AS Information and Communications Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili, pushes the 'Rebrand Nigeria' project with zeal and vigour, a hand of partnership has been extended to stakeholders in the film industry popularly known as Nollywood. The minister, last weekend, at the Banquet Hall of the Ikeja Sheraton Hotel, Lagos interacted with the motion picture industry as she sought to find out what filmmakers could offer the nation, especially in the on-going search for better image perception.
My problem with Nigerians and the things they do - Please people, would I be wrong in saying that apart from being the President's mouthpiece whenever needed, that the minister's biggest job at the ministry is Nollywood. If she does not know this by now, then Nollywood is in trouble.
The biggest mistake that Madam Minister made was to ignore Nollywood for the past 6 or so months that she has been at the helm while claiming ro rebrand Nigeria.
I am completely embarrassed by the choices this respected woman has made since assuming her post. Rebrand Nigeria? Does she not realize that if she tackles the issues facing Nollywood and wins, that there is no greater rebrand than that? What is wrong with our people and the way that they think. I do not care for excuses, you do not go rebranding a country which after 40 years of oil production still lacks basic amenities of decent living.
Ok back to the paragraph above, did she not seek their partnership prior to launching the Rebrand project? Is it not supposed to be at the planning stages that you let people know what you are doing and how much of their help you need?
But the meeting provided both parties a rare opportunity not only to know each other better but a moment of sober reappraisals for two agents of image making for the country. If the minister thought she would just lay her script on the table and expect Nollywood to act it out, she had another thing coming. Rather, it turned out a time of learning some of the intricate and confusing issues that make the industry thick. But the professor of Pharmacy is not new to surprises; in fact, she was ready for the image making industry's tale of woes. It's a tale of flagging fame requiring urgent attention to avert the collapse threatening the industry.
Prof. Akunyili went to Nollywood to enlist its support in rebranding Nigeria. Instead, Nollywood enlisted her to tackle its seemingly intractable problems, which do not seem obvious to the outsider. Forgetting to don her Ankara for which she is famous, Prof. Akunyili said she opted for a Western designed dress like the stars she had come to meet. And she looked like one in her shimmering beige gown with black frills.
She told the gathering that Nollywood was arguably Nigeria's cultural ambassador and that she was an avid follower of the industry, which she said changed the entertainment tastes of Nigerians for foreign films. "As far as I'm concerned, Nollywood is the biggest," she declared to the cheering admiration of industry buffs. "The impact of Nollywood is felt and appreciated. You project Nigeria's cultural life to the world. Nollywood remains one of Nigeria's major employers of labour, even for the physically challenged.
And yet this is her first major meeting with members of the industry. Is that the priority you give a major employer of labour? As usual, I hear the meeting was planned on such short notice. Text messages where sent to practioners 2 to 3 days before the time asking them to come meet the minister. This an industry with practitioners scattered around the country. Do you see why Nigeria is doomed? Is that the way serious people do things?
"With the advent of Nollywood, Nigerians stopped going to see Indian films. You successfully brought the theatre to the homes of Nigerians" The minister therefore sought the cooperation of the film industry to change the negative image the nation now has, arguing that Nigerians were responsible for the country's current bad image. "Negative perception about Nigeria is generated by Nigerians because we don't believe in ourselves, even in the press," she charged. "If nothing is done, the image we have as a country of 419-ers, where nothing works, failing leadership, it becomes a liability. The most systematic way is to re-brand, to tell our story and prevent others from telling it the way they want to tell it."
You cannot tell a story that you are not motivated by Madam Minister. Go and ask the Lagos State governor. He has done nothing to rebrand except to do his job. Nollywood did not go out there to brand itself as an employer of labour - it just employed a whole lot of people and the rest is history. Remember how they pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria came back to life once the minisiter (then Drug Czar of Nigeria) strarted to clean out the fake drug cartel. If you are a great people and great nation, the world will know, you would not need to announce it.
This rebranding thing just makes people take a closer look at Mrs. Akunyili, and I tell you, it is not looking good from where I sit.
She was therefore counting on the great spirit of volunteerism Nigerians always displayed in enlisting Nollywood for Nigeria's re-branding effort. Prof. Akunyili argued that it was Nigeria's inability to tell its story properly that had affected it negatively and that it was the reason why Nigerian citizens often suffered in foreign lands. She said the fall of Apartheid in South Africa was due largely because of the financial sacrifices Nigerian citizens made as workers' salaries were deducted at source to help fight that evil regime. Regrettably, the minister said, many South Africans do not know this otherwise they would not have engaged in xenophobic attacks against Nigerians a few months ago while protesting against foreigners in their country.
South Africans know it but right now they are going through the effects of many years of apartheid. In time the truth would be told but madam, believe me when I say that Nollywood is Nigeria. They may not tell the stories effectively but every one of those stories is ours no matter how nasty.
Nigeria's inability to tell its story correctly, the minister further said, was threatening to rubbish its historic role in the establishment of ECOMOG force that worked to end the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Lamentably, she stated that the United Nations was wrongfully appropriating Nigeria's supreme role even as the country sacrificed men and materials for the peace that now reigns in those two countries. Most worrying to the minister was the lack of respect shown to Nigerians in those countries, which it rescued from their wars of self-destruct.
Again, she stated that Nigeria's Technical Corps was working hard to assist other African nations to develop but that it was hardly reported or acknowledged unlike what foreign media do to such events around the world.
The campaign to rebrand Nigeria, she noted, was not about slogan - Good People, Great Nation - but about attitudinal change among Nigerians to be patriotic and have pride in themselves, saying that Nigerians must learn to live up to that name. "We have to believe," Prof. Akunyili declared. Nigeria, the former NAFDAC boss told the gathering of Nollywood stars, had so many positive things that could be showcased, starting with the Nollywood stars whom she said she could brag about as extending the frontiers of the nation's culture as well as natural sites and institutions. "Why talk only about failures?" she asked. "Fortunately, Nigeria has many unique selling points; it has scored many firsts. We should bring these to the notice of Nigerians and foreigners alike."
She argued that if Nigeria was as bad as it was being portrayed, why then did foreigners refuse to go after staying in the country for a while but instead, going as far as marrying Nigerians as wives. Yet she said it was the same people that joined in condemning the country because Nigerians themselves spoke badly about their countries. "We are saying no with this rebranding mission," she said.
They don't go because they are treated better than the citizens. An uneducated American will get any job they want in Nigeria faster than me and my Masters holding behind.
With this background explicitly made, the minister therefore asked Nollywood on board the rebranding campaign even as she acknowledged the contributions of the father of the industry such as Chiefs Herbert Ogunde, Eddie Ugbomah, Ola Balogun among others. She declared, "We need Nollywood on board. You are critical to this campaign. Almost everybody is watching you; you can project the image of this country. You can show negative things positively, constructively. Through the content of your films and videos, you'll project Nigeria positively to show the world that we're 'Good people, great nation'. To tell our great stories, we need Nollywood. You're one of our best icons and brands; speak to our country about this campaign. If you show Nigeria as a failed state or a country of 419s, that's how the world would see Nigeria and Nigerians."
As if prepared for what was to come from practitioners in the industry, the minister said there was a need to invest in the talents in the industry to make it viable, especially in the areas of scripting to make the stories better. "This entertainment behemoth is under-funded," she declared. "We are talking to the World Bank; we will bring succour to the industry. In the months ahead, we will see the virtue of believing in ourselves; the rebranding is more for ordinary Nigerians."
Shut the f up... Bank of Industry is sitting on millionas of Naira that is supposed to have gone to Nollywood. What have the done with it...?
In response, star actress Joke Silver partly read a prepared address from stakeholders in the industry to the minister. She thanked her for believing that the industry possessed talents that could play a role in the task of rebranding Nigeria and stated its cooperation. Presenting the concluding part of the speech, president of Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Bond Emeruah, said an improved Nollywood could play a part in a rebranded Nigeria but not the way it currently stood as a shadow of its former self.
Though successive governments had recognised Nollywood, he noted, they were not able to take the needs of the industry to the desired level, especially the failure in presenting the Motion Picture Council of Nigeria (MOPICON) bill to the National Assembly for passage into law for over two years now. Emeruah reminded the minister, given her antecedents, of the challenges of an unregulated industry, arguing that the MOPICON bill "when passed, is the lynchpin, the impetus for rebranding Nollywood, an industry at your disposal to rebrand our great and beloved country, Nigeria."
In effect, for Nollywood to play its part in the rebranding mission, which the minister had come to solicit, the minister had to help to rebrand the industry, which was in dire need of repositioning itself. DGN President enumerated other problems facing the industry. These were the lack of a National Film Development Fund, the Nigerian Film Policy and the Film Village. The co-director of "Mortal Inheritance' said the film fund was of more immediate and direct bearing on proceedings regarding Nigeria's rebranding via the Nollywood way as the minister was canvassing. He also noted that the new distribution framework being proposed by the censor's board needed being reassessed for effectiveness. Concluding, he stated, "We hold a solemn conviction that Nollywood with its robust quality of writers, producers, directors, cinematographers and creative designers, whose works around the world show hope for our nation will surely create a fresh new window through which the world will see and believe in Nigeria."
However, it was at the interactive session that Minister Akunyili got a dose of what she probably took for granted as the problems of the industry. First to fire the salvo was eminent director, Amaka Igwe. She was so clinical in her submission that whatever else that was said became an elaboration of her view. She pointedly told the minister that for Nollywood to partner with her in the rebranding project, it had to be a negotiated one with both parties mutually benefiting. Nollywood, the bulky director charged, was being plagued by piracy, a scourge that the minister must help the industry to deal with if any rebranding partnership was to work.
Other areas where Nollywood needed assistance, she said, were in film distribution network, "no bank is listening to us; there's a Bank of Industry; what is it doing? Use your power to make SME funds available to us."
OMG, thank you for pointing this out Amaka Igwe. I was not aware that industry people knew about this.
Echoing Igwe on the piracy plague, Zack Orji told the minister that movies were not being produced in Nollywwod right now because of piracy. "Piracy is an affront to the effort being made to rebrand Nigeria," he charged. "Alaba is the headquarter of piracy. They are so organized in their illegitimacy, our livelihood is being threatened." He also lamented the inability to get government involved in producing movies, especially those requiring the use of airports and the police.
Zik Zulu Okafor charged Prof. Akunyili to give Alaba the Onitsha drug market treatment as NAFDAC boss shut the market and insisted on compliance with the sale of usable drugs not fake. Zeb Ejiro pointed out the problem of electricity power in the country while Peace Fiberesima-Anyiam bemoaned the lack of government support for the different film festivals in the country.
Shut the F up Fibresema, 150 million for each year of AMAA from Bayelsa (probably smaller since Alams left) plus 35 million every year from UBA. SHUT UP!!
