DON JAZZY

DON JAZZY: THE MAN BEHIND THE RISE OF MEGA SUPERSTARS
“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”-James 4:6
“You have to be little to belittle” -John C.Maxwell

Benjamin Disraeli once said, “The greatest good you can do to others is not just to show your riches but to reveal to them their own”. It is savage madness to think you can increase your stature by making others feel smaller. As you read this last piece on my topic of having a right self-esteem, I should be on my way back to Nigeria from Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirate (UAE) as a speaker at an International Conference organized by the British Council. And as I chronicled my journey to becoming an international speaker, I remembered an encounter that has contributed significantly to my writing ministry. One of the life transforming experiences that has lingered in my memory was with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of The Guardian Newspaper, Dr. Alexander A. Thomopulos, a man with deep and unusual kind of humility.

I wrote a powerful piece almost a year ago in the youthspeak section of The Guardian Newspaper captioned: Muhammadu Buhari, Beware of Ides of May! The COO read it and was highly impressed.

It beat my imagination that someone like him could send a message to somebody like me. I was subsequently invited to the RUTAM HOUSE, Lagos, the Head Office of The Guardian Newspaper, to have a meeting with the editors of the Saturday and Sunday Guardian. As I was ushered into the office of the COO, I was told by his secretary to wait for him as he was having a meeting in one of the board rooms.

I sat quietly in the office of the man that rules the operations of the Guardian Newspaper and took my time to admire his gigantic office: the pictures on the walls, a neatly array of some old newspapers in a shelved tray, the plethora of local and international plaques of awards that laced and dotted some corners of his office, all testifying to his giant strides as a worthy and veteran leader in the media and beyond. One of the pictures that so much caught my attention was the one he took with the former President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton.

I was jolted back to the object of my visitation when Dr. Alexander walked in, in a manner that was so amiable and friendly. I had a lengthy talk with him and subsequently with the Editors of the Saturday and Sunday Guardian. After our meeting that day, as I walked out of the office of the COO, I knew deep within me that I had met a ‘giant’, not because of his towering stature or the plethora of awards that neatly ‘litters’ his office but because of his ‘large’ heart and epic simplicity. Traditionally, to be a king, it is required that you have a royal ‘blood’. What a fallacy that the world has endured, because on that fateful day, I met a man that is a king though not by blood but a king in spirit!

I wonder how many of my kind would have sunk into oblivion just because nobody gave them a chance. I wonder how many ‘Alexanders’ that are still out there that will give a platform to upcoming talents. I wonder how a man of his calibre that has every reason to be proud still chose to be humble. I learnt a big lesson from the COO that day; that humility is actually a choice. Don’t ever write-off any man; never look down on anyone unless you are admiring their shoes!

A distinguished member of the British parliament travelled to Scotland to give a speech in 1890. In Scotland, his carriage was hopelessly mired in the thick mud of a rural road. A young Scottish farm boy helped the man to move his carriage out of the mud with large draft horses and was ready to resume his journey. The law maker insisted on paying the young man but the lad refused. “Are you sure I can’t pay you for your time and effort?” the gentleman asked. “Thank you sir” said the young lad, “it is a privilege to help such an important person as you”.

“What do you want to become in life?” asked the law maker. “I want to become a doctor but I doubt that will happen since my family does not have the money for such education” replied the young lad. The young politician promised to help the young man become a doctor and he held onto his promise. Fifty years later, a man called Winston Churchill was the prime minister of Britain during Hitler’s insurgence and he was seriously down and close to death due to pneumonia. The whole of Britain was threatened by the health of their leader. Churchill miraculously recovered because his physician gave him an injection of a new wonder drug called penicillin. Penicillin had recently been discovered by the brilliant medical doctor, Alexander Fleming.

Alexander Fleming was the young boy that had pulled the stalled carriage from the mud. And the man who promised to return the favour by sending him to a medical school was Winston Churchill’s father, Sir Randolph Churchill. By saving the life of Churchill, he might have saved the whole of England and probably the whole then world from Adolph Hitler’s reign of terror. What a monumental blessing that would have eluded the world, if Randolph Churchill was unable to see a medical doctor in the young farm boy!

Robert Ingersoll once said, “We rise by lifting others”, the emergence and trailblazing story of the music entertainment maestro, Don Jazzy, is both inspirational and impactful. In this last edition of my exhaustive write-ups on having the right self-esteem, I am ending the series with the story of a man that has decided to rise solely by raising others. Michael Collins Ajereh, famously called Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian multiaward-winning record producer, songwriter, musician and ‘Don’ of musical evolution in the Nigerian entertainment industry. From his little beginning as a ‘drummer boy’ in a local church to the CEO of Mo’Hits Records and current CEO of Mavin Records, he has made significant contributions to the emergence of ‘stars’ and megastars in the entertainment industry, which include D’Banj, Wande Coal, Dr SID, D’Prince, Tiwa Savage, Di’ja, Korede Bello, Reekado Banks et al.

He has been listed many times by Forbes as one of the most powerful celebrity in Africa and more recently, beyond. Born on 26 November, 1982 in Umuahia, Abia State, but hails from Delta State, he was raised up in the lowly slum of Ajegunle in Lagos. Don Jazzy’s ‘destiny’ with music was sealed even from the cradle, with a deep flair for singing and playing drums at the age of four. He metamorphosed to developing a passion for the bass guitar at the age of 12 and later navigated the academic world with a degree in Business Management from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in Edo State.

His passion for music and the percussion instruments (especially drums) could not be ‘contained’ as he later, in the year 2000, made his way to London, UK after his uncle invited him to come and play the drums for a local church. Though, his meteoric rise to limelight received major setbacks and frustrations but the ‘Don’ will not ‘bat an eyelid’ as he took up menial and degrading jobs in order to hold on tenaciously to his passion.

He took up various odd jobs, including working at McDonalds as a security guard. In the course of following his passion, he met some ‘covenant’ friends on the way, and the idea of Mo’Hits Record was born in the year 2004 with D’banj playing a significant role. His first full credit production came up in 2004 with ‘Tongolo’ for the Nigerian singer D’banj. The precision of Don Jazzi’s expertise was repeated in 2005 with D’banj’s first studio album titled ‘No Long Thing’. It was not just a stroke of luck as Don Jazzi went on to repeat the same trick with Wande Coal’s “Mushin 2 MoHits”, an album that was described as one of the best albums to ever come out of Nigeria! Even when the fears of anticipatory break-up were rife between the ‘covenant’ friends (Don Jazzy and D’banj), a new dawn rather than doom came for Don Jazzi with the emergence of Mavin Records in 2012.

It is not his rise to superstardom that really amazes his fans but his ability to bring out latent talents where ordinarily, people see no prospects. Though, the Dorobucci master has so many awards to testify to his awesomeness (2007 Nigerian Entertainment Awards-Music producer of the year; The Headies 2011- producer of the year for the songs: ‘Over The Moon’, Mr Endowed, and ‘Pop Something’; The Headies 2014- producer of the year for the song ‘Dorobucci’; 2015 City People Entertainment Award- Special recognition Award).

Despite the rise and rise of the Marvin stars (Tiwa Savage, Dr SID, D’Prince, Korede Bello, Di’ja and Reekado Banks), Don Jazzi’s humility and diligent search for ‘hidden’ stars is still incomparable. And to Don Jazzi; keep up your diligent search and great investment in bringing up young talents and I seriously look forward to you signing-in a gospel singer this year!
Finally, to all the youths out there, I want to leave you with one of my favourite quotes from Tim Fargo, “If you want to improve your self-worth, stop giving other people the calculator.”

Nigeria’s dance queen Kaffy (right) taking America’s Ciara (middle) and her dancer through some popular Naija dance steps at the Love Live A Movie 3.

With what went down at the Love Like A Movie 3 held on Sunday, at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, it’s obvious that the show has come to stay. With America’s Ciara as headliner, the love concert initiated by Dare Art Alade, rocked the city of Lagos to the roots, as fun lovers thronged the venue to join in the groove that lasted into the early hours of the following day.

From the car park to the main hotel lobby, the atmosphere was frenzy, as guests hurried to exchange their invitation cards with the official wristbands that give access into the Convention Centre. While those with regular tags were ushered in through the side lobby, VIP guests joined in the special cocktail at the black carpet section. You need to see paparazzi boys, as they struggled for vantage positions to get the scenes on lens.

Notable among stars that strutted the black carpet include Ciara, who got tongues wagging, as she stepped out in her see-through blouse; she practically teased the imagination of onlookers showing off her fit bod.

