, who has decided to go into a closed camp to ensure full concentration in his preparation for the event, said: “I am training locally here with Jimmy Palm because I want this title to remain in Nigeria. I have also been in touch with my coach, Jimmy Superfly Snuka, as well as the Barbarian and Earthquake because they are the ones in charge of my training. I am waiting for certain things before I join them in the US.”
The Mandela Championship will begin in the South African cities of Johannesburg and Durban on July 18 and 20 respectively, hold in Lagos on July 25, Abia, July 27 and two cities in Britain on August 1 and 3, 2014. On August 9 and 16, the championship will hold in the United States’ cities of Dallas and North Carolina, and round off in Canada on August 23.
— May 12, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT
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