In response, the minister said she felt distressed at the issues raised by practitioners as plaguing Nollywood. "Without Nollywood how can we rebrand?" She moaned. "We will force Custom Service to do its work. In this era, we'll have to do something to reduce piracy; we want something different, something positive about piracy in the few months ahead." The minister also pinpointed the absence of a council in the industry to enforce discipline as its greatest problem. She declared, "I see it (MOPICON) as an emergency. I intend to pursue it with all vigour. You are not speaking with one voice; there are too many groups, no unity."
She therefore charged practitioners to set up a committee of five or six to work closely with her to push the MOPICON bill to the National Assembly for passage. She promised to liaise with the Inspector General of Police to make police props available for filmmakers so as to avoid negative portrayal of the force.
On funding, Prof. Akunyili said she would work with Nollywood to help practitioners assess all available fund opportunities starting from the Central Bank, the World Bank, SMEs saying, "we can ask corporate Nigeria to sponsor our films".
Earlier in his welcome address, National Film and Video Censors Board DG, Emeka Mba, stated that there was not a doubt what Nollywood had done for Africa. He further stated that Nollywood represented the greatest force of goodwill for the country and that he was happy that he had a minister who recognised the vital force that Nollywood represented as its films were seen all over the world. He stated, "It's not how powerful you are but how powerful your voice is, how powerful you are heard. We have traveled to every corner of this earth and our voices are being heard. We're meeting with the minister to engage her and tell her those voices. Our movies are seen in Brazil and they reignite the passion in them to come back home. And, we have done it without government support. Perhaps, things need to change."
Whatever dog! I ain't impressed...
Monday, May 4, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
AT RANDOM!!!!
AMAA 2009
I have been a good boy until now.... I have stayed away from any AMAA news, but they keep drrrrrragging me. I just cannot believe that people can be so dense or thick in head. Did you watch the show on television? First, it started 3 hours later than scheduled and when it started before I could make out the faces of people in the crowd due to bad lighting, the television station pulled the plug on it.
To make matters worse, apart from Jenifa and Reloaded, I had never seen any of the films nominated. Apart from Stella Dimoko-Korkus of Encomium, noone else complained about the bad lighting on television. Some concentrated on bashing Nollywood for not doing well while others concentrated on why the Big stars did not show up for the event. Korkus' counterpart Uche Olehi covered the event like it was the best show on earth. I don't blame him, that is the level of his understanding of how events of this magnitude should be held.
I must confess, I have given up hope on the AMAA experiment. I have concluded that there must be something shady going on which must account for why these idiots cannot get together. Since I don't know what it is, I am staying away from discussing them.
DRUGGING IN LAGOS
Lagos is a filled with rich alchoholics but that is no longer an issue these days. Cocaine and crack use have overtaken alchohol in the city that never sleeps. Children of rich Nigerians are snorting hard drugs and guess what, our press and government are turning a blind eye to it. Just pay a visit to Niyi Tabiti's blog and you will see what I mean. Everybody in Lagos knows that certain owners of popular nightclubs are not only cocaine users but they are drug pushers as well. How many newspapers are willing to go to the mat to expose these people - NONE. All we get are stupid stories about Ure and Soul E and Tu Baba's 100 wives.
The other day, my mai guard came back from a day off all messed up. His eyes were purplish red. I found out that he had been sniffing or smoking something to get an easy high. I was in so much shock that I am still wondering what the hell is happening to Nigeria. Where are we heading to or does nobody care anymore?
DRUGS KILL AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT OUT PRESS HELP WITH PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THIS PHENOMENA RAVAGING NIGERIAN YOUTH.
CITY PEOPLE AWARDS FLOPS
The shameless people that attend this phony and contrived show every year ought to be flogged. Can you imagine a show that decides who wins by looking around the hall to see which of the nominee shows up. I understand that one of the Yar Adua daughters was given a style award ...LOL. We have real issues good people of blogland. Pray every day for the souls of Nigerians because a whole lotta us are heading to hell. I don't know who won the nollywood categories at the award and frankly my dears, I don't give a damn...
I have been a good boy until now.... I have stayed away from any AMAA news, but they keep drrrrrragging me. I just cannot believe that people can be so dense or thick in head. Did you watch the show on television? First, it started 3 hours later than scheduled and when it started before I could make out the faces of people in the crowd due to bad lighting, the television station pulled the plug on it.
To make matters worse, apart from Jenifa and Reloaded, I had never seen any of the films nominated. Apart from Stella Dimoko-Korkus of Encomium, noone else complained about the bad lighting on television. Some concentrated on bashing Nollywood for not doing well while others concentrated on why the Big stars did not show up for the event. Korkus' counterpart Uche Olehi covered the event like it was the best show on earth. I don't blame him, that is the level of his understanding of how events of this magnitude should be held.
I must confess, I have given up hope on the AMAA experiment. I have concluded that there must be something shady going on which must account for why these idiots cannot get together. Since I don't know what it is, I am staying away from discussing them.
DRUGGING IN LAGOS
Lagos is a filled with rich alchoholics but that is no longer an issue these days. Cocaine and crack use have overtaken alchohol in the city that never sleeps. Children of rich Nigerians are snorting hard drugs and guess what, our press and government are turning a blind eye to it. Just pay a visit to Niyi Tabiti's blog and you will see what I mean. Everybody in Lagos knows that certain owners of popular nightclubs are not only cocaine users but they are drug pushers as well. How many newspapers are willing to go to the mat to expose these people - NONE. All we get are stupid stories about Ure and Soul E and Tu Baba's 100 wives.
The other day, my mai guard came back from a day off all messed up. His eyes were purplish red. I found out that he had been sniffing or smoking something to get an easy high. I was in so much shock that I am still wondering what the hell is happening to Nigeria. Where are we heading to or does nobody care anymore?
DRUGS KILL AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT OUT PRESS HELP WITH PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THIS PHENOMENA RAVAGING NIGERIAN YOUTH.
CITY PEOPLE AWARDS FLOPS
The shameless people that attend this phony and contrived show every year ought to be flogged. Can you imagine a show that decides who wins by looking around the hall to see which of the nominee shows up. I understand that one of the Yar Adua daughters was given a style award ...LOL. We have real issues good people of blogland. Pray every day for the souls of Nigerians because a whole lotta us are heading to hell. I don't know who won the nollywood categories at the award and frankly my dears, I don't give a damn...
Monday, April 20, 2009
BOLA ATTAH TO BUY TRUE LOVE MAGAZINE?
Sometimes I try not to give advice on this blog because I feel I should get paid for these things but once in a while I must do my bit.
TRUE LOVE WEST AFRICA
I hear the Seuth Efricans are selling True Love Magazine to Bola Attah who is their current Editor. True Love has managed to flourish but I sincerely believe that it’s because of the presence of South Africans who have managed to curb the egos and excesses of the Nigerians who work for them (if dat comment vex u, then, make a change in your damned Nigerian life). As a result their work, we’ve been introduced and blessed with many good writers that have become mini celebrities in their own rights.
However, it is sad to say that I doubt if Bola Attah had been the owner from the beginning, True Love would have become what it is today. Why you may ask? Look at its sister act Genevieve Magazine and you will know what I am talking about. Abeg don’t give me any nonsense about Genevieve being a successful magazine. Success is not about changing employees, writers, or editors like a child suffering diaper rash or acting like you are more important than the people you cover. Success is not depending on the person on your cover to buy 200 copies of your magazine. Success is not taking all the glory of publishing your magazine when you very well know it takes so many to do it….. I could go and on but here is my advice to Bola Attah and her new endeavour (i.e if it’s true, Naija sabi carry rumour) –
1. Allow talent to blossom and continue as if you have done to stay out of the Lagos celebrity nonsense. I know other publishers use their press power to hunt for favours from the rich and mighty. Please resist it with every ounce of your being.
2. True Love is not supposed to be a Yoruba paper but right now, 80% of the content is about Yoruba people. What’s dat? You should cater to everybody in West Africa and leave the tribal sentiments to others.
3. I am hoping you learned well under the Seuth Africains that operational structures work. Don’t do this one man nonsense being practised by a lot of Nigerian business men who have no clue. Put in checks and balances for everybody including you.
4. Please join other newspaper and magazine publishers and find a way to show transparency in the news business. We really need to know how many issues these papers and mags sell. That should help determine advertising costs and revenues. I know some publishers don’t want this because then people will know that the highest grossing paper does not even sell up to 60,000 copies.
I wish you luck woman!!!!
No bladdy fears
TRUE LOVE WEST AFRICA
I hear the Seuth Efricans are selling True Love Magazine to Bola Attah who is their current Editor. True Love has managed to flourish but I sincerely believe that it’s because of the presence of South Africans who have managed to curb the egos and excesses of the Nigerians who work for them (if dat comment vex u, then, make a change in your damned Nigerian life). As a result their work, we’ve been introduced and blessed with many good writers that have become mini celebrities in their own rights.
However, it is sad to say that I doubt if Bola Attah had been the owner from the beginning, True Love would have become what it is today. Why you may ask? Look at its sister act Genevieve Magazine and you will know what I am talking about. Abeg don’t give me any nonsense about Genevieve being a successful magazine. Success is not about changing employees, writers, or editors like a child suffering diaper rash or acting like you are more important than the people you cover. Success is not depending on the person on your cover to buy 200 copies of your magazine. Success is not taking all the glory of publishing your magazine when you very well know it takes so many to do it….. I could go and on but here is my advice to Bola Attah and her new endeavour (i.e if it’s true, Naija sabi carry rumour) –
1. Allow talent to blossom and continue as if you have done to stay out of the Lagos celebrity nonsense. I know other publishers use their press power to hunt for favours from the rich and mighty. Please resist it with every ounce of your being.
2. True Love is not supposed to be a Yoruba paper but right now, 80% of the content is about Yoruba people. What’s dat? You should cater to everybody in West Africa and leave the tribal sentiments to others.
3. I am hoping you learned well under the Seuth Africains that operational structures work. Don’t do this one man nonsense being practised by a lot of Nigerian business men who have no clue. Put in checks and balances for everybody including you.
4. Please join other newspaper and magazine publishers and find a way to show transparency in the news business. We really need to know how many issues these papers and mags sell. That should help determine advertising costs and revenues. I know some publishers don’t want this because then people will know that the highest grossing paper does not even sell up to 60,000 copies.
I wish you luck woman!!!!
No bladdy fears
Monday, March 30, 2009
AT RANDOM
WATING FOR GODOT
What the hell is going on with the Nollywood distribution scheme for which people were given licences in December? While Dora Akunyili is re-branding Nigeria, many things have been left undone in the Nollywood department.... What is she waiting for to kickstart the program.? I hope she won't start that I don't listen to nobody attitude and tinker with anything that is already in place. My friend get off your Nafdac behind and get going, the only indigenous industry we have is dying off.