Others include the host Darey, Toke Makinwa, Dr Sid, Ladiva Millen, Yemi Alade, Bovi, Mai Atafo, Kelechi Amadi Obi, Ini Edo, Zainab Balogun, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Victor Olaotan, Destiny Amaka and others.

Though other American music stars had visited the country before now, Ciara’s visit, her second time in Nigeria, seems to have received general acceptance from fans, who were amazed at her humility and love for Nigeria. Unlike others, who would be in a haste to get off the stage and hit the airport back home, Ciara was at home in Lagos and she obviously enjoyed herself; the look on her face said it all.

Aside from Darey, who used the platform to sample his latest works to the audience, other Nigerian music artistes such as Olamide, Yemi Alade, South Sultan, Adekunle Gold, Smi, Omawumi, Blacky, Styl-Plus, Vector and others were on the bill to thrill the audience with Naija vibes. But somehow, it was Ciara everyone wanted to see. As expected, she left everyone asking for more.

Alongide her energetic dancers, the Grammy award winner brought the house down, as the audience received an unexpected treat they will remember for a long time. But shortly after completing her final performance of the night, the R&B superstar invited Nigerian dance queen Kaffy onstage to teach her some popular Nigerian dance moves.

For the next three minutes, the auditorium recorded its loudest noise of the night as Kaffy taught Ciara and her backup dancers how to dance to Iyanya’s Kukere, Tekno’s Duro and Olamide’s Bobo to the wild delight of the crowd. When it was over, the crowd screamed for more as Ciara reluctantly made her exit after leaving a huge impression on everyone.

Coming a few months after the release of his critically acclaimed album Naked, the third edition of Love Like A Movie also saw a Naked Photo Exhibition featuring photography inspired by the album theme, from the super talented trio of Kelechi Amadi Obi, TY Bello and Yetunde Babaeko.

It would be recalled that last year’s edition of the show was unable to hold owing to the shift in general election dates. But while breaking the news for this year’s show, Darey said, “The long wait is over! Love Like A Movie 3 is everything you’ve dreamed and more! We’re building new worlds and exploring some very interesting concepts.”

For the fifth time in a row, comedian and OAP Justice Nuagbe, aka Ushbebe, under his Pride Rock Entertainment, will be holding another edition of his hilarious and entertaining comedy and music concert titled The Chronicles of Ushbebe Live. Slated for Sunday, March 13, at Muson Centre, Lagos, the show will be hosted by Ghanaian actress, Juliet Ibrahim.

The fifth edition, according to the comedian, is a landmark event, considering the fact that Pride Rock Entertainment has been consistent in bringing the show to Nigerians and given the class of entertainers who will be performing at the show.

“We have gone the extra mile to bring the very best of comedy and music to our fans and we will not compromise on quality. This is the fifth time we will be holding the show and guests should expect nothing but the best. This is even more so as we have never failed to dish out quality entertainment to our fans,” the entertainer said.

Slated to perform at the show are the likes of I go save, Gordons, AY, Helen Paul, Seyilaw, Elenu, as well as Dan D Humorous while music will be provided by 2baba, Yemi Alade, Lil Kesh, Sound Sultan, Tekno, Falz, Reminisce, Ice Prince, Harrysong, Kcee, and Ycee. DJ Spinall, DJ big N and Veentage Band will alo perform

Rev. Fr. Ofere

Gospel singer Bose Ogunbiyi, otherwise known as Abi Megaplus, has released second album titled Dependable Father. The album is motivated by Ogunbiyi’s life experience.

Produced by Wole Oni, the five-track album features songs such as Dependable Father, Danza, Ori Olowo, No weapon and Semilogo. Meanwhe, three out of the five tracks (Danza, Dependable Father and Ori Olowo) have videos shot by Oluyinka Davids.

“I see it as a way of evangelising; it’s a way to move the hand of God, give words of encouragement and hope to people through the message of the song. I’m a creative person, hard working versatile and always updating myself to be better,” she said.

Ogunbiyi who holds a BSc (Hons) in accounting, a Fellow of Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) of England & Wales and also a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), has won several awards including, PGMA Gospel Award in 2012 for Contemporary & African Praise Category, International Award by Yoruba Heritage Award in 2014 for the Female Musician of the Year and many others.

She released her first album in 2013 titled New Praise and succinctly sings in English, Yoruba, Ghana, Igbo and other languages.

Suspect, Illbliss and Chidinma during an industry nite

With the expiration of her contract last month, it appears the once rosy relationship that existed between Kedike singer, Chidinma Ekile and record label, Capital Hill Music/The Goretti Company, jointly owned by music video director, Clarence Peters; hip-hop rap artiste, IllBliss (Dat Ibo Boy or Oga Boss) and music producer, Tha Suspect, will require an intervention of God and a change of heart as the MTN Project Fame Season 3 winner, has bid farewell to the company that nurtured her for five years.

According to sources close to record label said the singer is leaving the company that served as her music home, when refused to extend her contractual agreement with the label. The sources said Chidinma had requested that the contract should not be renewed; making her a free agent and can take her career to any direction.

Recall Chidinma in 2010 became the new girl-hero in Nigeria, following her emergence as MTN Project Fame Season 3 winner, defeating Tolu, Eyo, Yetunde, Ochuko, and Ghanaian, Kesse. She thus, became the face of hardawork and spirit with alot of brand deals coming through her way, and the released of her first album Chidinma, while closely partnering with MTN. The LP contained songs Kedike and Jankoliko.

Like a star that she is, Chidinma shone in 2011, as played a huge part in the song Emi ni baller (Capital Hill Music all-star song), setting her up for fire. Subsequent years, her songs, You and I, Kite, among others came thick and fast.

Chidinma as gathered has been reportedly unhappy with the management of her music label and had decided long ago to call it quits. Weekend Beat gathered that Chidinma is not the only artiste who has the company in recent times; Tesh Carter, Kel and Fefe have all been in the news for similar issue.

Some music pundits said the singer has grown and matured with the label in the last five years; therefore, she can make important career decisions for herself and her career, which is in her hands. Many were quick to say that the petite singer in all of the five years at Capital Hill Music, failed to release a body of work, apart from singles.

They argued that though she may not have truly fulfill the true range of her potential as failed to shine at the top, her exit from the company put more weight upon her shoulder and ironically frees her for more growth. Prior to the exit, a number of people share the responsibility for her career. More eyes will be on her now that she decides to go solo, and the pressure to succeed will be enormous.

Where Chidinma goes from here will solely be her decision and choice. However, many entertainment observers suggest that she either seeks out a partnership with an investor, who will fund her works and together they share the proceed (profits) or she gets signed to another record label with a bigger, better contract and more autonomy.

It is difficult to say what will become of the record label, as it seems that the artistes left with the company are Ayoola (who has nothing about Capital Hill on his social media pages), Mz Kiss and Illbliss, who is a part owner of the label.

Effort made to get Illbliss, Clearance Peter and Chidinma speak on the development was abortive, as Weekend Beat after several calls to rapper’s mobile number without answer, sent an SMS, which was not replied as at the time of this report.

Mudi with Alhaji Lai Mohammed when the minister paid a visit on the designer at his studio in Anthony Village, Lagos.

In Nigeria’s fashion sector, Clement Mudiaga Enajemo, otherwise known as Mudi Africa, is a household name, even across Africa. Since 1992 when the Delta State native started Mudi clothing outfit, it has been success story all the way, with numerous awards and recognitions to show for it. With outlets in South Africa, Nairobi and Accra, Mudi has been a great ambassador of Nigerian fashion and remains an inspiration to most young designers. On Thursday, March 3, 2016, the talented designer and trained illustrator marked his birthday, though in a low key. However, he used the opportunity to reflect on his journey so far, as well as counseled young talents on how to be a successful entrepreneur.

Today is your birthday, how are you celebrating?
Well, I give God the glory, but there’s no celebration; it’s a quiet birthday with my staff and few friends. When it’s time to celebrate, I will do that. You know we are in the era of ‘change; people are just trying to mellow down a bit.

When you look at all you’ve achieved so far, how does that make you feel?
I feel happy, I feel very happy because, if not for the work that I’m doing, nobody would have known me. Today, I know the level I operate; people relate with me today based on the on the work I do.

Before starting Mudi, were you in any form of paid employment?
No, I’ve never worked for anybody. When I left school, I was with my uncle; they were into suspended ceilings. Because of my attention to details, I was drafted to the finishing department to supervise finishing. While I was working there, during break, I would be sketching designs. I’m an artiste, but I picked fashion designing because I needed a platform to express myself. I was sketching deigns just for fun; I never knew it would be like this.

