Entertainment
Nigeria @ 59: ph Residents Hail Entertainment Industry
Following Nigeria’s 59th independence anniversary celebration on Tuesday, October 1st 2019 some residents of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital have given a thumbs up to the entertainment industry despite the country’s dwindling economic fortunes.
Many fun centers such as the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, Port Harcourt Mall Hotels, Cinema houses, night clubs and eateries experienced an influx of customers and fun seekers.
Some of them who spoke to our reporter said the National Day was worth celebrating especially, due to the progress recorded in the entertainment industry.
For Madam Tope, “The independence day is worth celebrating, at least we are alive and still together despite all odds.
“We should celebrate being alive, we should celebrate the fact that our nation is not in a state of anarchy and there is hope for tomorrow”.
On entertainment, she said the industry has evolved, it has welcomed and nurtured a lot of talents who have taken the Nigerian culture to the world.
“More people are coming out now, gone are the days when people were ridiculed when they indicate interest in acting, singing, dancing and parents no longer deprive their children from going into entertainment like most of them did in those days”.
Similarly Mr. Wisdom said, “It is good to celebrate, we have come a long way as a country, it is not going to be all rosy, it has never been rosy for countries that have been where they are today, same applies to our country Nigeria”.
“Let us celebrate life, let us celebrate the birth of a child(Nigeria) although not properly planned by both parents(British and Nigeria), but there is still a child”.
“I am proud of the entertainment industry today, it is not where it used to be, there is a huge improvement, she stated.
He however called on the government to invest more in the tourism sector so as to attract foreign and direct investment into the country.
Agnes Onwuegbu
Spotify yesterday revealed a significant surge in heartbreak song streams in Nigeria during the Valentine’s Day season, with a 626 percent increase between 2022 and 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lagos, Nigeria by Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa Phiona Okumu.
Okumu said, “Spotify data reveals a surprising trend, a massive surge in heartbreak song streams.
“Nigerians are turning to their playlists to express their emotions, with a staggering 626 per cent overall growth in heartbreak streams from 2022 to 2024.
“This Valentine, the sound of love is accompanied by the sound of heartbreak, and the data shows it’s louder than ever before.”
She said on Valentine’s Day, most surprisingly, male listeners streamed heartbreak songs at a significantly higher rate than female listeners, with a 362 per cent increase compared to 169 per cent among women.
“This could suggest that men resonate with the feeling of heartbreak more and turn to music as a private outlet for processing emotions.
“Whatever the reason, one thing is clear, when love is in the air, so is heartbreak and Nigerian men are pressing play on their pain more than expected.
“While Valentine’s Day is often celebrated with grand gestures, heartbreak is a common theme on Valentine’s Day -more than what’s publicly shown,” she said.
Nigerians will join their counterparts across the world to mark the 2025 Valentine’s today.
Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has joined MLS side San Diego FC’s ownership group as a club partner.
SDFC announced today that Tems joined the ownership group through her company, The Leading Vibe.
In the process, Tems became the first African woman to be involved in MLS ownership.
“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a club partner,” SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour said in a statement.
“Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which, of course, has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organisation.”
Reacting to her addition as the latest partner in SDFC’s ownership group, the singer said: “I am thrilled to join San Diego FC’s ownership group and to be part of a club that celebrates creativity, culture, and the power of community.
“Football has a unique way of bringing people together, and I am excited to help build something special in San Diego, a city that thrives on diversity and innovation.”
Fashion and beauty entrepreneur, Toyin Lawani, has claimed she is enduring back pain and that her spine is degenerating.
Lawani revealed this in a video posted on social media last Tuesday.
In the clip, she opened up about her experience with epidural anesthesia, an injection administered to pregnant women in the spine to reduce pain during childbirth.
The mother of three claimed that since receiving the injection, she has not felt like herself.
She accused doctors of not fully informing women about the long-term side effects of epidurals.
According to Lawani, she received the anesthetic injection during the birth of her last two children.
She said, “When you hear ‘epidural,’ run. Doctors tell you about the side effects but do not tell you about the long-term effects on your body. I have about three friends having the same issues that I am having.
“Like, I am just 42, how did I end up with spine issues? I have a degenerating spine. I have implants in my spine. I go paralyzed. I can’t stand for a long time. I can’t even breathe properly sometimes because it affected so many things in my body when I had the surgery.
“They will not tell you because you just want the pain to go away. I have had two epidurals. I had my first as natural birth. The last two were epidural. The last one I had epidural because I had to undergo a surgery and I had no choice.
“See, the pain does not stop. My back is killing me and my spine is degenerating.”