GENEVIEVE MAGAZINE?
What is with Betty Irabor and so many irrelevant people on her covers lately. Why the hell would you have Grace Egbagbe on your cover if she is not teaching a class in "how to be a runs babe and still act like you worked for the money" (ok i guess she worked for it). I am tired of that Seuth African magazine True Love always scooping Genevieve Magazine. Get your damn act together woman and off that Island shit you are smoking and revamp. Try some hot young people on your cover for goodness sake! Sorry I have not read these magazines in a while but I have been observing the covers and even the wifey is complaining.
GLO ENDORSEMENTS?
What is going with that? Has the company issued any statements or are we going to wait forever to find out if the story was really true.
BETWEEN STEPHANIE OKEREKE & NSE IKPE-ETIM
I reloaded weeks ago but was too underwhelmed to bother. The abridged version at the premiere was much better. However, both actors in the film have been nominated for AMAA. For what it is worth, Stephanie Okereke beat every single actor in that film. Nse was good for a first timer but she did not come anywhere near the highs and lows that Stephanie Okereke put her viewers through. Nse was quite good with the highs (i.e when her character was acting nuts chasing Ramsey) but a bit unconvincing with the lows (i.e. when she had to reach deep down to make the viewers feel her pain). Which is why I stated earlier that I had to see her in another movie to judge her acting skills more accurately. Nse has a bright future ahead of her and acting school has tremendously improved Stephanie's skilz...
It is time for Emem Isong to try Daniel Ademinokan or Tchidi Chikere, Lanselot Imasuen sucks big time. Try other directors for chrissakes
What the hell is going on with the Nollywood distribution scheme for which people were given licences in December? While Dora Akunyili is re-branding Nigeria, many things have been left undone in the Nollywood department.... What is she waiting for to kickstart the program.? I hope she won't start that I don't listen to nobody attitude and tinker with anything that is already in place. My friend get off your Nafdac behind and get going, the only indigenous industry we have is dying off.
GENEVIEVE MAGAZINE?
What is with Betty Irabor and so many irrelevant people on her covers lately. Why the hell would you have Grace Egbagbe on your cover if she is not teaching a class in "how to be a runs babe and still act like you worked for the money" (ok i guess she worked for it). I am tired of that Seuth African magazine True Love always scooping Genevieve Magazine. Get your damn act together woman and off that Island shit you are smoking and revamp. Try some hot young people on your cover for goodness sake! Sorry I have not read these magazines in a while but I have been observing the covers and even the wifey is complaining.
GLO ENDORSEMENTS?
What is going with that? Has the company issued any statements or are we going to wait forever to find out if the story was really true.
BETWEEN STEPHANIE OKEREKE & NSE IKPE-ETIM
I reloaded weeks ago but was too underwhelmed to bother. The abridged version at the premiere was much better. However, both actors in the film have been nominated for AMAA. For what it is worth, Stephanie Okereke beat every single actor in that film. Nse was good for a first timer but she did not come anywhere near the highs and lows that Stephanie Okereke put her viewers through. Nse was quite good with the highs (i.e when her character was acting nuts chasing Ramsey) but a bit unconvincing with the lows (i.e. when she had to reach deep down to make the viewers feel her pain). Which is why I stated earlier that I had to see her in another movie to judge her acting skills more accurately. Nse has a bright future ahead of her and acting school has tremendously improved Stephanie's skilz...
It is time for Emem Isong to try Daniel Ademinokan or Tchidi Chikere, Lanselot Imasuen sucks big time. Try other directors for chrissakes
IF THE SOLUDO ARTICLE MAKES YOU ITCH, THEN YOU BETTER SCRATCH NIGERIANS!!!!
Scratch off the layers of corrupt scabies that has infested your tired Nigerian body since the sixties. What are my talking about you say? Recently, NEXT made several revelations about CBN Governor Soludo, and it has shaken up the "chop but make u work" crowd. Peeps, IKOYI is shaking. If you don't understand what I am talking about, then please go and read this article here before you come back to this post.
So eheee.....are you among those feeling oooo they should not have given out his addresses or his children's schools?... yeah yeah I understand, they are kids and should be protected blah blah blah - But ask yourself these questions 1) Do we have any laws in the books that technically stops Next from publishing these kinds of information? 2) If there are no laws, does NEXT owe Soludo any modicum of decency not to publish the information? 3) Ask yourself if these kinds of information were being published before, whether former governor's children and many other descendants of thieves would have boldly been walking around flaunting their father's wealth in different regions of the world....
Yes, Next could have been much more factually detailed with the Soludo article but hey I DO NOT GIVE A DAMN at this point. When we have saved our country from death by hanging, I will call his children and apologise (i.e. after the give us back our money) and yes I will explain to you why his house in London is not registered in his name. Till then, since our Nigerian money has been stolen by any means neccessary, NEXT has my permission to employ any means neccessary to chase the bush rat out of the bush.
Meanwhile, NEXT be fair and also put the search light on the Northern Looters because it is beginining to look like a a witch hunt. Y'allo better make it an equal opportunity house cleaning. I don't understand why you have not done an article on how the President's wife is really the president of this country and the many Northern looters who are living big again since Yar Adua came to power. Please spend some money on advertising on AIT so that people in the hinterlands will get to know about NEXT
CHANGESACOMING!
So eheee.....are you among those feeling oooo they should not have given out his addresses or his children's schools?... yeah yeah I understand, they are kids and should be protected blah blah blah - But ask yourself these questions 1) Do we have any laws in the books that technically stops Next from publishing these kinds of information? 2) If there are no laws, does NEXT owe Soludo any modicum of decency not to publish the information? 3) Ask yourself if these kinds of information were being published before, whether former governor's children and many other descendants of thieves would have boldly been walking around flaunting their father's wealth in different regions of the world....
Yes, Next could have been much more factually detailed with the Soludo article but hey I DO NOT GIVE A DAMN at this point. When we have saved our country from death by hanging, I will call his children and apologise (i.e. after the give us back our money) and yes I will explain to you why his house in London is not registered in his name. Till then, since our Nigerian money has been stolen by any means neccessary, NEXT has my permission to employ any means neccessary to chase the bush rat out of the bush.
Meanwhile, NEXT be fair and also put the search light on the Northern Looters because it is beginining to look like a a witch hunt. Y'allo better make it an equal opportunity house cleaning. I don't understand why you have not done an article on how the President's wife is really the president of this country and the many Northern looters who are living big again since Yar Adua came to power. Please spend some money on advertising on AIT so that people in the hinterlands will get to know about NEXT
CHANGESACOMING!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A QUICK NOTE TO JOURNALISTS AT NEXT NEWSPAPERS
234NEXT, these people at Next Newspapers are so cool. I am literarily hooked on that newspaper like a dope addict. The other day I was so proud when one of Next's spokesperson dismissed Gbenga Daniel and his so called lawsuit against the newspaper. She did it with such delightful arrogance that I pumped a fist in the air for CHANGE.
I pray every night that this newspaper does not get shut down. Because of Next, This Day is all of a sudden running some investigative shiznick hoping that they don't get blown out of the water. Readers, I am a master of predicting the future---- Just like I predicted the crash of Nollywood, I am predicting that this newspaper will save Nigeria, and if it does not, then we are doomed. It is so important that NEXT survives : So tonight I am putting in a wish list for NEXT in the hopes that they will read my little blog..
1. Please NEXT, assign an educated person to your entertainment desk. I don't mean all these idiots that obviously had people write their exams for them while they were in school. I am tired of the Olatunji's of this world masquerading as entertainment journalists.
This is the only thing lacking right now in your paper. I have noticed that you run court cases concerning Nollywood folks so I am guessing that your legal reporter is doing double time there. For some reason, you guys have focused on Kannywood but please please please save some nollywood souls. However, find someone who has respect for nollywood enough to teach not disrespect.
2. Please find out what the employment laws are in Nigeria as they relate to payment of salaries. I have seen so many employers owing their poor workers indiscriminately, and it is not fair. There are too many lebanese employers running sweat shops in Nigeria. How come? I hear that many newspapers owe their workers so much money, --- how in the hell do we expect them to effectively protect us from the menace that is the government.
I have a long list but I am hoping we can start with these two for now. Sorry I forgot, could please find out if AMAA is going to happen this year and let us know.... LOL. Guys I am tired!
No bladdy fears!
I pray every night that this newspaper does not get shut down. Because of Next, This Day is all of a sudden running some investigative shiznick hoping that they don't get blown out of the water. Readers, I am a master of predicting the future---- Just like I predicted the crash of Nollywood, I am predicting that this newspaper will save Nigeria, and if it does not, then we are doomed. It is so important that NEXT survives : So tonight I am putting in a wish list for NEXT in the hopes that they will read my little blog..
1. Please NEXT, assign an educated person to your entertainment desk. I don't mean all these idiots that obviously had people write their exams for them while they were in school. I am tired of the Olatunji's of this world masquerading as entertainment journalists.
This is the only thing lacking right now in your paper. I have noticed that you run court cases concerning Nollywood folks so I am guessing that your legal reporter is doing double time there. For some reason, you guys have focused on Kannywood but please please please save some nollywood souls. However, find someone who has respect for nollywood enough to teach not disrespect.
2. Please find out what the employment laws are in Nigeria as they relate to payment of salaries. I have seen so many employers owing their poor workers indiscriminately, and it is not fair. There are too many lebanese employers running sweat shops in Nigeria. How come? I hear that many newspapers owe their workers so much money, --- how in the hell do we expect them to effectively protect us from the menace that is the government.
I have a long list but I am hoping we can start with these two for now. Sorry I forgot, could please find out if AMAA is going to happen this year and let us know.... LOL. Guys I am tired!
No bladdy fears!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
CLARION CHUKWURAH vs EMEKA MBA ACCORDING TO SAMUEL THE IDIOT OLATUNJI
Clarion Chukwurah is ignorant — Fidelis Duker•She owes Mba an apology — Ope Banwo•Mba is a hero — Femi Odugbemi•I won’t join issues with her — Emeka Mba
By Sammuel Olatunji
Sunday, March 15, 2009
For saying the Director-General of National Film and Video Censors’ Board (NFVCB) was not qualified to lead the highest regulatory body in Nollywood, star actress, Clarion Chukwurah has earned the ire of stakeholders in the industry.
Fidelis Duker, the man who has produced various award winning films, called the star actress ignorant saying the fact that the actress is approaching the twilight of her career might be responsible for such an unguarded statement. In his word “Clarion got it wrong. Some people just talked from point of view of ignorance. She got the fact that Emeka Mba is not qualified to lead NFVCB. Apart from the fact that Emeka Mba has worked in the television industry for years, he was a content provider for Multichoice and later, DSTV before he became the DG. You don’t have to be a filmmaker to run the censor’s board. All you need to be is an administrator because you are managing people.”