At what point did you decide to take it  seriously? 
I was doing that until a friend of mine called me and said, ‘come, Mudi, don’t waste your talent, go to a fashion school.’ So, I decided and went to an established roadside tailor to learn how to cut and sew. Because ability to create is already there, I just need to learn to how to sew and cut. After that, I had a humble beginning to where we are today.

How was the experience as a young entrepreneur back then and how do you fell today?
First of all, it humbles me and I must give thanks to God for the talent, passion, drive and discipline. Yes, people say I’m creative and I thank God for that; people say I put so much effort; I enjoy what I’m doing by the grace of God. As for discipline, it’s by the grace of God because there’s no way it’s 7 or 8am and I’m not here. I could say, ‘ok, let me go home and relax and delegate from home,’ but know, I’m always here. When my staff is working night, I’m there with them; that’s discipline. I see some of my contemporaries, they leave office at about 4pm and say they are going to network, what are you networking for? Sit down and do your work. Because of packaging, people are not real again, especially in a place like Lagos. To be real now, you must have self-confidence; you must know your onion, just be at your lane.

It seems most young people want to be successful, but few of them actually work hard to achieve success?
It’s the value; we have a very wrong value system. They say, when you pour water on the floor, it will find its level. But in Nigeria, when you pour water on the floor, it won’t find its level; people will redirect the water. Here, things are not done based on what you know; it’s about whom you know. Sometimes, I read the papers and I see young designers talking about brand; you just came into this profession less than two years and you are talking about brand? You can’t be talking about brand; the word is too heavy for you. By using the word brand, that means you are seeing yourself as a brand; brand has to do with over the years experience and consistency.

Are you saying most of  them are on the fast lane?
We are too fast in Nigeria; everybody wants to make it today, today. And we are not even trying to curtail it; we are actually encouraging it. You see people address themselves as veterans, icon, legends… and the media is encouraging that. In the end, you create room for mediocre to operate.

Sometime in the past, the Federal Government made efforts to support the creative industry, but it seems a lot of wrong people eventually benefited from the programme?
You are right; it’s because of packaging. So, you that don’t believe in making noise, who is practical, will go to them and they will say, ‘no.’ I’ve been doing this thing for 24 years. Hype is good, but I don’t dwell on hype; I dwell on hardwork. When you see some of these celebrities on billboards, sometime, they even pay to the agencies to use them on the billboards; everything in Nigeria, we have to lobby?

So, it has to do with our values?
Yes, water doesn’t find level in Nigeria; people redirect the water. It’s our value; we don’t want to work but we want to be known. We dwell so much on hype; we are too fast, especially the young people.

As an entrepreneur, can share some of your experiences?
Back to the issue of our value system, even the word ‘entrepreneur’ has been abused. You see a lot of people in the newspapers call themselves entrepreneurs, what have you don for yourself that you are an entrepreneur? Everything in Nigeria, we abuse it; we take things to the extreme. And all because, there’s so much competition, so, people look for all means to just cut corners, without knowing that it’s a process. Look at people like Giorgio Armani, almost 70-80 years, they are still working; it’s a process. What’s your take on ‘buy made in Nigeria’ campaign?

Like Ben Bruce used the word common sense, to rule a country, you need to be practical. If first of all we have faith in ourselves and believe in the country, to turn Nigeria around won’t take us too many years. For instance, if I have my way to see the president I will tell him it’s a simple thing. How many Nigerians go to watch our local league, but you see the level of energy we put in to watch foreign leagues; we even fight over it. If we have people, who have passion for the country, for instance, if Enyimba is playing and you see people like Tony Elumelu or Ben Bruce at the stadium watching, you can imagine the followership. No matter what we are doing, we must build passion for the country first. Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was at your studio recently, was it an official visit?
Well, I’ve known him for a while; for about seven years now. I make clothes for him and once in a while, he comes around.

When I left school, I was with my uncle; they were into suspended ceilings. Because of my attention to details, I was drafted to the finishing department to supervise finishing. While I was working there, during break, I would be sketching designs. I’m an artiste, but I picked fashion designing because I needed a platform to express myself. I was sketching deigns just for fun; I never knew it would be like this.

However, his older son, Jimmy actually mentioned to me that he might be coming over. I was sitting down out there with a friend of mine when I saw escorts. Before I knew it, he came out from one of the cars and said, ‘Mudi, how are you’ and I said fine. He just walked in and I followed him upstairs, that was it.

Has he been here before as a minister?
No, that was his first time; and he was soo impressed with what we’ve achieved. I remember him saying, ‘Mudi, you’ve done so well for yourself, nice place.’ I think he said that more than four times; when he was leaving, he repeated it. And he stressed the issue of dedication to job. He said a lot of our youths don’t have passion for what they do; there’s too much razzmatazz. Meanwhile, Kofi Olomide was here few weeks ago too.

On your invitation?
See, to be honest with you, I think it’s just God and people, who know you based on what you do. When Kofi came to Nigeria, a Congolese friend of mine, who works for Eko Bank, called to inform me that Kofi was around and that he wanted to get him some Nigerian made outfit; Kofi actually demanded for it. So, the guy said, ‘I will take you to Mudi.’ He invited me to the hotel where he was lodged; we discussed and I took his measurement. When I gave him my complimentary card, he said he knows my outlet in South Africa, that he has seen my signpost there. Eventually, he said he would love to visit my studio and see things for himself. The following morning, he was here; he was going for a studio run from here, but he ended up spending about two hours here, he played the piano; he was so relaxed. And luckily for me, because we didn’t actually plan it, I was able to get few of my friends and we did a small welcome for him.

Senegalese musician Salif Keita was here recently too?
I’ve known Salif for about ten years now; he’s my friend. In fact, he was here in 2011 to visit me; I put him in a hotel on the Island. Actually, what happened was that he was to fly from Accra to Abuja for CAF Award, but he told them he would prefer to stay in Lagos and spend the night with his friend Mudi.

What will be your advice to young people, especially those, who want to join this business?
My only advice to every young Nigerian is to take it easy, don’t do because somebody else is doing it. Because of our value system, people will tell you, ‘no, you are dull…’ Don’t worry, just believe in yourself; you need to build self-confidence and follow the rules.

Hauwa Allahbura

Hauwa Allahbura is a young versatile, resourceful, talented, disciplined and vibrant actor, who has so much passion for acting and loves what she does with a desire of becoming a global superstar. She hugged stardom when she emerged the winner of the Miss FCT pageant in 2012 and her reign spanned to 2013.

Armed with a passion for making anything she does work, she endeared herself to the hearts of Nigerian movie buffs with her presentation of the TV show, Village Square TV, a Nollywood entertainment programme that broadcasted on ONTV, but has metamorphosed into a TV channel known as Trybe TV.

Born in Kanam Plateau state, growing up she said, was very interesting as she grew up in different states in Nigeria. “My father was a Customs officer and he was always on transfer. Living in different parts of the country helped me interact with various ethnic groups and I was able to pick up two languages — Hausa and Yoruba.”

With a degree in History from the Nassarawa State University, and a burning desire to pursue her passion in acting, Hauwa’s acting career was triggered in 2014, when some directors and producers saw the potential in her and helped me see a bigger picture.

Determined to be a better actor, and sharpen her acting skills, she attended the New York Film Academy, where studied acting, and Montana State University where studied documentary film making on a sponsorship by Ford Foundation and Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF).

“My parents were blown away by the decision because I was already a TV Presenter, and my father could not just wait to see me in different characters. I will keep saying he is one of my biggest fans. My first role in a movie was in Rovieno, which was released in October 2014, but my first major role was in Gidi Blues, which is coming out in April and I will say it is my major spring board. The movie is a world class standard film that helped me stretch myself as an actor. It is a film that can be screened anywhere in the world with a story people can connect to. I fell in love with the script.”

You have worked with experienced and notable individuals in the Nigerian movie industry. What lessons would you say you have been able take away from opportunity?

“I must confess I’ve been very privileged to work with notable people in the industry including Femi Odugbemi in Gidi Blues; Frank Rajah in 18th Anniversary, and Fred Amata in Newman’s Street among others. The lessons I’ve been able to take will be advanced interpretation of characters and professionalism.”

Humbled with her accomplishments so far, and having worked on outstanding projects including Tinsel, back to back in 2015, Hauwa hopes the work continues in such a pace in 2016 with people appreciating her little contribution in the industry.

