Connect with us

Entertainment

ION Film Festival: Duncan Mighty, Timaya, Others Storm Garden City

Published

on

In line with its objective of promoting global awareness and peace through arts, culture and films, IONIFF Port Harcourt 09 scheduled to hold between 9th and 12th December in the garden city of Port Harcourt Rivers State is set to celebrate peace.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism Hon. Marcus Nle Ejii revealed that the state is ready to host the international communities, Nollywood and the entertainment industry based on the list of activities outlined for the first ever ION International Film Festival to be hosted in Africa.

According to him, the performances of sons of the soil as Duncan Mighty, Timaya, Nneka and international photographer George Oshodi with others such Wande Cole, Dbanj, Terry G and Seun kuti show the national and international communities the power of art as a vehicle to celebrate peace.

The Honorable commissioner is very pleased by the enthusiasm showed internationally, he added “award winners actors like Giancarlo Esposito, Adnan Siddiqui and beautiful bollywod actress Masumeh Makhija are set to be part of IONIFF Port Harcourt 09. To share our vision.”

Giancarlo has won two Obie Award’s for “Zooman and The Sign” at the Negro Ensemble Company and “Distant Fires” at “The Atlantic Theatre Company.

Giancarlo’s long list of Broadway credits include “Sacrilege”, “Seesaw”, “Merrily We Roll Along” and,” Lost In The Stars” to name a few.  Currently, he is co-starring on Broadway with James Earl Jones, Terrence Howard and Phylicia Rashad in Debbie Allen’s rendition of the great classic Tennessee Williams play, “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof”.

In 2008, Giancarlo Esposito makes his feature film directorial debut and is the producer and co-writer of “Gospel Hill” in which he co-stars with Danny Glover, Angela Bassett, Julia Stiles and Samuel L. Jackson. “Gospel Hills” will be shown in Port Harcourt as part of the final selection during 4 days festival.

Adnan Siddiqui has worked primarily in television; He was nominated for Pakistan’s Lux Style Award in 2002 in the Best Actor category for the dramatic serial Zaib-un-Nisa, and again in 2004 for the serial Mendhi. The third time was the charm for Siddiqui when, in 2005, he was named Best Actor for his work in the dramatic serial Amer Bail at the TV One Awards. In 2007 he costarred with Angelina Jolie in Almighty hear.t, big Hollywood production.

Model turned actress Masumi Makhija has had an interesting beginning to her career in Bollywood with films like Mahesh Manjrekar’s Padmashri Laloo Prasad Yadav, Vishal Bharadwaj’s Miya Maqbool and Shona Urvashi’s Chupke Se. She has also worked in two international films: Gate To Heaven (produced by the makers of Run Lola Run) and Madhu Ambat’s 1:1.6 Ode To Lost Love.

Few days to go…..we are ready!

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Why Fans No Longer Faint For Musicians – Paul Okoye

Published

on

Nigerian singer and half of the defunct P-Square duo, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy, has claimed that social media has reduced the prestige and value fans attached to musicians due to the mystique that artistes had before the era of social media.
Speaking in a recent interview with Lun Lifestyle TV, Rudeboy argued that social media, despite all its benefits, has shattered the illusion of artistes being mysterious and godlike.
This he said has reduced the buzz artistes previously enjoyed whenever their fans got the opportunity to see them whether physically or visually.
The ‘Reason With Me’ crooner explained that because artistes are no longer mysterious, fans are no longer eager to watch them in music videos.
He claimed that shooting music videos is now a waste of money.
Rudeboy said, “Music videos somehow now, because of this generation, is a waste of money. I am sorry to say this. But do you remember us [P-Square] before? You don’t see us anywhere. You just watch music videos, you see us and that’s it, or we come to your country, you see us.
“The reason you don’t see people faint for artistes anymore is because they see them on TikTok every day dancing and promoting your music. If Michael Jackson was alive now and doing promotional content on social media, nobody would see him and faint.
“Unfortunately, it’s too late for us to bring back the era of artistes being mystiques. How can you advise an artiste to post every day? How? Post what? You don’t need to.
“Social media brought positive change to the industry but it also led to ‘see-finish.’ Artistes are now too exposed. Fans see how they eat, cry. Before when artistes go to club, they stay in restricted VIP areas, but now when they are clubbing, everyone is filming.”

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Davido’s Aide Offers Cash Reward For Missing Phone At Zlatan’s Wedding

Published

on

Afrobeats superstar, Davido’s aide, Damilare Aladegbola, popularly known as Dre, has offered a cash reward to whoever returns his phone, which he claims went missing during rapper Zlatan Ibile’s wedding ceremony.
Dre made the appeal in a post on his Instagram page on Monday, pleading with the person who allegedly took the device to return it in exchange for money.
“If na u carry my phone for Zlatan wedding, abeg return am, I go give you money please,” he wrote.
The aide also expressed frustration over what he suggested was a method being used to take phones at social gatherings.
He said he would no longer tolerate waiters asking whether guests had finished eating so they could clear their plates, alleging that the practice could provide an opportunity for phones left on tables to be taken.
“From now on, if I go any party or dey any party and any stupid waitress tell me say are you done eating so I can pack your plate, na swear I go swear for you cause na pattern wey una dey use pack phone for table be that now,” he added.
However, Dre did not identify anyone suspected of taking his phone or provide further details about how the device went missing.
Zlatan Ibile tied the knot with his longtime partner, Davita Lamai, during a traditional wedding ceremony on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
The ceremony, held in Lagos, attracted several celebrities, fans and well-wishers, with Davido among the prominent guests and leading the groomsmen.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

I Ran Away From Nigeria, Never Wanted To Come Back-Chidinma

Published

on

Popular singer, Chidinma Ekile has revealed that before transitioning from secular music to the gospel genre, she “ran away” from Nigeria.
Speaking at a recent Eezee Conceptz event, Chidinma explained that she travelled abroad and wanted to secure permanent residency because she didn’t want to return to Nigeria, but failed.
She revealed that while she was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only person calling her from Nigeria, so she decided to work with him upon her return.
“I travelled. I ran away from Nigeria. I was processing my papers not to come back to Nigeria, but for some reason, it didn’t work.
“While I was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only one who was calling me from Nigeria. He kept encouraging me, and I found the strength to come back to Nigeria. When I came back, I asked him to give me a gospel music contract because I want to spend time with God. And he gave me a contract that even my lawyer said seemed like a charity,” Chidinma stated.
The music star added that she did not transition into gospel music because she wanted to make gospel, but because she wanted a serious relationship with God.

Continue Reading

Trending