EMEKA MBA IS CREDITED TO HAVE HAVE FORCED LOCAL CONTENT ON MULTICHOICE, A COMPANY OWNED BY SOUTH AFRICANS. THE INSIDE STORY IS THAT WHEN THE COMPANY FINALLY AGREED TO FLOAT AFRICAN MAGIC, THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A FLOP. BUT TO THEIR CHAGRIN IT HAS BECOME THE MOST POPULAR CHANNEL ACROSS AFRICA.
On her allegation that Africa Magic has ruined Nollywood market and that stakeholders who attended the fifth anniversary of Africa Magic are a disgrace, Fidelis said the veteran actress went off mark. “If we look at it very well Africa Magic remains the only platform that has paid the highest amount to Nigeria producers so far. Africa Magic has paid as much as $5000 dollars for a film. I think it will be unfair to criticize them.
Did I NOT HEAR SOMEWHERE THAT EMEKA MBAH RESIGNED FROM MULTICHOICE BECAUSE HE COULD NOT STAND THE PITIFUL FEES THE COMPANY KEPT OFFERING TO STAKEHOLDERS DESPITE THE FACT THE AFRICAN MAGIC CHANNEL HAD BECOME THE MOST POPULAR CHANNEL.
Apart from the payment, Africa Magic has given our actors and actresses a pride of place in Africa. They have made them very popular. I can tell you that if Genevieve and President Yar Adua walk the street of Accra, crowd will mob Genevieve while nobody will look at Yar Adua. That is as a result of Africa Magic. It goes beyond the immediate gain they get. The mileage of their popularity can be harnessed.
IT WAS NOT JUST AFRICA MAGIC FIDELIS, IF IT WAS HOW COME THESE STARS ARE POPULAR AMONG CARRIBEAN PEOPLE AND AFRICANS IN THE DIASPORA. THESE NOLLYWOODIANS SHOULD LEARN TO PROPERLY ANALYZE AND MAKE SENSIBLE STATEMENTS. FIDELIS DUCKER IS GUILTY OF THE SAME THING HE SAYS ABOUT CLARION
Why is Glo endorsing some of them? It is because they know their popularity can be leveraged. Glo knows they are very popular in Africa and that they can use their popularity to promote the Glo brand. It was as a result of Africa Magic that our actors became popular. Africa Magic is a medium where if you cannot afford to buy movies you can watch them, and let me tell you the homes that watch Africa Magic are more than video or NTA. What we should be saying is how we can sit and negotiate with them to get better mileage, and how they can invest in capacity building.
I think she is speaking from point of ignorant. She is just ignorant. In as much as I respect her, I expect her to be careful with her utterance. She was too hard on Emeka Mba. She also said those that attended the fifth anniversary ceremony of Africa Magic are disgrace. That was rather unfortunate, I think she is just ignorant. I think she has gotten to the peak of her career and when you get to that stage you become confused. I think it is wrong for her to say that.
FIDELIS DUCKER IS JUST AS IGNORANT AS MOST NOLLYWOOD DIRECTORS. HE CANNOT IGNORE THE FACT THAT QUITE A FEW STAKEHOLDERS KNOW THAT MULTI-CHOICE HAVE REAPED SO MUCH WITHOUT PAYING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
ONLY RECENTLY DID MULTI-CHOICE APPOINT A NIGERIAN MANAGING DIRECTOR BIOLA ADEKANBI TO A VERY HIGH POSITION IN THE CORPORATION. AND THEY ONLY DID SO IN RESPONSE TO COMPETITION FROM HI TV AND AIT.
I RECENTLY READ THAT MULTI-CHOICE IS SPONSORING RITA DOMINIC'S PUBLICITY VISIT TO MALAWI. I HOPE SHE IS BEING PAID WELL FOR IT. THEY COMPANY HAS HAD TO MAKE QUICK MOVES BEFORE AIT AND HIT-TV DO ANY MORE DAMAGE TO THEIR CLIENT BASE.
One of the problem in Nollywood is that some of us don’t know that when you get to some certain stage you watch what you say ” Another point critics of Africa Magic have used in argument is the fact that it is only producers that get paid while nothing is given to the actors and actresses. Fidelis Duker said actors are to be blamed for that. “How many of them sign standard contract with the producers? Some of them have gotten money from Glo, how many of us (producers) are asking them for money? If we did not make the films, will Glo endorse them?
It is a two-way thing. We are both in business. There was a film Bruce Willy act on Nigeria what he demanded for was 15 per cent of the revenue, not artistes fee. We can both start sharing the risk.”
Ope Banwo, the former CEO of Dove Media in a reaction to the interview pasted on his website, nollywoodfanatics.com says Clarion owes Mba an apology for her vituperation on him. “I read with extreme chagrin as one of my favorite actresses, Clarion Chukwura vilified Emeka Mbah in one of her interviews. She basically accused Emeka Mbah of selling out Nollywood to African Magic. In her interview she blamed both Africa Magic and Emeka Mbah for the declining fortunes of this struggling industry. Though I consider Clarion Chukwura as one of the smartest and gifted artistes in Nollywood, I was stunned that she could get it so wrong. After all she has lived abroad for years and is exposed to the realities of the marketplace.“Come Clarion, you can’t be serious! To start with, Emeka Mbah did not force anybody to sell their movies to African Magic and African Magic did not force anybody to sell to them either. So, why the vitriol directed at my man Emeka Mbah? I think Clarion Chukwurah actually owe Emeka Mbah an apology!“Truth is, regardless of our emotional reactions to the declining income of the actors and actresses in Nollywood as well as those of producers and marketers, the bottom line is that the fortune of the industry has nowhere to go but down when the supply of movies far outstrips demand for them. You cannot keep making 100 movies a week that is being marketed mostly to the same small market, controlled by a few people in Idumota and three other small markets in the country, and still expect the income to continue increasing or even remain at the level it was.“Sometimes I just want to weep when I go to facebook and see that actors like Omotola, Fred Amata, and Genevieve, etc, have maxed out the 5,000 members allowed by Facebook and yet they have no professional image monetizers who can help them monetize their star status and adoration from their fans. Very few have personal marketers and image protectors. Yet, we want to blame Africa Magic? Pleeeeeease!” “I am a big fan of Emeka Mbah and I think he should be given a national merit award. He came into an industry that is totally clueless about how to join the 21st century paradigm of movie distribution and marketing. He came into an industry where anybody with a cheap camera can lay claim to being a producer and where anybody with a little space in front of his store can call himself a marketer. IT WAS A DISGRACE! He was simply trying to put order where there was chaos and trying to lay a foundation for the future of the industry. Yet, because we have not seen immediate benefits, we want to crucify him.“Rather than looking at Africa Magic and Emeka Mbah as the culprits, the whole industry needs to focus on its own mess.
WOW... OPE BANWO RESURFACES... LOL IS THAT NOT THE GUY THAT PROMISED HEAVEN EARTH WHEN HE WAS RUNNING DOVE MEDIA... I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT VENTURE.
ALL I CAN ADD TO THIS - I CAN BET MY LAST KOBO THAT SAMUEL THE IDIOT OLATUNJI DID NOT WRITE THIS ARTICLE AND YOU CAN TAKE THAT TO THE BANK....
By Sammuel Olatunji
Sunday, March 15, 2009
For saying the Director-General of National Film and Video Censors’ Board (NFVCB) was not qualified to lead the highest regulatory body in Nollywood, star actress, Clarion Chukwurah has earned the ire of stakeholders in the industry.
Fidelis Duker, the man who has produced various award winning films, called the star actress ignorant saying the fact that the actress is approaching the twilight of her career might be responsible for such an unguarded statement. In his word “Clarion got it wrong. Some people just talked from point of view of ignorance. She got the fact that Emeka Mba is not qualified to lead NFVCB. Apart from the fact that Emeka Mba has worked in the television industry for years, he was a content provider for Multichoice and later, DSTV before he became the DG. You don’t have to be a filmmaker to run the censor’s board. All you need to be is an administrator because you are managing people.”
EMEKA MBA IS CREDITED TO HAVE HAVE FORCED LOCAL CONTENT ON MULTICHOICE, A COMPANY OWNED BY SOUTH AFRICANS. THE INSIDE STORY IS THAT WHEN THE COMPANY FINALLY AGREED TO FLOAT AFRICAN MAGIC, THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A FLOP. BUT TO THEIR CHAGRIN IT HAS BECOME THE MOST POPULAR CHANNEL ACROSS AFRICA.
On her allegation that Africa Magic has ruined Nollywood market and that stakeholders who attended the fifth anniversary of Africa Magic are a disgrace, Fidelis said the veteran actress went off mark. “If we look at it very well Africa Magic remains the only platform that has paid the highest amount to Nigeria producers so far. Africa Magic has paid as much as $5000 dollars for a film. I think it will be unfair to criticize them.
Did I NOT HEAR SOMEWHERE THAT EMEKA MBAH RESIGNED FROM MULTICHOICE BECAUSE HE COULD NOT STAND THE PITIFUL FEES THE COMPANY KEPT OFFERING TO STAKEHOLDERS DESPITE THE FACT THE AFRICAN MAGIC CHANNEL HAD BECOME THE MOST POPULAR CHANNEL.
Apart from the payment, Africa Magic has given our actors and actresses a pride of place in Africa. They have made them very popular. I can tell you that if Genevieve and President Yar Adua walk the street of Accra, crowd will mob Genevieve while nobody will look at Yar Adua. That is as a result of Africa Magic. It goes beyond the immediate gain they get. The mileage of their popularity can be harnessed.
IT WAS NOT JUST AFRICA MAGIC FIDELIS, IF IT WAS HOW COME THESE STARS ARE POPULAR AMONG CARRIBEAN PEOPLE AND AFRICANS IN THE DIASPORA. THESE NOLLYWOODIANS SHOULD LEARN TO PROPERLY ANALYZE AND MAKE SENSIBLE STATEMENTS. FIDELIS DUCKER IS GUILTY OF THE SAME THING HE SAYS ABOUT CLARION
Why is Glo endorsing some of them? It is because they know their popularity can be leveraged. Glo knows they are very popular in Africa and that they can use their popularity to promote the Glo brand. It was as a result of Africa Magic that our actors became popular. Africa Magic is a medium where if you cannot afford to buy movies you can watch them, and let me tell you the homes that watch Africa Magic are more than video or NTA. What we should be saying is how we can sit and negotiate with them to get better mileage, and how they can invest in capacity building.
I think she is speaking from point of ignorant. She is just ignorant. In as much as I respect her, I expect her to be careful with her utterance. She was too hard on Emeka Mba. She also said those that attended the fifth anniversary ceremony of Africa Magic are disgrace. That was rather unfortunate, I think she is just ignorant. I think she has gotten to the peak of her career and when you get to that stage you become confused. I think it is wrong for her to say that.