“As much I will say, my accomplishments have been mind blowing; I’m ready and open to more challenges. 10 years from now is actually a long time, but five years from now, I already see myself as a household name celebrated in film festivals across the globe like the Cannes, Toronto Film festivals. 10 years will be having a legacy which will be followed and looked up to by the up and coming.”

Starting out, Hauwa explained that the biggest challenge was opportunity, as every fresh face in the industry needs a breakthrough project or role that will showcase their talent. “Having to go through about four months of serious auditions and no job makes it almost depressing. As you are given the opportunity and you take advantage of it, everything begins to fall into place. My biggest challenge again and again will be identifying and utilising the right opportunities, which I’m glad, I’ve overcome.”

What projects are working now, and what do you intend to achieve with or through it?
Right now I’m working on my short film titled Life In Reverse, a story about a Christian girl saved by a Muslim woman in the heat of crisis in Jos. I’m still on Tinsel, playing the character Maro and I’ve been scheduled to shoot two feature films in March, which I’m not at liberty to share. With my short film, I intend to drive a story on unity.

What drives you and what is your typical day like?
“What drives me as an actor is passion to succeed and make and impact, which acting makes me do. The joyous thing for me will be changing lives and making people smile. My typical day is not the normal typical day, as I shoot almost everyday and a few off days, which I can only thank God for. As for unwinding, I will say going to the beach helps me relax, as I love the atmosphere and go mostly on weekends.”

For Hauwa, the highest points of her career building would be when jobs started coming in on and on, while her lowest points will be to wait for months jobless and going for auditions hoping the right jobs will come.

What are your favourites… colour, food, holiday spot/destination and movie?
“I don’t have a favorite colour, I just love too many colours and can’t seem to just choose one, same goes for food. Vacation destination will be any Island, as I love to be on the Island away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

“There is nothing I can actually not do without,” she says, adding that, “I’m not attached to anything fashion wise so you will catch me wearing pretty much anything. Well, my most expensive items will be my wrist watch and hand bags, but the value for me goes beyond the price.”

Her sense of style is a balance of two different styles, and she loves being glam, especially when she is going for events or other social gatherings. “I love to be glamorous, but when I am just doing my everyday grocery shopping or running around, I like to go simple, easy, and comfortable; no heels or makeup. So it’s a balance of glam and comfort.

To the upcoming talents, she says, “some may be desperate for a quick breakthrough in their career and they may left with no choice other than to take the short, which may be inimical to their career. I do not believe in that, but believes in taking the long route to success through hard work and persistence.”

Tosyn Bucknor, Davido and Gnemi at the reception.

Just recently, pop singer Davido sealed a record deal with Sony Music, which will obviously advance his music career beyond Africa. In celebration of the achievement, Black House Media, on Thursday, hosted a select journalists and bloggers to a thank you party on behalf of the artiste, who was also present.

Held at BHM Lounge, Ikeja, the event saw Davido listen to feedback from media friends, while also spilling the beans on his Sony Deal, his new artiste, his expensive accessories, and the release of his long-awaited sophomore album.

The party comes on the heels of his Sony signing – a deal he says will let him continue to have creative and business control especially in Africa.

“I spent almost a year going back and forth until this deal was actually completed. I wanted to make sure that I retained complete control over my work and that the terms of the deal were good for me. Now that this is done, I have several projects lined up. My album will be dropping later this year and we will be releasing a single this month. So expect bigger things,” Davido said.

In his brief remark, the CEO of BHM Ayeni Adekunle said, “Davido is a friend of the house, and one of our favourite Nigerian musicians. We are proud to celebrate his achievements, and he is particular about the invaluable support he continues to enjoy from the media. BHM has a strong passion for entertainment and entrepreneurship and we will continue to identify with leading Nigerians working to showcase us in amazing ways.”

Contrary to recent rumour that Globacom had terminated it’s contract with sensational music twins P-Square, the telecommunications operator has denied the media reports that it has ended brand endorsement deal with music duo, Peter and Paul Okoye of P-Square.

The company confirmed in a statement it released in Lagos on Thursday that, contrary to such media speculations, the twins were still its brand ambassadors, stating that it was only in the process of reviewing contracts with its ambassadors, including the twins.

“We have not disengaged P-Square or any of our other ambassadors. We are currently in the process of reviewing our contracts with the brand ambassadors,” the statement said.

The company stated that P-Square had, since 2010, when they were first signed on, been among the company’s most valued ambassadors, and that it had been a mutually rewarding relationship between the two parties.

“We are proud of the role Globacom has played in the rapid upward trajectory of the musical career of these incredibly talented twin brothers,” Globacom affirmed.

The company statement added: “Globacom has also played a similar role in the exposure and economic empowerment of all the Nigerian entertainers, and others from neighbouring countries, who worked with us as brand ambassadors.”

“Globacom holds its brand ambassadors in the highest esteem and has a dignified procedure of managing its relationships with its brand ambassadors. Whenever brand ambassadors are to be engaged or disengaged, we usually follow the due process and dignify them by holding constructive discussions with them,” the statement read.

Since 2003 when Glo commenced operations, it been the biggest corporate promoter of the entertainment industry in the country. It also pioneered the signing of musicians and Nollywood stars as brand ambassadors.

Ahead of this year’s Gidi Fest, Eclipse Live Africa, the producer of the festival, has announce the lineup of artists, hosts and DJs for the event billed for March 26, at Eko Atlantic, Lagos. Once again the Gidi Fest stage will be lit up with the biggest acts from across the continent.

The festival’s headliners include Davido, Tiwa Savage, Phyno, Yemi Alade and Timaya, while South Africa’s, K.O and Riky Rick will be coming to Nigeria for the first time to grace the stage. Meanwhile, Adekunle Gold and Small Doctor are billed to open for the day.

Hosts for the festival are MTV Base VJ’s, Nomuzi from South Africa and Nigeria’s very own, Ehiz, alongside City FM OAP, Sensei Uche, while DJ Obi and DJ Kaywise will be on the decks with some comic relief from a couple of your favourite comedians.

According to the founder of Gidi Fest Chin Okeke, this year’s show promises to be an astounding show with amazing vibes.

“Gidi Fest is a music festival that defines the progression of music and urban youth culture in Africa. The festival was naturally born in Lagos because the city is the melting pot of the continent, yet it maintains a global outlook. Our lineup represents the current crop of African music stars.”

This year, the Flow with The Beat competition is back by popular demand; it gives up and coming talent a chance perform live on the Gidi Fest ’16 stage and feature in the Gidi Cypher with festival artists. Everyone has a chance to #LiveYourMusic by downloading the Gidi Cypher beat produced by DJ Chopstix, flowing over the beat and sending it in to the Gidi Fest team for review.

Eko Atlantic, Lagos State Government and Heineken are sponsors for this year’s festival, with support from Red Bull, Mikano, South African Airways, Eko Hotel and Hyperia. Media Partners include Beat FM, Bella Naija, City FM, DSTV, Guardian Life, Cool FM, Linda Ikeji, MTV Base, NotJustOk, OkayAfrica, Pulse, Rhythm FM, Silverbird, Style Vitae and Top Radio.

Kcee

All is now set for this year’s Lagos Music Festival billed for March 28, at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Festac Town, Lagos. As usual, the show will feature music, dance and comedy by notable Nigerian artistes.

Already confirmed musicians for the gig are King Sunny Ade, Kcee, 2Face Idibia, Majek Fashek ,Olamide , Yemi Alade, Patoranking, Marvelous Beji, Pasuma, Iyanya, Phyno, Omawunmi and others, while comedians Akpororo, AY, Ushbebe, Seyi Law, Pencil, Mr. Patrick and others will perform at the festival was created to restore the importance of Festac area as the capital of art and music in Nigeria.

Since it began in 2013 with three partners, Shousha Mohsen, singer KCee and Obrien Obinna Ufondu, the initiative has continued to receive commendation, as the organiser have improve on the package, with the last year attracting more than 10,000 guests.

Speaking to journalists at a press briefing held recently to herald the show, Kingsley Chinweike Okonkwo popularly known as Kcee, said, “the drive and passion we have for the festival when we started in 2013, have kept us going and we will continue to improve on it; when you have something good, you don’t have to drop it. We started good and in few years from now, it will be bigger than what we think and people from outside may want to buy franchise from what we are doing. We have a big dream to make it a global festival,” he said.

On security concern, he said, “we have the support of the Lagos State Government on issue of security and crowd control; we’ve never had any issue in terms of security. But because we are going bigger, that’s why we want to step it up.”

