Entertainment
PH Gets New Museum, Zoo
Stakeholders in the tour
ism industry in Nigeria converged last week in Port Harcourt for the pre-opening facility tour of the Museum of African History and Culture, and Zoo located in the Brooklyn Tourist Centre, Rumuosi near the University of Port Harcourt.
The complex is the brain child of one of the leading tourism practitioners in the country, Alabo Mike Amachree, the former President of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN).
The Museum has history of top Manarchs who has left indelible marks in the history of Nigeria.
After being taken round the complex to see the zoo and the museum, the practitioners also visited the chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Majesty Dandeson Douglas Jaja, the Amayanabo of Opobo.
Amachree described tourism as a major economic activity which generates income and also creates employment for the people.
He said for a country or state to attract tourists of local and international status, there was the need for such infrastructures and super structures capable of attracting tourists to be put in place in addition to the tourists attractions.
According to him, it was on that basis that the practitioners visited the monarch to make suggestions on how the state could build its tourism profile so as to attract tourist.
The former ATPN President stated that Rivers State with international airport, seaport and network of roads, and the petroleum industry, has comparative advantage over other states in the country for tourists’ inflow.
He noted that Rivers State was the first state in Nigeria to establish a tourist site known as Isaka Holiday Resort in 1967 by the first Military Governor of the Old Rivers State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff while he (Amachree) established the second one called Port Harcourt Tourist Beach.
“It is also n record that my association the ATPN organized the first Abuja carnival under my leadership in 1991 as well as the second Rivers State Cultural and Musical Carnival tagged RIVCAM 93”, he said.
He remarked that tourism was not about building hotels and organizing carnival, but that emphasise should be laid on developing high class tourist sites and museums where our history, cultural relics, artifacts and monuments would be permanently exhibited for admiration of visiting tourists.
“The tour operators would then market the sites and bring in visitors”, he said adding that development and promotion of tourism is entirely a private sector affair while government provides enabling environment.
He said traditional rulers, as custodians of culture, history and tradition should be assisted by the government to equip their palaces with relics and artifacts to promote tourism in various communities.
Amachree charged private investors and the government to open up rural areas by establishing private tourists sites which would create more jobs.
Responding the Amayanabo of Opobo praised Amachree for his consistency in efforts towards developing tourism in the country and expressed excitement at the new museum of African History and Culture.
He noted that if tourism is developed to its full potentials, oil would take a back seat and promised to take the message to the government.
Chris Oluoh
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.”