FIDELIS DUCKER IS JUST AS IGNORANT AS MOST NOLLYWOOD DIRECTORS. HE CANNOT IGNORE THE FACT THAT QUITE A FEW STAKEHOLDERS KNOW THAT MULTI-CHOICE HAVE REAPED SO MUCH WITHOUT PAYING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
ONLY RECENTLY DID MULTI-CHOICE APPOINT A NIGERIAN MANAGING DIRECTOR BIOLA ADEKANBI TO A VERY HIGH POSITION IN THE CORPORATION. AND THEY ONLY DID SO IN RESPONSE TO COMPETITION FROM HI TV AND AIT.
I RECENTLY READ THAT MULTI-CHOICE IS SPONSORING RITA DOMINIC'S PUBLICITY VISIT TO MALAWI. I HOPE SHE IS BEING PAID WELL FOR IT. THEY COMPANY HAS HAD TO MAKE QUICK MOVES BEFORE AIT AND HIT-TV DO ANY MORE DAMAGE TO THEIR CLIENT BASE.
One of the problem in Nollywood is that some of us don’t know that when you get to some certain stage you watch what you say ” Another point critics of Africa Magic have used in argument is the fact that it is only producers that get paid while nothing is given to the actors and actresses. Fidelis Duker said actors are to be blamed for that. “How many of them sign standard contract with the producers? Some of them have gotten money from Glo, how many of us (producers) are asking them for money? If we did not make the films, will Glo endorse them?
It is a two-way thing. We are both in business. There was a film Bruce Willy act on Nigeria what he demanded for was 15 per cent of the revenue, not artistes fee. We can both start sharing the risk.”
Ope Banwo, the former CEO of Dove Media in a reaction to the interview pasted on his website, nollywoodfanatics.com says Clarion owes Mba an apology for her vituperation on him. “I read with extreme chagrin as one of my favorite actresses, Clarion Chukwura vilified Emeka Mbah in one of her interviews. She basically accused Emeka Mbah of selling out Nollywood to African Magic. In her interview she blamed both Africa Magic and Emeka Mbah for the declining fortunes of this struggling industry. Though I consider Clarion Chukwura as one of the smartest and gifted artistes in Nollywood, I was stunned that she could get it so wrong. After all she has lived abroad for years and is exposed to the realities of the marketplace.“Come Clarion, you can’t be serious! To start with, Emeka Mbah did not force anybody to sell their movies to African Magic and African Magic did not force anybody to sell to them either. So, why the vitriol directed at my man Emeka Mbah? I think Clarion Chukwurah actually owe Emeka Mbah an apology!“Truth is, regardless of our emotional reactions to the declining income of the actors and actresses in Nollywood as well as those of producers and marketers, the bottom line is that the fortune of the industry has nowhere to go but down when the supply of movies far outstrips demand for them. You cannot keep making 100 movies a week that is being marketed mostly to the same small market, controlled by a few people in Idumota and three other small markets in the country, and still expect the income to continue increasing or even remain at the level it was.“Sometimes I just want to weep when I go to facebook and see that actors like Omotola, Fred Amata, and Genevieve, etc, have maxed out the 5,000 members allowed by Facebook and yet they have no professional image monetizers who can help them monetize their star status and adoration from their fans. Very few have personal marketers and image protectors. Yet, we want to blame Africa Magic? Pleeeeeease!” “I am a big fan of Emeka Mbah and I think he should be given a national merit award. He came into an industry that is totally clueless about how to join the 21st century paradigm of movie distribution and marketing. He came into an industry where anybody with a cheap camera can lay claim to being a producer and where anybody with a little space in front of his store can call himself a marketer. IT WAS A DISGRACE! He was simply trying to put order where there was chaos and trying to lay a foundation for the future of the industry. Yet, because we have not seen immediate benefits, we want to crucify him.“Rather than looking at Africa Magic and Emeka Mbah as the culprits, the whole industry needs to focus on its own mess.
WOW... OPE BANWO RESURFACES... LOL IS THAT NOT THE GUY THAT PROMISED HEAVEN EARTH WHEN HE WAS RUNNING DOVE MEDIA... I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT VENTURE.
ALL I CAN ADD TO THIS - I CAN BET MY LAST KOBO THAT SAMUEL THE IDIOT OLATUNJI DID NOT WRITE THIS ARTICLE AND YOU CAN TAKE THAT TO THE BANK....
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
ADENUGA FIRES 500 MILLION NAIRA SALVO?
This past February will go down in Nolly history as the first time one man decided to make 10 Nollywood actors multi-millionaires in one shot. Apart from the impact of Living in Bondage, (the film which arguably conceived and birthed Nollywood), nothing can be remotely compared to this news. Needless to say, as a critic and fan of Nolly, I am all warm and fuzzy inside....
I have gone up and down Nollyblog lane, and nobody has addressed the potential impact of this issue properly. However, I have seen quite a bunch of haters and loosers who question Adenuga's actions. I was most embarrased at some of the diasporian hate that has been heaped on the lucky 10 especially since these people have been the ones who most benefitted from Nollywood content. Imagine thousands of economic refugees who have managed to keep up with the goings on at home with the help of Nollywood regardless of quality and you tell me that Nollywood faces do not deserve to reap the fruits of their many years of labour?
First, let me yan dat, the news was first leaked by PM news in Lagos weeks ago, but as is usual in 9ja press, the report was filled with so much mis-information. In fact, my PR agency colleagues strongly suspect that an insider in Globacom may have leaked the information just to get as much exposure as possible ( u see my 9ja peeps know wattado to get 9ja blood and mouth, aboil & abuzz). I can see Glo exec sitting around their plush conference tables saying "hey, call dat boy 4 PM newspaper, tell dem say we are paying 50 million naira to actors and actresses for a 2 year deal".
The truth is that first tier actors which include Ramsey, Rita, Jim, K8 Henshaw, and Desmond, I gather are being paid 28 t0 30 million naira for 2 years, while the 2nd tier which includes Mike Ezuronye, Uche Jombo, Funke Akindele of Jenifa fame and a host of others will be earning between 20 & 24 million for 2 years. This guaranteed money earns the company the right to use their faces on billboards, televison and print adverts. Now, these actors have the opportunity to earn more mulla by making several appearances throught out the years not unlike the one currently going on with the GLO ROCK & RULE TOUR around the country.
So how does this affect Nollywood you say? With one stroke (sorry 10 strokes) of the pen, Adenuga has changed the face of Nollywood forever. I may address the impact seriously next time but today I wanna have fun ....LOL
1. Can you imagine the terror Jim Iyke is about to unleash on Emeka Ike not to talk of the marketers who decided to choose Van Vicker and other Ghana acts over him. I beg I cannot wait to witness the drama.
2. Can you imagine how many films Desmond Elliot is going to RELOAD this year under his new production company. You know they have been doing underground banning him since he teamed with Emem to produce RELOADED. Jesu, REMMY the reaper JES will soon be firing dengun shoots from his Asaba home hoping it lands somewhere around Emem Isong and Desmond Elliot...............LOL
3. Ramsey "the main man" Nouah, Lord o Lord, Samuel Olatunji's brown envelope is about to commit suicide after that nonsense he yanned about you in Dcember. There is no need chasing Van Vicker down now. All you gotta do is find quality productions or fund them yourself.
4. I shudder at the sight of Rita "luvmashoes" Dominic's wardrobe after this one single event. Waaaaaat? Heard marketers have seen a 200,000 naira version of her in Tonto Dikeh but lets face it, the real deal is the real deal.
5. Funke Akindele of the Jenifa fame and Kate Henshaw are the two that warm my heart the most. These two women have been in the industry for long. Funke has had a wonderful year and she certainly deserves. Henshaw has been around for awhile as well and I think she totally deserves it.
Congrats to all of da Glo ambassadors, enjoy.
Now seriously Mike Adenuga has just flipped the bird to a whole lotta peeps:
1. Adenuga just efectively said to Etisalat "SHUT UP, NO TO WE GET DIS COUNTRY? DIA IS NO DUPLICATE TO THE ORIGINAL GREEN, IF UNA LIKE, GO CARRY EMEKA, OMOTOLA AND GENEVIEVE, NA COPY COPY BE DAT "
2. Adenuga to MTN, "SHAME NO DEY CATCH UNA? YOU SEUTHEFRICAN DICK HEADS WHO JUST LOVE TO REAP BUT NOT SOW"
3. To Zain, " UNA STILL DEY DERE? "
4. To Jim Ovia and Visafone - " NA SO PERSON WEY GET BLOKOS DEY CHOOK, NO MEDE MEDE"
5. To Nollywood Marketers, the biggest warning of all - "I TELL UNA SAY WEN CHANGE COME, NA FIRE & THUNDER, - - -UNA NO GO SEE AM SHA, - - -NA WEN BREEZE START TO BLOW THE FIRE SCATTER, NAIM UNA GO KNOW SAY WAR DON START"
Till next time, no bladdy fears in the 09, the year of the righteous!
I have gone up and down Nollyblog lane, and nobody has addressed the potential impact of this issue properly. However, I have seen quite a bunch of haters and loosers who question Adenuga's actions. I was most embarrased at some of the diasporian hate that has been heaped on the lucky 10 especially since these people have been the ones who most benefitted from Nollywood content. Imagine thousands of economic refugees who have managed to keep up with the goings on at home with the help of Nollywood regardless of quality and you tell me that Nollywood faces do not deserve to reap the fruits of their many years of labour?
First, let me yan dat, the news was first leaked by PM news in Lagos weeks ago, but as is usual in 9ja press, the report was filled with so much mis-information. In fact, my PR agency colleagues strongly suspect that an insider in Globacom may have leaked the information just to get as much exposure as possible ( u see my 9ja peeps know wattado to get 9ja blood and mouth, aboil & abuzz). I can see Glo exec sitting around their plush conference tables saying "hey, call dat boy 4 PM newspaper, tell dem say we are paying 50 million naira to actors and actresses for a 2 year deal".
The truth is that first tier actors which include Ramsey, Rita, Jim, K8 Henshaw, and Desmond, I gather are being paid 28 t0 30 million naira for 2 years, while the 2nd tier which includes Mike Ezuronye, Uche Jombo, Funke Akindele of Jenifa fame and a host of others will be earning between 20 & 24 million for 2 years. This guaranteed money earns the company the right to use their faces on billboards, televison and print adverts. Now, these actors have the opportunity to earn more mulla by making several appearances throught out the years not unlike the one currently going on with the GLO ROCK & RULE TOUR around the country.