The Limpopo crooner, while commenting on his new release Bureau De- change, said, “my creativity and the situation in the country prompted the song, but the message therein is that, no matter the harsh economy situation now, things will get better. I just want to distract people from the pain and the situation because, what is happening is not making anyone to smile.”

On his part, the GM Golden Tulip Hotel, Marcel Andeweg, said, “Festac has been a haven for hosting big cultural event in Nigeria since 1977 and we are committed to continue such by hosting cultural, art and music festival. With golden tulip as partner, audience are in good hands. The main thing we provide for the music festival is to ensure adequate space for audience.”

A new TV show, Bukas and Joints, hosted by the broadcaster Olisa Adibua, is set to take viewers on a gastronomical journey of food, while showcasing some of the finest cuisines and places to eat across the African continent.

The show, which will premiere on AIT on March 20, captures the very essence of the universal language of food, and Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, is the first stopover. The programme will see Olisa visit several places that serve up an array of amazing food while also exploring both the local and international food culture in Lagos.

According to the producer Biola Alabi, “our aim is to showcase African cuisine to the world, and Olisa’s immense popularity and appeal makes him the perfect person to host the show.”

The 13-episodes series, with each episode running for half an hour will take viewers on several interesting and mouth-watering food adventure across fifty (50) eateries in the first season of the show, as Olisa delves into the history of the food, the joints and the culture.

Biola Alabi Media is an African media company that develops content for Pay TV, Free to Air (FTA) television channels, OTT (Over-The-Top) TV and VOD (Video-On-Demand), while providing various services to television and media networks like; platform presence, market entry, consumer insights, technology innovation, content development and sponsorship outreach, in addition to helping them optimize their revenue models and expand their distribution networks.

PHOTO: www.tfonly.com

Determined to take Ebonyi youths, who are into hawking off the street, veteran Nollywood actor cum producer, Andy Chukwu, has partnered with Ebonyi State government on a skill acquisition program tagged, Street to Skills, which trains and empower all Ebonyi youths.

According to Chukwu, the rate at which Ebonyi youths are involved in street hawking in the major roads of the country, is giving the state governor sleepless nights.

“The first stage, which we are on now, is to visit the major cities of the country and take statistics of all Ebonyians hawking on the roads. The second stage is to design a program to rehabilitate and empower these youths after, which we will start empowering them. We are also partnering with the Lagos state government on this project,” he said.

The filmmaker further noted that the project would get to other parts of the country, adding that its debut will be in Lagos.

“We have planned very well for the sustainability of this program. So, it is not something we will start without sustaining it. This project is passion driven; I have long had passion for something like this and I’m grateful that Governor David Umahi administration has thrown its support behind me. I have been doing this before now as I always; I relate with Ebonyians wherever I see them anywhere even in neighbouring countries,” he said.

Barack Obama once said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” We must believe that we are agents of change, there is no time that a man has so much abused his existence than when he leaves the world the same way he met it! John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) inspired a whole nation with one of his awe-inspiring quotes, “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. We are living in a country that has perpetuated decadence and eulogized impunity, the most abused word in Nigeria presently is the word ‘Change’, the gospel of change has now become a mischievous way of indicting the government in the face of obvious dereliction of individual duties and responsibilities. The chanting and tantrums of ‘change’ has now become the present ‘anthem’ of irresponsible citizens. Nigeria has become a country where everybody is desirous of change but nobody wants to be responsible for that change.

The tragic end of Kodak is a pointer to the fact that change is an integral part of the evolution of any formidable venture. There are a lot of reasons why Kodak failed but refusing to adapt to the changing market and not being on the cutting edge of photo-technology is the prime reason. The great memories that Kodak represents will never be forgotten; the good old times when we reached for a camera to stop life for a second, to grab a memory. For decades, Kodak was the face of photography but it is sympathetic that for over 131-years when they held the world spell-bound through photography, the end of things has come for this great company that had filed for bankruptcy! Kodak was one of the most powerful companies in the world but its position has been given to another, such is the fate of any venture, individual or company that resists change. Digital photography took off and Kodak wasn’t ready for it. They could have been the industry leader into the digital age, but they did not want to be the ones to pull the lever to bring an end to the film. After more than a century of producing traditional film cameras, Kodak has lost its relevance because of its inability to take the lead in moving from producing traditional film cameras into digital technology. The Kodak tragedy begins and ends in its inability to move into the digital world, well enough, and fast enough. The argument was that Kodak was so addicted to films that it ignored the digital revolution. What Kodak despised, because of their assumption that its market is not yet ripe , today, the high-tech world is stampeding to get a piece of the action, calling digital imaging perhaps the greatest growth opportunity in the computer world.

Kodak’s estimate and presumptions were very wrong and Kodak was inevitably late to the game. By 2001, the market was crowded. Canon and Sony had already made huge leaps in the sector and this ultimately signalled Kodak’s doom! By the time Kodak decided to move from analog to digital, the digital market was already starting its decline. A new technology had emerged and Kodak fought to remain relevant but the battle had already been won by “change” gladiators. Selling off its camera unit, Kodak is now a shadow of itself. Kodak is today bankrupt because they were too comfortable with their success in the film industry to be open to the possibilities of digital photography for the future. While ‘change’ has brought so many companies to limelight, for Kodak, the inability to respond to change has brought its demise! People that will make maximum impact embrace change.

“Refusing to change makes you more qualified for a world that no longer exist”-Scott Mckain

Life is full of stories of people that brought unimaginable change in periods when their countries needed it the most. Henry Ford was the change that America needed at a critical point to develop the first automobile that the middle class Americans can afford to buy. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry. His intense goal and commitment to systemically lowering costs resulted in many technical and business innovations. The Ford’s dream: The creation of an inexpensive mass-produced automobile. Until then, the new horseless carriage had been an expensive luxury item, available only to the rich. But Ford determined to put the automobile within the reach of the common people. In 1907, Henry Ford announced his goal for the Ford motor company: to create “a motor car for the great multitude”. At that time, automobiles were very expensive, custom-made machines. During the industrial revolutions, cars were like buying a private jet today until Ford created the assembly line.

The patriotic and inspiring story of the evolution of Innoson Motors is a pointer to the fact that one man can make a big difference by being an agent of change. From the humble beginning as a spare-part trader to becoming the Chairman of IVM Innoson Group of Companies Limited, the rise and rise story of Innocent Chukwuma is so fascinating and has become a trail blazing story for the Nigerian youths. It is amazing how a man will ever consider investing in a terrain considered by professional analysts as a ‘mission impossible’. Dr. Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma, was born in 1961 in Umudim, Nnewi,in Anambra State and popularly known as Innoson, is the Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing (IVM) Co. Ltd, the first indigenous vehicle manufacturing plant in Nigeria. After his education, he started trading in spare parts under the name Innoson Nigeria Ltd in 1981. His burning passion to see Nigerians drive their own brand new cars has been a major drive for this change gladiator that has surmounted both local and international hurdles to bring Nigeria to the forefront of automobile revolution in Africa and beyond. In February 2007, Chukwuma incorporated Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited (IVM) to produce sundry commercial automobiles, utility vehicles and passenger cars; the vehicles in IVM fleet range from cars, trucks, SUVs, compactors, etc. According to him, his goal, apart from putting Nigeria on the map of vehicle manufacturing countries, is to stop Nigerians from buying fairly used vehicles, popularly known as Tokunbo, as is now the case.

Due to our demented and inferior taste for second hand cars, coupled with the fact that over 80 percent of Nigerians cannot afford brand new vehicles, Nigeria has now become a dumping ground and ‘waste basket’ for both developed and developing nations! Presently, the company has made in-road into some African countries such as Ghana, Sierra Leone, Chad, Niger and Togo. Innoson Motors are built with the state of the roads in the country in mind and they are more rugged than the imported ones.

His success story has ensured employment for over 7,500 Nigerians who work in the company’s factory. Due to his outstanding contributions to the development of Nigeria, he has been given several awards locally, nationally and internationally. This include: Meritorious Award by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in 2008, Award of Excellence by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in October 2008, MANCAP Award of Excellence by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in 2008, National Honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in December 2008, prestigious National Honours of the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) in 2010, Distinguished Entrepreneurship Award for Indigenous Excellence in automobile Manufacturing by The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) in 2010, National Honours of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) on November 2011, Special Presidential Merit Award (2011) by the Nigerian Society of Engineers. In February 2012, INNOSON Motors won the African Business Of The Year Award, at a ceremony held in London, conferred by the Commonwealth Business Council and African Business Magazine.

