Entertainment
Nollywood Veritable Tool For Cultural Diplomacy – IBB
Former military president,
Ibrahim Babangida, last Tuesday said Nollywood was a veritable tool for cultural diplomacy and social re-engineering in Nigeria.
Babangida stated this in his address at the opening of the 2015 Annual Conference of the Society of Nigeria Theatre Artistes (SONTA) in Abuja.
He said that beyond entertainment, Nollywood could adequately inform and educate Nigerians on the enormous benefits of living in peace.
Represented by Alhaji Ismail Ibrahim, former Chairman, Governing Board, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), he said that Nollywood could be used to address ills in the society.
According to him, Nollywood can be deployed as a potent mechanism to address current security challenges, and used to educate youths on the dangers of breakdown of law and order and effect of criminality and insurgency.
Babangida said that through the medium of film, Nigeria’s rich and diverse cultural heritage and achievements could be projected and promoted.
‘’Nollywood makes a huge contribution to Nigeria’s external relations and even foreign exchange earnings.
“We have to attract tourists and investors with Nollywood just the way foreign films have been effectively used to promote Indian and American national interests,’’ he said.
In his remarks, National President of SONTA, Prof. Sunday Ododo, said film was a very potent medium with very wide reach and with mass mobilisation appeal.
“If this present administration must go far in her change mission and national orientation, the answer is Nollywood.
He said that the gesture of Babangida in gracing the occasion was an endorsement of the ideals NICO stood for as the capacity building arm of the culture industry.
Earlier, Prof. Barclays Ayakoroma, Executive Secretary of NICO, organisers of the conference, said that the agency had been carrying out its mandate of sensitisation through programmes and activities across the nation.
“We are using our programmes to harness culture for national development and this is why we are partnering SONTA in sensitising Nigerians,’’ he said.
Popular businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chief Priest, has said that his relationship with singer Davido is beyond money and gossip.
He stated this in a recent interview with BBC Igbo.
“Davido is my friend. He is my in-law; he married Chioma who is from Imo State where I hail from.
“So the relationship I have with Davido is beyond money and gossip,” he said.
DAILY POST reports that Chief Priest disclosed via his Instagram page that his outfit for the wedding of the singer, Davido and his wife, Chioma, in Lagos on Tuesday cost seven million Naira.
The socialite recently appreciated Davido for not “discarding” Chioma.
He stated that the DMW boss has made Imo State proud by choosing to marry from the state.
Nigerian singer Simisola Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has lent her voice to the ongoing anti-tax hike protests in Kenya.
The Tide’s source reports that Kenyan youths are marching against tax hike in widespread demonstrations tagged ‘RejectFinanceBill2024.’
Five people were shot dead and dozens wounded after police clashed with protesters who stormed the parliament building in Nairobi on Tuesday, according to Amnesty Kenya.
Reacting via her X handle on Tuesday night, Simi declared her support for the demonstrators.
She stated that “it is both powerful and heartbreaking for a people to have to fight and die for freedoms and rights.”
The singer wrote, “I stand with the people of Kenya. It is both powerful and heartbreaking for a people to have to fight and die for freedoms and rights. Godspeed and Strength. [Hash tag] RejectFinanceBill2024.”
In a series of other posts, she wrote: “Wow. When you’ve had enough, the fight is almost inevitable.
“African leaders- have not you done enough?
“I can’t wait for the day Africa is not a weapon fashioned against Africans. All of this amazing Black power and human resource, but the majority are not likely to thrive unless they run.”
Famous Nigerian Afrobeat singer, Davido was spotted among other top artistes at Asake’s ‘Lungu Boy’ tour concert in Atlanta, Georgia.
Asake’s performance at his sold-out show at the 17,000-capacity State Farm Arena in Atlanta began on August 16, 2024, and is set to run for 10 days.
In a trending video on social media, Davido appeared backstage with American rapper Quavo to support Asake during the live performance.
Other musicians in attendance included Nigerian hitmaker Zlatan and American rapper Russ Millions.
The Tide’s source reports that Asake’s ‘Lungu Boy’ tour is set to cover six U.S. cities, where he will headline notable venues including Madison Square Garden in New York, the Toyota Center in Houston, and the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Asake’s tour comes just days after the release of his latest hit, ‘Lungu Boy,’ which features several superstars, including Wizkid, British rappers Central Cee and Stormzy, Travis Scott and Brazilian singer Ludmilla.
‘Lungu Boy’ set a new record for the biggest opening week on Spotify Nigeria, garnering 18.9 million streams in its opening week and breaking the previous record of 14.4 million streams held by Davido’s ‘Timeless.’