So how does this affect Nollywood you say? With one stroke (sorry 10 strokes) of the pen, Adenuga has changed the face of Nollywood forever. I may address the impact seriously next time but today I wanna have fun ....LOL
1. Can you imagine the terror Jim Iyke is about to unleash on Emeka Ike not to talk of the marketers who decided to choose Van Vicker and other Ghana acts over him. I beg I cannot wait to witness the drama.
2. Can you imagine how many films Desmond Elliot is going to RELOAD this year under his new production company. You know they have been doing underground banning him since he teamed with Emem to produce RELOADED. Jesu, REMMY the reaper JES will soon be firing dengun shoots from his Asaba home hoping it lands somewhere around Emem Isong and Desmond Elliot...............LOL
3. Ramsey "the main man" Nouah, Lord o Lord, Samuel Olatunji's brown envelope is about to commit suicide after that nonsense he yanned about you in Dcember. There is no need chasing Van Vicker down now. All you gotta do is find quality productions or fund them yourself.
4. I shudder at the sight of Rita "luvmashoes" Dominic's wardrobe after this one single event. Waaaaaat? Heard marketers have seen a 200,000 naira version of her in Tonto Dikeh but lets face it, the real deal is the real deal.
5. Funke Akindele of the Jenifa fame and Kate Henshaw are the two that warm my heart the most. These two women have been in the industry for long. Funke has had a wonderful year and she certainly deserves. Henshaw has been around for awhile as well and I think she totally deserves it.
Congrats to all of da Glo ambassadors, enjoy.
Now seriously Mike Adenuga has just flipped the bird to a whole lotta peeps:
1. Adenuga just efectively said to Etisalat "SHUT UP, NO TO WE GET DIS COUNTRY? DIA IS NO DUPLICATE TO THE ORIGINAL GREEN, IF UNA LIKE, GO CARRY EMEKA, OMOTOLA AND GENEVIEVE, NA COPY COPY BE DAT "
2. Adenuga to MTN, "SHAME NO DEY CATCH UNA? YOU SEUTHEFRICAN DICK HEADS WHO JUST LOVE TO REAP BUT NOT SOW"
3. To Zain, " UNA STILL DEY DERE? "
4. To Jim Ovia and Visafone - " NA SO PERSON WEY GET BLOKOS DEY CHOOK, NO MEDE MEDE"
5. To Nollywood Marketers, the biggest warning of all - "I TELL UNA SAY WEN CHANGE COME, NA FIRE & THUNDER, - - -UNA NO GO SEE AM SHA, - - -NA WEN BREEZE START TO BLOW THE FIRE SCATTER, NAIM UNA GO KNOW SAY WAR DON START"
Till next time, no bladdy fears in the 09, the year of the righteous!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
NEXT is NEXT - will Nigerian newspapers be forced to change?
NEXT?
I have noticed a new newspaper in town, and it is called NEXT. It was offered to me free of charge and people, there is a revolution happening in Nigeria. I was so exicited by the design and look alone that I had to jump in here to talk about it. By the look of things, let me tell you this is a paper that will grow on me unlike the other visionless crap we are feed daily. The Nigeria press still serve us news like we were in the 1800s, no thought to design and content.
CHECK OUT NEXT at 234next.com
24 hours later
So I read Next, I reserve my comments lest these fools go and dissapoint me in future but I have a grin on my face since I saw this paper.
My wife read NEXT and the conversation went like this:
Wife: "Jesus where do they print this paper"
Chetablog: I don't know.
My wife: It cannot be Naija
Chetablog: I don't know but I think they distribute in England
My wife: Eh? A Nigerian paper that is world standards in England? Hmmm this is like money doubling that is if they maintain some form of intergrity. Eh I hope they provide their reporters laptops and internet service. Sweetheart, there was a reporter who came to interview my boss last year. She was writing long hand, no tape recoder, no computer and worst of all no car of her own. She looked so tired after sitting on an Okada, and she came all the way from Apapa on a bike.
Chetablog: Eyeeya
My wife: Are you not excited? I am so excited, this is so different. Why are you acting as if you are not excited. You know this is the kind of thing you like. I beg carry go!
My semi literate driver Alphonse read NEXT
Driver: Ah Oga this paper no too big?
I took my time to show him how to read it even when he is sitting around waiting in the car. He marvelled at the way I folded it and then 2 hours later -
Driver: Oga dis one no get all dem big big big grammar. I understand am well well. See the colour sef, e better pass Sun o. But oga wetin be dis kin game wey dem dey siddon for horse. Person fit die 4 this kin game.
Chetablog: Alphonse shut up, I have to make a call
NEXT'S MISSION
NEXT on Sunday, NEXT and 234NEXT.com are 21st century news platforms that provide news and information fairly and accurately to the Nigerian public, based on the best judgment of its editors, and in a way that serves the public purpose and is compatible with the demands of an open and democratic society.
NEXT on Sunday newspaper includes captivating sections, the best columnists and the glossy fashion magazine, élan. From Monday to Saturday, NEXT daily newspaper includes national, local and world news, sports, informed opinion as well as the youth entertainment section, X2. 234NEXT.com provides breaking news, a vast array of articles, daily news bulletins and videos from NEXT tv.
I MUST CONFESS, I HAD MIST IN MY EYES AFTER READING THE ABOVE. PEOPLE CHANGE HAS COME TO NAIJA...
Where to buy NEXT on Sunday and NEXT
Available from local vendors and selected retail stores in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and London, and by subscription in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York and Washington DC Metro.
Distributed in London by Quickmarsh Distributions.
LAGOS ISLAND, IKOYI, VICTORIA ISLAND, LEKKI:-
Robert's Cafe, 16B Akin Olugbade Street, Victoria Island-
Terra Kulture, Plot 1376 Tiamiyu Savage Crescent, Victoria Island-
Glendora Bookshop, Eko Hotel, Adetokunbo Ademola, Victoria Island-
Garment Care, 1088 Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island-
Vendor, Falomo Roundabout, Ikoyi-
Vendor, Ajose Adeogun Roundabout, Victoria Island-
Vendor, Ligali Ayorinde/Ajose Adeogun Junction, Victoria Island-
Vendor, City of David, Oniru- Vendor, 1st Roundabout (by Total Petrol Station),
Lekki Phase 1- Vendor, Energy Filling Station, VGC-
Vendor, Goshen, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1-
Rennies Supermarket, VGC Shopping Mall,
MAINLAND
Vendor, Ogba Shopping Complex (by the entrance gate), Iyaiye Road, Ogba-
Pax Herbal Store, 28 Muyibat Crescent, opp. Peace Hotel, Omole Phase 1-
Talk Centre, 51 Adeyemo Akapo, Omole Phase 1-
Nice Stores, by Governor's Hotel, Omole Phase 1-
Glendora Bookshop, Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MM1), Ikeja-
Glendora Bookshop, Murtala Mohammed Domestic Airport (MM2), Ikeja-
Sheraton Lagos Hotel, 30 Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja-
Vendor, Opic Plaza, 26 Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja-
Vendor, Toyin Street (opp. Aquatic Hotel), Ikeja-
Garment Care, 23B Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja-
Goddis, 98 Kudirat Abiola Way (opp. Bank PHB), Oregun, Ikeja-
Vendor, Ikeja Roundabout (under the bridge)-
Vendor, Allen Roundabout (opp. Alade Market)-
Vendor, Maryland Roundabout-
Medlink, Jesu Oyingbo (by Maryland Estate)-
Vendor, By Banira Sport Centre, 104 Western Avenue, Ojuelegba, Surulere
ABUJA:-
Salamander Cafe, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2-
Newsstand, Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport-
Hilton Hotel Front Desk, Maitama-
Sheraton Hotel Front Desk, Wuse Zone 4-
Chelsea Hotel Front Desk, Central Area-
Bolingo Hotel Front Desk, Central Area-
Agura Hotel Front Desk, Area 10-
La Meridian Hotel Front Desk, Garki, Area 2-
Newspaper Circulation Centre, beside Stadium Roundabout, Area I
If unavailable in your local area, please place a direct order through your vendor. You can also register via www.234NEXT.com for home delivery in due course.
I have noticed a new newspaper in town, and it is called NEXT. It was offered to me free of charge and people, there is a revolution happening in Nigeria. I was so exicited by the design and look alone that I had to jump in here to talk about it. By the look of things, let me tell you this is a paper that will grow on me unlike the other visionless crap we are feed daily. The Nigeria press still serve us news like we were in the 1800s, no thought to design and content.
CHECK OUT NEXT at 234next.com
24 hours later
So I read Next, I reserve my comments lest these fools go and dissapoint me in future but I have a grin on my face since I saw this paper.
My wife read NEXT and the conversation went like this:
Wife: "Jesus where do they print this paper"
Chetablog: I don't know.
My wife: It cannot be Naija
Chetablog: I don't know but I think they distribute in England
My wife: Eh? A Nigerian paper that is world standards in England? Hmmm this is like money doubling that is if they maintain some form of intergrity. Eh I hope they provide their reporters laptops and internet service. Sweetheart, there was a reporter who came to interview my boss last year. She was writing long hand, no tape recoder, no computer and worst of all no car of her own. She looked so tired after sitting on an Okada, and she came all the way from Apapa on a bike.
Chetablog: Eyeeya
My wife: Are you not excited? I am so excited, this is so different. Why are you acting as if you are not excited. You know this is the kind of thing you like. I beg carry go!
My semi literate driver Alphonse read NEXT
Driver: Ah Oga this paper no too big?
I took my time to show him how to read it even when he is sitting around waiting in the car. He marvelled at the way I folded it and then 2 hours later -
Driver: Oga dis one no get all dem big big big grammar. I understand am well well. See the colour sef, e better pass Sun o. But oga wetin be dis kin game wey dem dey siddon for horse. Person fit die 4 this kin game.
Chetablog: Alphonse shut up, I have to make a call
NEXT'S MISSION
NEXT on Sunday, NEXT and 234NEXT.com are 21st century news platforms that provide news and information fairly and accurately to the Nigerian public, based on the best judgment of its editors, and in a way that serves the public purpose and is compatible with the demands of an open and democratic society.
NEXT on Sunday newspaper includes captivating sections, the best columnists and the glossy fashion magazine, élan. From Monday to Saturday, NEXT daily newspaper includes national, local and world news, sports, informed opinion as well as the youth entertainment section, X2. 234NEXT.com provides breaking news, a vast array of articles, daily news bulletins and videos from NEXT tv.
I MUST CONFESS, I HAD MIST IN MY EYES AFTER READING THE ABOVE. PEOPLE CHANGE HAS COME TO NAIJA...
Where to buy NEXT on Sunday and NEXT
Available from local vendors and selected retail stores in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and London, and by subscription in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York and Washington DC Metro.
Distributed in London by Quickmarsh Distributions.