We need patriotic examples from the ’top’, I look forward to seeing President Muhammadu Buhari officially declaring Innoson Motors as Nigerian authentic brand; It will be a new way of branding the nation. Germany is synonymous with Mercedes, Volkswagen and BMW; United States of America is notable for Ford, Chrysler and Chevrolet; United Kingdom is known for Rolls Royce; Sweden has Volvo as a national pride, while Peugeot is the brand associated with France. I am personally reaching out to patriotic Nigerians to support the Innoson Motors and make it our own national pride and brand. Annually, billions of naira and resources are used by government and individuals to import vehicles from foreign countries, these strange mentality and attitude will continually deplete our foreign exchange reserves and empower the down fall of the Nigerian naira against other foreign currencies. My candid advice to the Federal Government is to provide a conducive atmosphere for indigenous entrepreneurs to re-invest into the Nigerian economy. It is high time we revisited the Ajaokuta steel Company dilemma because we are losing so much forex to the importation of steel. I am excited about the perspective of the Honourable Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi, on the lingering resolutions and the need to clear all legal hurdles surrounding the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited for it to begin to function. Mr. Fayemi decried the trillions of naira spent annually on steel importation into the country and has assured to work assiduously to make the dream of Steel production in Nigeria a reality.

In the business of broadcasting in the country, Tajudeen Adepetu is a household name. A graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Jos, the Managing Director of Consolidated Media Associates has been described as the Ted Turner of Nigeria, with eight channels under his group. A respected TV soap executive producer, he has been a top industry player in the entertainment scene for over a decade. In this interview with CHUKS NWANNE, Adepetu, who is widely regarded as ‘behind the scenes’ man, spoke on his brands and journey into the world of broadcasting.

Could you recall your childhood?

I grew up with my grandmother and I was very close with that woman in Jos; I grew up in Jos, Plateau State, but I’m from Osun State. Now, my grandmother was such a woman that had an effective way of teaching; you will have to do certain things. My grandmother will never raise her hands to beat you if you do any wrong, but I discovered that she had an effective way of teaching; she’s the type that will talk you down until you were able to see reasons. So, for me, being able to point out difference between right and wrong was very important. Her influence in my life defined who I was at one particular point in my life.

How did you get in contact with television?

Well, my sister started working for NTA and when they take us from school, they would go round to NTA to pick her up and I would end up waiting for her to finish work and wander around NTA Jos; that was how I got bitten by the bug. At that time, I was still in primary school, maybe around age 10. So, I had that contact with television very early.

Could you remember your first camera?

Yes, I remember that camera very well, but interestingly, there’s the story of the first still camera and the story of the first video camera. I suspect that while I was growing up, between the age of 10 and 15, my mother had noticed that I liked media. The present I go for one of my birthdays around that time was a Lomo camera; those ones that have one lese up one down. She bought that for me and I would shoot anything that is shoo table and get it developed. Thinking back at it now, that must have exposed me to motion picture photography and telling stories.

And your first video camera?

My first video camera came about a long time into my professional life; that was when I wanted to start the Weekend Television brand and I had to get it. I don’t want to tell the story now because, it annoys me to remember whom I got it from and the fact that the camera never really did an honest day work; it was always failing and I paid for it.

How did it happen?

You know those kinds of things that you buy and you give upfront money and then you start using. From the first day, it doesn’t work well and you tried to return it, the person would not collect it and you are forced to pay the full amount. If I remember that, it pains me, but my consolation is that when the person sees me today, he calls me aburo, trying to be friendly. I don’t keep malice, but there are some things that older people do to you when you are young, which they know that they shouldn’t do, they stick to you. You don’t hate them and not that you’ve forgiven them though; you rather they just let you live your life and not necessarily have to bring themselves around you.

How was your working experience before you started your own?

I never worked for anybody, not one single person. I went to TV College Jos, went to University of Jos to study Theatre Arts. I did film, did some short courses here and there and then launched on my own.

Was it deliberate that you didn’t take up any paid employment?

The only reason why I didn’t work for anybody is not because of any ego, but because there was just nobody thinking the way I was thinking at that time. So, I knew that if I had gone to work for anybody, they wouldn’t understand where I was coming from and where I’m going to and that could create a lot of conflict. So, I decided I was going to do things my way. It has been extremely difficult, but I’ve managed to pull through.

Who funded your education?

There was a father at one particular point before he died and then through the university years, there was occasional entrepreneurial thriving; you do one business here, made some money here and there. I did quite a lot of radio jingles over 25 years ago; I did enormous amount of radio jingles for most of the radio stations up north. So, I made some money there even before I got to Lagos; all of those kinds of small business made me have some money to do one or two things.

How was starting up like?

We started with a general entertainment brand called Weekend Television, where we had blocks of programming on AIT from Monday to Sunday for three hours. In those blocks of programming, we had various kinds of programmes; we had music, series and loads of other kinds of stuffs. This was about 12 years ago, at the beginning of AIT; we started AIT together. The first day AIT launched, it was primarily 40 per cent of our programmes that was running on AIT at that time, so, we’ve been around. We were able to work with them because, they were the only people, at that time, that understood where we want to go as television professionals. Chief Raymond Dokpesi, I would say, is one of the few people that understood television and the type of content you should put on TV to drive the channel.

Could you tell us about Consolidated Media Associates?

CMA is actually a group; we have eight channels. We have the Tribe Movie Channel, Spice Tv fashion channel, we have the ONTV general entertainment channel and we have the ONTV Max focused towards the father of the house. We have Access 24, which is a news channel. By the time people see it, they will understand what we are doing; it’s a channel that the man of the house will feel comfortable watching with his child, being able to talk about the development of the child. We have the Televista Series channel and Urban 96 lifestyle channel. The only difference between Urban 96 and Soundcity Music is that Soundcity is a music channel, while Urban 96 is a lifestyle channel and it’s only available on mobile.

Would you not have accommodated all of these on a 24 hours broadcast station?

I need you to understand broadcasting; broadcasting today is not the broadcasting of yesterday. Broadcasting of yesterday is where you have everything on a general entertainment channel; be it NTA, STV, AIT etc, they are all general entertainment channels. Today’s broadcasting is targeted; there’s nothing like general anymore. You need to meet people at the point of their needs and that’s what we try to do as a company; we try to meet our viewers and listeners at the point of their need.

It seems you saw opportunities where many did not?

Look, I tell you the truth, I really don’t know and I cannot say. From Television College, I knew this was what I was going to do. So, it was very easy for me to focus on that route; I knew for a fact that I wanted to do this. The only part of what I’m doing now that I never thought about when I was at the television college is the fact that I wanted to do a kiddies channel. But I can’t have a kiddies channel now because, we have eight channels that demands too much of our time. As a company, we just can’t expand anymore; we just have to consolidate on what we have and keep improving.

How many staff do you have working in the organisation?

I have 248 people working with me and we are going to take four more people this year and that’s all we are going to take. We are going to have 252 people working for the whole organisation.

Has it been lucrative or is this all about passion?

First, the idea to sustain a company is driven by passion, but there’s a clear economic direction for us that we will not do stuff that will not pay itself to run. So, we will not do a channel that will not run itself; we will always do a channel because we know that channel is sort after.

Do you feel rewarded?

See, everyday, I’m happy. Why am I happy? I’m happy when I see people talk about our brands and what the channels have done to their lives; that’s my reward. My reward is being able to provide; I see myself as a missionary and that’s the gospel truth. I see myself as being able to provide for people; that makes me very happy. When an upcoming artistes is able to record something and I’m able to guide that person verbally or with little money, and they are able to make great videos and I’m able to put it on my platform and people likes it to the extent that the artiste changes from somebody that does not have work to being a millionaire, that’s my happiness.

Yemi Alade and her crew performing at the AMVCA held at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The city of Lagos was in frenzy mood last weekend, as celebrities and stakeholders from different parts of Africa converged at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, for this year’s Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs). The ceremony, which started with a special red carpet reception and cocktail, was also broadcast live on all Africa Magic channels on DStv and GOtv.

Unlike your usual Nigerian shows that would practically wait for the stars to arrive, thereby running behind schedule, AMVCA seems to have set a record for itself by keeping to time. Once it was time to go alive, the show kicked off, even when most celebrities, especially Nigerians, were yet to register their presence. In fact, most of them go back seats in the packed.

Hosted by the duo of IK Osakioduwa and South African TV host Minnie Dhlamini, the glamorous evening featured excellent performances by music artistes such as Flavour, Yemi Alade Zonke and others, while Ugandan comic Salvador, Thomas Gumede from South Africa and Nigeria’s Senator and Bash spiced up the evening with jaw breaking jokes. Particularly, the live band was impressive; everyone spoke well of their performance.

