Entertainment
Producers Rebrand Nollywood With New Block Buster Movies
The Nigerian producers
have taken Nollywood to greater heights with new block buster movies that are of international standards which have also helped to rebrand the industry within and outside the country. Though some of these movies have not had impressive outing at the cinemas during their premiers, most of the new movies have won commendable credibility at the box office with impressive sales.
Movies like Ije, Figurine, Anchor Baby. Last flight, Mirrow boy, Return of Jennifer, the meeting etc, have sold out millions of copies and in most cases dwarfed Hollywood movies. Recently, the producers stormed the cinema houses across the country with new movies for premieres most of which have recorded huge success. They include the following:
1) When Dreams Fall Apart: This new block buster flick was premiered recently at Victoria Island, Lagos. It is produced by Chico Ejiro and features Nollywood A-list acts namely: Segun Arinze, Fred Amata, Saint Obi, Monalisa Chinda and Ibinabo Fiberesima etc.
The premiere of the movie was attended by several stars who came to witness what they called a new dawn in the movie industry. The movie was sponsored by IDL as one on its numerous commitments in re-entrenching the IDL concept, “The Spirit of Niger,” which is resilient spirit that never dies nor gives up.
According to the Brand Manager, Veleta fruit wine, Chioma Alonge, this is not just another movie, it is a movie with a message never goven up, never throw up in the towel, which is exactly what Lupita Ngongo emphasised in her acceptance speech at the 2014 Oscar award for best supporting actress for her role in the movie “12 Years A Slave.”
According to her, “whoever you are, your dreams are valid, never throw in the towel.
2) Render to Ceaser: Another interesting movie is render to Ceaser which is a new drama cum crime movie that brought Omoni Oboli to bear in the long awaited flick.
The movie produced by Desmond Nbiagele saw Omoni delivering an impressive role alongside an array of Nigeria finest acting talents including Gbenga Akinnagbe, Wale Ojo, Kalu Ikeagwu, Bimbo Manuel, Dede Mbieku, Lucky Ejim, Chris Iheuwa, Kehinde Bankole and several others.
The movie examines themes of crime and corruption, psychological trauma as well as friendship. It chronicles the journey of two friends who return home from abroad to join a special programme in the police force as detectives. They are immediately assigned the daunting mission to him and apprehended a psychotic crime lord wreaking havoc in Africa’s most popular city.
Compounding their lack of progress is a series of derogatory editorials published by a popular, but prejudiced media entrepreneur and monitored by increasingly irritated police affairs minister and just when the detectives finally box their adversary into a corner, he responds with a joker that not only turns the game on its head, but threatens to alter the lives of its players permently.
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.”