LAGOS ISLAND, IKOYI, VICTORIA ISLAND, LEKKI:-
Robert's Cafe, 16B Akin Olugbade Street, Victoria Island-
Terra Kulture, Plot 1376 Tiamiyu Savage Crescent, Victoria Island-
Glendora Bookshop, Eko Hotel, Adetokunbo Ademola, Victoria Island-
Garment Care, 1088 Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island-
Vendor, Falomo Roundabout, Ikoyi-
Vendor, Ajose Adeogun Roundabout, Victoria Island-
Vendor, Ligali Ayorinde/Ajose Adeogun Junction, Victoria Island-
Vendor, City of David, Oniru- Vendor, 1st Roundabout (by Total Petrol Station),
Lekki Phase 1- Vendor, Energy Filling Station, VGC-
Vendor, Goshen, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1-
Rennies Supermarket, VGC Shopping Mall,
MAINLAND
Vendor, Ogba Shopping Complex (by the entrance gate), Iyaiye Road, Ogba-
Pax Herbal Store, 28 Muyibat Crescent, opp. Peace Hotel, Omole Phase 1-
Talk Centre, 51 Adeyemo Akapo, Omole Phase 1-
Nice Stores, by Governor's Hotel, Omole Phase 1-
Glendora Bookshop, Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MM1), Ikeja-
Glendora Bookshop, Murtala Mohammed Domestic Airport (MM2), Ikeja-
Sheraton Lagos Hotel, 30 Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja-
Vendor, Opic Plaza, 26 Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja-
Vendor, Toyin Street (opp. Aquatic Hotel), Ikeja-
Garment Care, 23B Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja-
Goddis, 98 Kudirat Abiola Way (opp. Bank PHB), Oregun, Ikeja-
Vendor, Ikeja Roundabout (under the bridge)-
Vendor, Allen Roundabout (opp. Alade Market)-
Vendor, Maryland Roundabout-
Medlink, Jesu Oyingbo (by Maryland Estate)-
Vendor, By Banira Sport Centre, 104 Western Avenue, Ojuelegba, Surulere
ABUJA:-
Salamander Cafe, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2-
Newsstand, Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport-
Hilton Hotel Front Desk, Maitama-
Sheraton Hotel Front Desk, Wuse Zone 4-
Chelsea Hotel Front Desk, Central Area-
Bolingo Hotel Front Desk, Central Area-
Agura Hotel Front Desk, Area 10-
La Meridian Hotel Front Desk, Garki, Area 2-
Newspaper Circulation Centre, beside Stadium Roundabout, Area I
If unavailable in your local area, please place a direct order through your vendor. You can also register via www.234NEXT.com for home delivery in due course.
LESSONS FROM NIYI TABITI AND LINDA IKEJI BROUHAHA
My fav part of blogging is when people send me all kinds of stuff hoping that I will publish or comment on them. So far, I have published two deserving stories and guess what, pips, I am about to publish the third. I received a copy of this note apparently posted by Niyi Tabiti on the public forum Facebook plus all the comments on it and guess what, I am about to cuss out a fellow blogger.
The beef has taken a different dimension because Tabiti, as custodian of the press in Nigeria (that just makes me LOL) decided to take Linda Ikeji to task because she made reference to a story he had covered. It is important that I comment on this beef because most of you might not know it, but, Tabiti’s note is a secret code to all gutter journalists to begin to attack Linda Ikeji. If you know how this so called gutter reporters work in Naija, you will understand what I mean. Very soon, you will see mean, distasteful made up stories appearing in different gutter magazines about Linda Ikeji and I hope you know why if it so happens. Believe me, until she begs Niyi Tabiti and sees him (lol), this will know no end. When she sees him, then he will now see all the other gutter people one by one. That is how it works in the land of gutter people of celebrity reporting.
These Piranhas are a 4kin mafia of petty egomaniacs whose lack of a properly structured education has stunted the growth of Nollywood and all things entertainment so much so that I wish that a revolution happens in the press to flush these half baked nitwits from the system.
I have in my heart of hearts often felt that the proliferation of these brown envelope reporters in the blogging hemisphere will soon begin to produce distasteful mess. Please be aware that not all entertainment journalists are like this but there are so few that are not. I am publishing the note as is, except where I make space to place my comments.
EDITORIAL- LINDA IKEJI, OMOWUNMI AKINNIFESI AND DELE FASAN’S CONTROVERSIAL INTERVIEW
Share
Yesterday at 7:06pm
I was attending a conference in Lagos, when some people drew my attention to a story written and published on Linda Ikeji’s blog concerning a recent story we published on gistmaster.com .In the story, a young man by name Dele Fasan claimed to be dating Omowunmi Akinnifesi. The fellow also told us that they have marriage plans.In her first sentence, Linda wrote “It's kinda sad when people see you with a guy, and the next thing you read in the press is that you're dating him”I am taking time to reply because Linda sort of indicted the Nigerian press as a whole with the sentence, directly or indirectly calling us fiction writers.
Soooo does she not have a right to make that comment? How does her statement indict all Nigerian press. It only indicts those who peddle unconfirmed rumours and who refuse to follow journalistic tenets. All this drama would not have happened had you had a simple recorder to record the conversation and had you not come out so authoritatively on your headlines without checking the facts.
All this is, is a way of involving other press people in your own nonsense. Get a grip Mr. Tabiti and fight your own damned fights.
As a friend and associate for years, I thought Linda should have put a call through or send text messages to ask me what actually happened.
FRENEMIES you meant to say. Karma is a bitch innit Niyi? All those years of trash, how many of you gutter people ever bother to call for facts. You are trying to launder your image now as a blogger, spare me that nonsense.
For chrissakes, I just found out a few months ago that Encomium has a reporter who reports local Nigerian gossip from Germany… yes you heard me G.E.R.MA.N.Y. I am still trying to figure out which one of the reporters it is and believe me I will spill the beans once I find out. Can you guys believe it? How the hell does that work? Only in Nigeria can that shit happen. It works because Naija soft sell reporters never check on facts. Can you imagine the reporter’s phone and travel bills if he or she were to actually act like a real journalist and really investigate the trash that they write.
On his part, Chude Jideonwo, Bellanaija, Omowunmi, Mai and several others have reached me personally on this.
Since when did Bellanaija become a man? And what the hell is a future pulitzer prize winner (that is if he can resist the bright lights) like Chude Jideonwo doing mixed up in shit like this. Why does Niyi even have to name drop – Because he wants Linda to know that he not only has the Naija gutter press behind him, he also has bloggers of distinction and the subject of the story Omowunmi in his corner. I am sure Bellanaija is wondering "worrahell, don't get me tangled just cus I called to check facts" LMAO I just be makin ma damned self laugh.
Well, maybe Linda was writing from her own personal experience in the hands of the media. Some years back, Linda and I were at Sheraton for an event and she met Dan Foster. The two of them went to one of the restaurants and got talking for a long time. I was her publicist, yet she told me she was not dating Dan. When some people wrote it in the press, she also denied it. It was not until a lady; one Miss Olunloyo accused Linda of snatching her man that she now came out to say she had been dating Dan for years!!! This is so unnecessary but gutter reporters always want to show you that they have inside info about you. God forbid you make the mistake of hiring them as a publicist, they will wash your red pant in public faster than you can say Ejiro help me ooooooooooo. I felt very bad because as her publicist, I would keep it as privilege information and would know how to defend her when journalists inquire. Who would ever hire this guy as a publicist after this mess? I guess the privilege stops once your former client's comments on a story you wrote. You are very lucky you are dealing with Linda. If na me, I woulda come back hitting hard after you reveal all my stuff to the world. Stuff you learned while working and collecting money from me as a publicist - there is just something so uncuth about this whole thing
PR ... I hope it is not dat kin PR wey gutter reporters often do as a side business to earn extra money. I have heard of reporters who write nasty stuff about celebrities regardless of the truth just to get their attention. Once they get the attention they sought, they start to siphon money from these celebrities to help shut the stories down. There are countless celebrities who have reporters on their payroll just to keep them happy.
Miss Olunloyo on her part was bitter because she and Dan were planning their wedding and part of the event was already fixed for City Mall before the break up!!!We have seen cases of many Nigerian so called celebrities denying interviews granted by them few minutes later so it is not new. When Gbenga Obasanjo opened up on a number of things for Saharareporters, he later denied it and also threatened to sue them to court. Yet, the discerning mind knew that Gbenga was only boasting, he said it all. We knew how much RMD denied his romance with Jumobi Adegbesan and also called reporters unprintable names, only for them to get married.Ini Edo granted Punch Newspaper an interview two months before her wedding. She did not only deny her marriage plans, she insinuated that those writing the story don’t know their right from left!! About one month before Yoruba star actress, Ronke Ojo got married to her man she denied having anything to do with an auto dealer.Alas! She invited us to her wedding some weeks later.
Just prove that your story was not wrong and leave all this long talk Niyi. You want to rehash all these old stories just because Linda Ikeji made a general statement in her blog. Memo to celebrities: don't say a word if what is going to come out your mouth is a lie. Just say 2 little words "no comment"
Back to the story on Omowunmi Akinnifesi.I was on the red carpet at Future Award when Omowunmi and a young man walked on the red carpet. I have never met the guy in my life. So, after taking their photos, I walked up to the guy and asked questions concerning his relationship with Omowunmi and he said have been dating off and on for a year, but now they are ready to settle down for marriage. He was not drunk when he was saying all this neither was I drunk too. He knew what he was saying. I later asked him about his name and what he does for a living. He also gave me his phone number. I even called him on the phone!!!
Finally, we are getting the real story. This is all you should have done to counter the story, not personally attack her person for commenting on a story you published. Use you head next time instead of this usual Naija gutter way of reacting to things.
When Omowunmi was going inside I asked about her marriage plans, she laughed. (Well, she later called me on phone and explained that she was actually carried away by the cameramen on the red carpet. So she never confirmed the story before you ran and publish.Later, they went inside the hall and I also took their pictures. Though they were not seated beside each other, they were on the same table in front.After the story was published, Omowunmi called me and insisted that the guy was only an impostor and that they only met on the red carpet that day. She also obliged me a phone interview which took quite a while. The story was later published on the gistmaster.comGOD blesses Omowunmi’s brother. The guy also talked to me on phone and he said corroborated the sister’s story. He was gentlemanly in his approach.We settled the whole thing and all of us agreed that the guy was only being mischievious.
NO, the guy pulled a fast one on you. He just proved that you guys never do any real investigation of stories. You rarely even check facts. I am sure that a quick phone call the next day to Omowunmi would have revealed the truth to you but nooooo. Who even knows, Omowunmi may have even set ya nyash up just to get in the damn news again…. Next time elevate yourself and check your facts. You made a mistake, live with and don't abuse someone for pointing out your gaff.