Once again, Nigerian movie industry, popularly known as Nollywood, re-affirmed its leadership of the continent’s motion picture industry, winning all major categories in the continental award ceremony.

The show, which ended with an after party, saw Stephanie Linus’ Dry win Best Overall Movie, beating Adam Abel and Garrett Batty’s Freetown, Sara Blecher’s Ayanda, Akin Omotosho’s Tell Me Something Sweet, Ishaya Bako’s Road To Yesterday and Juliet Asante’s Silverain. Nollywood’s Adesua Etomi got Best Actress in a Movie/Drama/TV Series for her role in Falling, Best Actor In A Movie/Drama/TV Series went to Daniel K. Daniel for his performance in A Soldier’s Story, while the Best Director award went to Akin Omotosho for Tell Me Something Sweet.

Also, Ariyike Oladipo clinched Best Television Series Award with Daddy’s Girls, Best Short Film or Online Video Award went to Oluseyi Amuwafo for A Day With Death, while Best Lighting Designer (Movies/TV) went to Stanley Ohikhuare for the movie Common Man. For her work in Dry, Uche Nancy got Best Costume Designer award, Best Indigenous Movie/TV Series (Hausa) went to Salisu Balarebe for Dandi Kowa, while Best Indigenous Movie/TV Series (Yoruba) was clinched by Binta Ofege.

Best Indigenous Movie/TV Series (Igbo) went to Paul Igwe for Usekwu Igbo, Remi Vaughan won Best Documentary with Faaji Agba, while Best Supporting Actor In A Movie went to Sambassa Nzeriba for his role in A Soldier’s Story. Tunbosun Aiyedihin won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Before 30, Best Actor In A Comedy went to Folarin ‘Falz The Bahd Guy’ Falana for his role in Jenifa’s Diary, Funke Akindele won Best Actress In A Comedy for her movie Jenifa’s Diary.

Nollywood also got the Trail Blazer Award through Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju, while AMVCA 2016 Industry Merit Awards were presented to the duo of Bukky Ajayi and Sadiq Daba for their roles in shaping the motion picture industry in Africa.

Meanwhile, Road To Yesterday, a collaborative effort by Genevieve Nnaji, Chinny Onwugbenu and Chichi Nwoko, was voted Best Movie (West Africa).

While receiving her award, veteran actress, Bukky Ajayi, who got a standing ovation from the audience, gave an emotional speech as tears rolled down her cheeks. The octogenarian, who was on a wheelchair, thanked the organisers for the honour done to her, urging practitioners to embrace peace.

Both Stephanie Linus and Kemi Lala Akindoju were presented with keys to brand new Sports Utility Vans (SUVs) at the event, which lasted into the early hours of the following day.

Dodds

The stage is set. The sound of the band warming up is a comforting backdrop as anxiety and excitement fill the air. There are dozens of people scattered around the impressive space, all of them busy. Busy cleaning, busy pacing, busy checking their phones. There’s a ripple of excited chatter as a few people cast looks at a dapper looking Banky W. Everyone is waiting.

A man strides in flanked by four men. He has a serious expression. As the other men take in the surroundings he slips off by himself. He lays his jacket down on a chair and starts doing the rounds. He walks briskly, eyes darting from the left to the right as he takes everything in. He must have done this dozens of times all over the world, but today his eyes are on Lagos.

The man is Hamish Dodds, President and CEO of Hard Rock International, one of the world’s most recognised companies, with cafes, hotels and restaurants in 69 countries. Now owned by the Seminole tribe of Native Americans, Hard Rock was launched in 1971 by two Americans who wanted to bring a taste of America to London.

The company is well known for its collection of music memorabilia which started with a single Eric Clapton guitar and has risen to around 80,000 items. It is arguably the largest music memorabilia collection in the world and is displayed at Hard Rock locations around the globe.

Dodds is in Nigeria for the official opening of Africa’s third Hard Rock Cafe: Hard Rock Cafe Lagos. “I thought the traffic was wonderful,” he says of his first few hours in the city. “The people are incredibly friendly. My general observation is that there’s a lot happening here. Everyone’s going around doing stuff there’s noise, activity and commerce happening…Our partner found a great location here with a great view.”

The two-floor building is a lovely space, with indoor and outdoor seating, a swimming pool, an indoor and outdoor bar and a spacious outdoor terrace boasting ocean views. Inside, in true Hard Rock style, the walls are adorned with memorabilia of musical greats; B.B King’s ‘Lucille’ guitar, Aretha Franklin’s skirt, Michael Jackson’s jacket, James Brown’s suit. There is a notable absence of memorabilia of African artists on display, Hard Rock is in talks with some Nigerian musicians and there is a wall for reserved specifically for Nigerian artist memorabilia in a bid to implement local culture.

That does not extend to the menu which will remain predominantly American. “Our philosophical approach is to meet most consumers expectations, this includes food which is casual American cuisine,” he says. “Philosophically, because we’re a global brand, we do encourage our local partners to include local cuisine but we want our menu to be consistent.”

After successful ventures across the globe, it was inevitable Hard Rock would attempt to replicate its success in Africa. “We’re growing in South America, Asia and Eastern Europe,” he explains. “Africa is one of the markets that’s developing and we’re really turning our attention to Africa more strategically. The continent is young and energetic and that’s where we would like to be from a brand point of view so it’s really about identifying the right brands and the right cities.”

For Dodds, Lagos is the right city, “This is where the large critical mass of people and economy are,” Dodds continues. “I think everything sort of gravitates around the trade and the commerce that happens around here so it makes sense. It’s also easier for us to attract a more global audience.”

Lagos is a test of sorts, if successful there’s no reason to think an expansion would be far off “We don’t want to commoditize our brand by putting ourselves everywhere. we’re not a McDonald’s or a Starbucks, ” he says. “In the short term we’re opportunists, we’re looking to see if the right opportunities come up. It really depends if we find right investor profile, the right location and whether the market can absorb the kind of quality of the product we want to put into the market.”

Given the current state of the Nigerian market, why would the decades-old chain choose to invest at such a turbulent time? “We’re a 44-year-old brand, he says. “I see a huge turbulence in the market, because of in oil price, disease, many other things. You can’t run a business based on this, you have to have a long-term view. We look at the Nigerian market as a partnership, we are looking at the long-term investment in Lagos. We’ve just got to figure that over the long haul things will be okay.”

There’s more hustle and bustle as VIPs start to arrive for the famed guitar smash, a ritual that marks the official opening of a Hard Rock Cafe, so what does Dodds see as the future of Hard Rock Lagos? Our brand mission is to create experiences that rock,” he says. “In Lagos we really want customers to walk away feeling lie they’ve had a good time, Great food, great service, a great experience. That’s the ultimate goal. We’re quite unique and we’ve been able to do that consistently around the world.”

Falz

Barely a week after he won AMVCA 2016 Best Actor in a Comedy, beating other contenders such as IK Ogbonna, Kelechi Udegbe, Ime Bishop and comedian Akpororo, singer Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, has finally released video of Soldier, from his album Stories That Touch The Heart.

The official premiere of the music video, which was held at the Genesis Deluxe Cinema, Victoria Island, Lagos, had in attendance notable players in the showbiz industry, friends and family members of the artistes, including his father Femi Falana, who despite his busy schedule, graced the event to celebrate his lawyer son, who has found fame and fortune in entertainment.

Directed by Clarence Peters, the video featured X3M music singer Simisola Ogunleye otherwise known as Simi, and tells an emotional story of love, using act and comedy to drive the message. The track is one of the songs off his second album and a follow up to his earlier releases for Ello Bae, Karishika, Celebrity Girlfriend and Clap, which he dropped early in the year. The film was shot for 48 hours in Epe area of Lagos.

In a chat with the artiste, he aid, “we experienced a lot of difficulties while working on the video due to the location or work. I actually want to change the game; I just try to do something that has never been done, I want to merge the music and movie into one. I want to showcase the depth in my music so that people can look beyond ‘Falz the funny guy,” he said.

On the message behind the track, he said, “if you want to toast a lady, you need to be strategic; show that you can go a long way for her love. You don’t need to force a lady to love you, just let something happen naturally.”

In his brief remark, his father Femi Falana said, “I thought he’s going to be a fantastic lawyer, but I have no regret that you have chosen a good path for yourself. I have fought the brutalisation of our people by the military and, so, when I see your film, I see a lot of the normal militarisation of the normal African soldier. I think the sky will not even be the limit; I hope you keep it up,” he said.

