Entertainment
Participant Hails NAFEST 2018
The National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) 2018 themed “Our Festivals, Our Heritage’ which was held from the 21st to 27th of October 2018 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State was indeed an exciting festival.
Speaking with the Delta State Head of Performing Arts Department, Mrs Akani Siri stated that NAFEST was a unity festival with the aim of bringing the various cultures of Nigeria together.
Mrs Siri shed more light on what the NAFEST festival was all about, stating that NAFEST has both competitive and non-competitive events, which the states participate in, saying also that different states usually pick the events they would participate in after the syllabus has been sent to them.
Mrs Siri who said the festival was made up of different types of events like, dance drama; traditional wrestling ;traditional cuisines which is particular to each state; craft expo; and also tales by moonlight by children which was added to the events this year, has said that all these depend on what the national council wants, with different centers for these events.
She said that NAFEST was an annual festival, with the sole motive of bringing Nigerian cultures together, saying the festival unites our heritage and our ‘fast dying cultures’, which we do not want to go into extinction.
She stated that NAFEST aims at promoting national development, harnessing our culture, bringing them from their raw state, polishing and working on them, and see if they can be a source of income by exporting some of these cultural values.
Siri went further to explain that if a festival like NAFEST was not held, then some of our cultures would just be stories to tell to our children. “It’s preserving, promoting and documenting our culture that is what NAFEST is all about”, she said.
The commissioner of Arts and Tourism Delta state, Mr Emmanuel Chinye also spoke on NAFEST being a means of uniting every culture within Nigeria, saying that NAFEST is the biggest festival in Nigeria.
Speaking on the reason most states didn’t attend as on Thursday, the commissioner said it was due to some logistics, “sometimes some logistics might warrant this, especially during an election period.”
At the closing/Award ceremony of NAFEST 2018, which was held at the Port Harcourt Sharks Stadium in Rivers State, so many exciting cultural activities were displayed and wonderful awards were given to deserving states.
The participating states which were twenty four(24) in attendance included Abia; Anambra; Bayelsa;Benue; Delta;Ebonyi;Edo; Enugu; Gombe; Jigawa; Kaduna; Kano; Katsina; Kogi; Kwara; Lagos; Niger; Ogun; Ondo; Osun; Rivers (host); Sokoto; Taraba; and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
Gideon Victory
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.’