I called Dele Fasan the following day and he agreed he told me all i wrote but that he never knew it would go that far. Just imagine,someone talking to the press.Omowunmi had granted series of interviews where she denied the romance-City People, Encomium,Global Excellence had already carried the story. Linda wrote that none of the story is true and that Omowunmi and the guy spoke with Shade Wesley-Etibogun of Encomium. In the first place, Shade and I have a good relationship and she called when she was doing the story. I gave her Dele Fasan's mobile number.Well,i think the big difference between Linda and I, is that i generate 98 per cent of the total materials on my blog. I go all out to get the interviews or cover the events live. Linda only sit back in her Surulere home, surf the net or read magazines then re-write.I can tell you for free that she rarely attend up to five event in a year.We are friends and would continue to be friends.
So 4king what? She has never pretended to go to these events and her blog still kicks behind. All this personal stuff just because…... I beg, get over yourself and ego, and respond more wisely to things like this, at least in a manner that is worthy of a Public Relations expert.
I put a lot of energy into into getting my stories and photos.If Linda's attempt is to to rubbish us,well its all well and good.We have been quoted by all Nigerian newspapers and websites this is because of authoritative news and photos. Perhaps, the reason why a lot of people appreciate what we do here.
I told ya all, this year na fire ………. No Bladdy fears in the 09, there shall be no sacred cows and no undeserved apologies. Anonypeople cannot leave messages for now because I want the dustbin brigade that will undoubtedly rush to curse me out in the name of defending Mr. Tabiti to reveal themselves.
P.s Habeeb and Cat, una sabi yab person o. Shame catch me sef!
The beef has taken a different dimension because Tabiti, as custodian of the press in Nigeria (that just makes me LOL) decided to take Linda Ikeji to task because she made reference to a story he had covered. It is important that I comment on this beef because most of you might not know it, but, Tabiti’s note is a secret code to all gutter journalists to begin to attack Linda Ikeji. If you know how this so called gutter reporters work in Naija, you will understand what I mean. Very soon, you will see mean, distasteful made up stories appearing in different gutter magazines about Linda Ikeji and I hope you know why if it so happens. Believe me, until she begs Niyi Tabiti and sees him (lol), this will know no end. When she sees him, then he will now see all the other gutter people one by one. That is how it works in the land of gutter people of celebrity reporting.
These Piranhas are a 4kin mafia of petty egomaniacs whose lack of a properly structured education has stunted the growth of Nollywood and all things entertainment so much so that I wish that a revolution happens in the press to flush these half baked nitwits from the system.
I have in my heart of hearts often felt that the proliferation of these brown envelope reporters in the blogging hemisphere will soon begin to produce distasteful mess. Please be aware that not all entertainment journalists are like this but there are so few that are not. I am publishing the note as is, except where I make space to place my comments.
EDITORIAL- LINDA IKEJI, OMOWUNMI AKINNIFESI AND DELE FASAN’S CONTROVERSIAL INTERVIEW
Share
Yesterday at 7:06pm
I was attending a conference in Lagos, when some people drew my attention to a story written and published on Linda Ikeji’s blog concerning a recent story we published on gistmaster.com .In the story, a young man by name Dele Fasan claimed to be dating Omowunmi Akinnifesi. The fellow also told us that they have marriage plans.In her first sentence, Linda wrote “It's kinda sad when people see you with a guy, and the next thing you read in the press is that you're dating him”I am taking time to reply because Linda sort of indicted the Nigerian press as a whole with the sentence, directly or indirectly calling us fiction writers.
Soooo does she not have a right to make that comment? How does her statement indict all Nigerian press. It only indicts those who peddle unconfirmed rumours and who refuse to follow journalistic tenets. All this drama would not have happened had you had a simple recorder to record the conversation and had you not come out so authoritatively on your headlines without checking the facts.
All this is, is a way of involving other press people in your own nonsense. Get a grip Mr. Tabiti and fight your own damned fights.
As a friend and associate for years, I thought Linda should have put a call through or send text messages to ask me what actually happened.
FRENEMIES you meant to say. Karma is a bitch innit Niyi? All those years of trash, how many of you gutter people ever bother to call for facts. You are trying to launder your image now as a blogger, spare me that nonsense.
For chrissakes, I just found out a few months ago that Encomium has a reporter who reports local Nigerian gossip from Germany… yes you heard me G.E.R.MA.N.Y. I am still trying to figure out which one of the reporters it is and believe me I will spill the beans once I find out. Can you guys believe it? How the hell does that work? Only in Nigeria can that shit happen. It works because Naija soft sell reporters never check on facts. Can you imagine the reporter’s phone and travel bills if he or she were to actually act like a real journalist and really investigate the trash that they write.
On his part, Chude Jideonwo, Bellanaija, Omowunmi, Mai and several others have reached me personally on this.
Since when did Bellanaija become a man? And what the hell is a future pulitzer prize winner (that is if he can resist the bright lights) like Chude Jideonwo doing mixed up in shit like this. Why does Niyi even have to name drop – Because he wants Linda to know that he not only has the Naija gutter press behind him, he also has bloggers of distinction and the subject of the story Omowunmi in his corner. I am sure Bellanaija is wondering "worrahell, don't get me tangled just cus I called to check facts" LMAO I just be makin ma damned self laugh.
Well, maybe Linda was writing from her own personal experience in the hands of the media. Some years back, Linda and I were at Sheraton for an event and she met Dan Foster. The two of them went to one of the restaurants and got talking for a long time. I was her publicist, yet she told me she was not dating Dan. When some people wrote it in the press, she also denied it. It was not until a lady; one Miss Olunloyo accused Linda of snatching her man that she now came out to say she had been dating Dan for years!!! This is so unnecessary but gutter reporters always want to show you that they have inside info about you. God forbid you make the mistake of hiring them as a publicist, they will wash your red pant in public faster than you can say Ejiro help me ooooooooooo. I felt very bad because as her publicist, I would keep it as privilege information and would know how to defend her when journalists inquire. Who would ever hire this guy as a publicist after this mess? I guess the privilege stops once your former client's comments on a story you wrote. You are very lucky you are dealing with Linda. If na me, I woulda come back hitting hard after you reveal all my stuff to the world. Stuff you learned while working and collecting money from me as a publicist - there is just something so uncuth about this whole thing
PR ... I hope it is not dat kin PR wey gutter reporters often do as a side business to earn extra money. I have heard of reporters who write nasty stuff about celebrities regardless of the truth just to get their attention. Once they get the attention they sought, they start to siphon money from these celebrities to help shut the stories down. There are countless celebrities who have reporters on their payroll just to keep them happy.
Miss Olunloyo on her part was bitter because she and Dan were planning their wedding and part of the event was already fixed for City Mall before the break up!!!We have seen cases of many Nigerian so called celebrities denying interviews granted by them few minutes later so it is not new. When Gbenga Obasanjo opened up on a number of things for Saharareporters, he later denied it and also threatened to sue them to court. Yet, the discerning mind knew that Gbenga was only boasting, he said it all. We knew how much RMD denied his romance with Jumobi Adegbesan and also called reporters unprintable names, only for them to get married.Ini Edo granted Punch Newspaper an interview two months before her wedding. She did not only deny her marriage plans, she insinuated that those writing the story don’t know their right from left!! About one month before Yoruba star actress, Ronke Ojo got married to her man she denied having anything to do with an auto dealer.Alas! She invited us to her wedding some weeks later.
Just prove that your story was not wrong and leave all this long talk Niyi. You want to rehash all these old stories just because Linda Ikeji made a general statement in her blog. Memo to celebrities: don't say a word if what is going to come out your mouth is a lie. Just say 2 little words "no comment"
Back to the story on Omowunmi Akinnifesi.I was on the red carpet at Future Award when Omowunmi and a young man walked on the red carpet. I have never met the guy in my life. So, after taking their photos, I walked up to the guy and asked questions concerning his relationship with Omowunmi and he said have been dating off and on for a year, but now they are ready to settle down for marriage. He was not drunk when he was saying all this neither was I drunk too. He knew what he was saying. I later asked him about his name and what he does for a living. He also gave me his phone number. I even called him on the phone!!!
Finally, we are getting the real story. This is all you should have done to counter the story, not personally attack her person for commenting on a story you published. Use you head next time instead of this usual Naija gutter way of reacting to things.
When Omowunmi was going inside I asked about her marriage plans, she laughed. (Well, she later called me on phone and explained that she was actually carried away by the cameramen on the red carpet. So she never confirmed the story before you ran and publish.Later, they went inside the hall and I also took their pictures. Though they were not seated beside each other, they were on the same table in front.After the story was published, Omowunmi called me and insisted that the guy was only an impostor and that they only met on the red carpet that day. She also obliged me a phone interview which took quite a while. The story was later published on the gistmaster.comGOD blesses Omowunmi’s brother. The guy also talked to me on phone and he said corroborated the sister’s story. He was gentlemanly in his approach.We settled the whole thing and all of us agreed that the guy was only being mischievious.
NO, the guy pulled a fast one on you. He just proved that you guys never do any real investigation of stories. You rarely even check facts. I am sure that a quick phone call the next day to Omowunmi would have revealed the truth to you but nooooo. Who even knows, Omowunmi may have even set ya nyash up just to get in the damn news again…. Next time elevate yourself and check your facts. You made a mistake, live with and don't abuse someone for pointing out your gaff.
I called Dele Fasan the following day and he agreed he told me all i wrote but that he never knew it would go that far. Just imagine,someone talking to the press.Omowunmi had granted series of interviews where she denied the romance-City People, Encomium,Global Excellence had already carried the story. Linda wrote that none of the story is true and that Omowunmi and the guy spoke with Shade Wesley-Etibogun of Encomium. In the first place, Shade and I have a good relationship and she called when she was doing the story. I gave her Dele Fasan's mobile number.Well,i think the big difference between Linda and I, is that i generate 98 per cent of the total materials on my blog. I go all out to get the interviews or cover the events live. Linda only sit back in her Surulere home, surf the net or read magazines then re-write.I can tell you for free that she rarely attend up to five event in a year.We are friends and would continue to be friends.
So 4king what? She has never pretended to go to these events and her blog still kicks behind. All this personal stuff just because…... I beg, get over yourself and ego, and respond more wisely to things like this, at least in a manner that is worthy of a Public Relations expert.
I put a lot of energy into into getting my stories and photos.If Linda's attempt is to to rubbish us,well its all well and good.We have been quoted by all Nigerian newspapers and websites this is because of authoritative news and photos. Perhaps, the reason why a lot of people appreciate what we do here.
I told ya all, this year na fire ………. No Bladdy fears in the 09, there shall be no sacred cows and no undeserved apologies. Anonypeople cannot leave messages for now because I want the dustbin brigade that will undoubtedly rush to curse me out in the name of defending Mr. Tabiti to reveal themselves.
P.s Habeeb and Cat, una sabi yab person o. Shame catch me sef!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