He added, “With what I’ve seen, am going to consult with your mummy tonight so that we can also put in some support. As people says ‘if your masquerade dances well, you will be very happy. I think you have dance very well today,” the legal luminary declared.

Remi Momodu

A multitalented social entrepreneur with innovative solutions to improve human and environmental well-being, Remi Momodu is the CEO of Unique Me productions and fashions. A registered nurse based in the USA, she embarked on the journey of caring for the vulnerable members of the community some 18 years ago and eventually pursued a new path in nursing, providing individual care and give back to the community. Her strong connection with different attributes of human nature, especially in women and children’s struggle, led to the establishment of Xyza Campaign, which aims at addressing domestic violence. In support of the initiative, she recently produced a movie, Xyza to propagate the mission and vision of the campaign. Remi, who was in Lagos recently for the premiere of the movie, spoke with CHUKS NWANNE on the campaign, the movie and life generally as an entrepreneur.

What informed your choice of nursing as a career?

Actually, that was not what I wanted to do; I did my first degree in Criminal Justice and wanted to go to Law School. Along the line, I was working with the less fortunate people, where I was introduced to nursing. So, I went back to school for a second degree in Nursing and later got a Masters Degree. Right now, I’m doing an MBA in Business Administrations.

How did you come about Xyza Campaign and why domestic violence?

The topic is of interest to me because I live in the United States; the place where I live, domestic violence is very rampant. In recent time, we’ve had major cases, where African men, particularly Nigerians, traveled back to Nigeria to bring their women to America; most times, they are usually in the healthcare business. In most cases, they are interested in registered nurses and medical experts. The reason they do so is that, when people from those professions come, it’s easy to get them to start working so they can make big money. Often times, these couples don’t know themselves very well and things go out of hand and you have incidents where you actually lose these women to domestic violence.

Do you have any of such cases in mind?

Before I came to Nigeria few weeks ago, we actually had a case five minutes from where I live. A Nigerian man from Delta State, who is married to an Igbo lady, shot her to death and shot himself; both of them died on the spot. So, you have five kids with no mother no father. It’s rampant, I mean, we continue to see these stories; it’s a public health issue. As a public health practitioner, I felt, beyond what we just sit and talk about, we need to make a change. So, my goal is to use the Xyza Campaign to raise awareness and educate people about domestic violence. We intend to partner with other people, who are into what we are doing so that we can use the resources we have to reach out to those who are affected.

How long has this campaign been on?

The movement started about a year and half ago; this is our second year. Like I said, I’ve been in the United States for about 20 years, so, I know about the stories of all that happen there and they also happen here; it’s a problem all over the world. It became an interest to me when I saw the trend; I see nurses like me suffering for the same thing. These are women that are really working hard.

Is domestic violent basically against women?

No, it does affect men as well, but in most societies, the statistics show that women are more affected than men. However, we only need one man or one woman to be affected; it’s not right for either of the sexes to be affected. Women are dying in silence and men are crying helplessly, but together, we can fight the fight.

What informed your decision to use the movie as a medium to propagate your message?

First of all, I’m an actress myself and I wanted to write a story that promotes what I believe in; I wanted a story that makes sense. I could have produced a comedy or just love, action movie, but I wanted something people will enjoy and still learn from it.
So, I figured that, since I’m in the industry, I could use movie as a tool to disseminate the message of the campaign.

What’s the inspiration behind the movie Xyza?

Xyza is inspired by real life events within the African Immigrant community. It’s a story of Xyza, a high-achieving medical student, whose dream of becoming a Medical Doctor was almost derailed once she came into contact with Mr. Desmond Bello. Desmond, a Nigerian living in the US, is persuaded into finding his own personal “ATM” so as to live a life free from work and filled with luxury. After an unfortunate chance meeting, Xyza is sucked into a dark world of mental, emotional and physical abuse at the hands of the man, who promised a life filled with happiness. She desperately seeks solutions to escape her entrapment. The movie takes you on an emotional rollercoaster of love, hate, fear and hope.

How did you come about the story?

I wrote the story, which is in line with what the movement is all about. If you go to our website (www.uniquemeproductions.com), there’s a section where people, no matter what part of the world you are, can volunteers to be part of that change; you can be part of our ambassadors. There, you will see the requirements for what the ambassadors are going to do. The goal is to help us with our mission and vision.

Who are the cast members?

It’s a well-rounded movie with different actors from different countries; we shot in Maryland, United States. We had actors from Sire Leone, Cameroon, Ghana and we have a lot of actors from Nigeria; Ikechukwu Onyeka came all the way from Nigeria to direct the movie, while Chinedu Okonkwo handled cinematography. However, most of the actors are not your popular faces, but Ejike Okoye, who is a known Nollywood face, played the lead role, while I played the lead female role.

How did you arrive at playing the lead role?

I think for me, when I wrote the story, I lived in that role; I knew what I wanted Xyza to be. As I was writing the story, I saw myself in that character and I lived it over and over again; it became part of me. So, it wasn’t about reading the script and say ‘let’s start shooting,’ no; I carried the story within me. However, we did our casting properly and selected the cast.

For how long have you been making films?

This is actually my first film as a producer, but I’ve worked on other movie productions in the United States as an actress. But as a filmmaker, this is my first feature film.

What’s the budget of the movie?

Actually, I cannot give you an exact figure because, I don’t want to exaggerate or shortchange myself. I want to be real and honestly, I cannot tell you the exact. We started from pre-production to production and post-production, so, I need some time to sit down with my accountant and see what the book is like.

How was your experience on set, especially challenges?

I think challenges like in any part of the production, is about resources; the resources that we have abroad is different from what you have here; you can have access to stuffs more easily than you have in America. Of course, distribution continues to be a problem, but it’s an industry problem. I think that over time, we will overcome it and find ways to sell our products better.

How difficult has it been for Nigerians actors like yourself in the United States to break into mainstream Hollywood?

Personally, I wouldn’t say I’m not interested in Hollywood, but that’s not my focus. I truly enjoy being a Nollywood actress; I enjoy what Nollywood is about. For me, I see Nollywood to be a growing industry and it continues to grow; we have a lot of potentials. I’m honestly not interested in making my movie to look like a Hollywood film; I enjoy the traditional aspect of Nollywood production, where we tell a story because they are real. I really don’t enjoy actions and fictions; we tell true stories with lessons.

It seems you are a woman of many parts?

Yes, I’m registered nurse by profession, a producer, actress and entrepreneur. I’m also an ambassador for change, change against domestic violence. I fight for both men and women, and particularly for children. As a nurse, I go to the hospital and I work from Mondays to Fridays and I have my weekends off. It’s not easy because I work 40 hours a week and I have my own business to take care of. Besides, I’m a mother of four children. I’m a woman that wears many hats; I wear them comfortably. I enjoy what I do; I have passion for acting and I love telling stories. Besides Xyza Campaign against domestic violence, I’m also a fashion designer.

The movie is currently showing on cinemas, what’s your expectation?

I want it to get to both those that are affected by domestic violence and those that are not. There’s a lot of disconnect in our society and we need to reorient ourselves. Some people may say, ‘oh, you are a feminist, it’s all about women,’ but that’s not what this campaign is all about; it’s truly about the society that we live in. We need to start appreciating ourselves; we need to start to appreciate our women.

Twinnies

Mother and child look great in this collection of Twinnies and Mini-Mee made with Ankara

Trending now in the fashion industry is the “Mini-Me” and “Twinny” look. We are more familiar with the phrase “and co”, most popularly known as wearing the same garment, fabric or style with someone else. Today, “and co” has been slightly redefined and has taken a different twist in fashion.

Fashion brands have created a niche market by designing miniature versions of adult garments, mainly for mothers and their kids. So, it’s not just about wearing the same look with someone but it’s also about a mother or father and their child sharing something special, as well as creating a memorable experience together and expressing their special bond and selfless pride of associating with each other by wearing complimentary looks together.

Ruff ’n’ Tumble, the most dynamic children’s fashion company, has partnered with Tae, a distinctive, inspirational Nigerian brand, to offer mothers and their kids matching garments to enhance their relationships while creating exciting experiences together.

From a simple casual hang-out to that fun party, the Ankara Mini-Me Collection gives mothers the opportunity to express the bond and relish the pure joy of time spent with their children while “twinning” together. The collection consists of matching mother and child looks and is inspired by dynamic, youthful, fashionable and trendy mothers as well as warm, loving and outgoing children.

Mothers can find a versatile wrap dress that will give them that “wear anywhere elegance”.