Entertainment
Lexy M Blames Elders For Rivers PMAN Crisis
The music industry in Rivers State has come a long way starting from the times of Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, Prince David Bull, King Sunny Brown who took highlife music to international level to the present era of Daniel Wilson, Arthur Willie Pepple, Peter Stone Cold among others. However, the history of the industry would not be complete without mentioning the likes of multiple instrumentalist, composer and vocalist, Lexy Mueka popularly known as Lexy M.
Lexy M, the immediate past chairman of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Rivers State chapter hit stardom in 1991. His maiden album titled Change was launched in 1997 and turned out to be a huge commercial success, today he has four albums to his credit. However, the Ogoni-born music maestro is irked by the endemic crisis rocking PMAN in the state which had impacted negatively on the growth of the industry in recent times.
In this interview with our entertainment crew, Mr Jacob Obinna and Bemene Taneh, Lexy M spoke extensively on the crisis, the past CARNIRIV and the entertainment industry in the state as well as his pet project.
Commenting on the crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Lexy M said elders of the body were responsible because as elders they know what to do for peace to reign, but refused to do it because they are making money out of the crisis which is why the association moves a step forward and four steps backwards.
The former PMAN boss noted that it took just one patriotic Rivers man, distinguished Senator Magnus Abe to settle the problem between him and Arthur Pepple Jnr when the association had leadership tussle and wondered why the elders found it difficult to bring about lasting peace in the association so that the association would move forward like their counterparts in other states.
He, however, stressed that the only solution to the crisis was for members to follow the constitution. According to him, PMAN has a constitution but people are ignoring it and doing things the way they like. He reiterated that it is only when members start recognizing the constitution and working in accordance to its provisions that things would work. He contended that because he followed the constitution, there was peace and progress during his tenure as chairman.
On the recently aborted delegate conference of the Association in the state, he stressed that the conference was illegally, organisers wanted to use it as a forum to extort money from innocent citizens of the state and course unrest in the state. He disclosed that presently the police was looking for them including the so called administrator of the Association in the state. He urged members to desist from being part of such kangaroo gatherings in future to save the image of the Association.
The seasoned musician and producer also spoke on last year’s Rivers State cultural festival (CARNIRIV) and regretted that home based musicians were not carried along rather the Lagos based musicians and their foreign counterparts were celebrated. He also noted that while the few home base musicians who performed at the event were paid peanuts, the Lagos based musicians were paid millions.
He observed that the person who was in charge of the whole event belonged to the entertainment industry, yet he could not carry his people along. According to him, pepple like Arthur Willie people Jnr, Daniel Wilson, Jerry Demon who are stake holders ought to have been celebrated now that they are alife not when they are dead.
The showbiz personality also faulted the planning. He said the venue was not spread out, he contended that a CARNIRIV band would have been kept in each of the strategic locations like Aggrey Road, Mile I, Ogbunabali, Rumuola Justice Es etc with indigenous home based artistes to control them which would have given him a sense of belonging that they were celebrating their own thing.
Instead of the huge amount of money that was wasted in one particular venue.
Lexy M also lamented the slow pace of development of the entertainment industry in the state. He suggested that the only way forward was to have a stakeholder’s meeting between the state governor and the entertainers. He noted that the state governor had met with all the stakeholders in the state except the musicians and other classes of entertainser, he stressed that it was only in such meet Lexy -M that the governor would understand the plight of the industry in the state.
The award winning multi instrumentalist called for the establishment of an entertainment centre in the state where shows and other concorts would be held just as it is in Museum Centre and Festac in Lagos. He disclosed that based on the slow pace of development in the sector, a group of concerned persons had come together to look for a way forward for the industry.
The former PMAN boss also noted that the oil companies and other multinational organisations in the state were not helping matters. He reiterated that in all the bill boards from Rumurokuro to Aggrey road their was no face of a Port Harcourt artiste them but they used most of their says no ring tunes in their hand.
Entertainment
BBNaija Season Nine: ‘Dynamic Duos’ Auditions Begin
The organisers of the Big Brother Naija( BBNaija) have announced that season nine of the reality TV show started accepting applications last Wednesday.
Biggie is back for BBNaija Season 9 auditions with a twist! The audition requires two people. “This year, it is a search for Dynamic Duos that love the show and can turn up the heat in Biggie’s house,” the announcement said.
This new twist to application videos, which used to be a single person in the video, candidates will have to apply in pairs. This means that the audition video will feature two candidates each.
Make and upload a three-minute video telling Big Brother why both of you should be in the Big Brother’s House together.
The video can be recorded together or separate, but must be a single video.
You have to audition together.
In the video describe yourselves and where you are from.
Also talk about your personalities, your favourite things, likes, dislikes, unique things about both of you and how it may help you do well on Big Brother Naija Season 9.
Stay natural, do not force it, keep it fun!
Audition is free and has opened on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 8:00pm.
Application is only open to people who are 21 or older with a valid means of identification.
Entertainment
Onyeka Onwenu’s Film To Chronicle Her Music Journey
Renowned Nigerian musician, Onyeka Onwenu, says she is working on producing a film that will delve into her experiences which span decades within the music industry.
Onwenu disclosed this in an interview with the Newsmen, on Tuesday with a career that stretches back to the 1970s, the “elegant stallion” expressed her eagerness to share her firsthand account of the evolution of Nigerian music.
”I am currently working on a film that will chronicle my experiences in the music industry from the 70s to the present day. Having been a part of this narrative for decades, I have a wealth of stories to share,” she said.
In addition to the film project, Onwenu discussed her efforts to release her classic songs through collaboration with emerging artistes, promising fans a compilation of rebranded tracks later in the year.
“I am rebranding my old songs and collaborating with new talents. My aim is to offer listeners a fresh perspective on timeless classics,” she explained.
Onwenu’s creative pursuits extend beyond the realm of music, as she recently released a single, titled Abu Otito (Songs of Praise) and dedicated proceeds from its streaming to support widows through the Rose of Sharon Foundation.
“I am passionate about using music to address social issues. From supporting widows to promoting education among rural children, I strive to make a positive impact through my art.”
Reflecting on her philanthropic endeavours, Onwenu shared her commitment to providing educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Abia and disclosed the plan to expand her initiatives to Imo.
“We not only pay school fees directly to schools but also offer civic education to instill a sense of cultural identity. These efforts represent my dedication to empowering future generations,” the musician noted.
Offering advice to fellow artistes amidst economic challenges, Onwenu emphasised the importance of resilience and self-initiative.
“Hang in there and create opportunities for yourselves,” she urged, highlighting the need for proactive approaches in navigating the ever-evolving music industry landscape.
Onwenu’s multifaceted contributions to music and society underscore her enduring legacy as a trailblazing artiste and philanthropist, inspiring generations to come.
“I have been part of the story right from time, and I am still moving forward, so I have a lot of stories to tell,” she remarked.
The Tide Entertainment reports that aside from the cinematic venture, Onwenu unveiled plans to breathe new life into her classic hits by collaborating with contemporary artistes. According to her, she aims to compile a collection of rebranded songs, promising Nigerian audiences an eagerly anticipated release later in the year..
Onwenu has used her music and its timeless messages to promote Nigeria’s culture. Her music duet with King Sunny Ade, titled Wait for Me, has remained evergreen. It is remembered always as a song with deep lyrical message which was put together to help the government of that era fight seriously against the outburst of population explosion while also regulating it with the different family planning programmes put together by the government.
Her song, African Woman, helped greatly in projecting the innate exquisiteness of the African woman giving them a sense of pride and belonging amidst poverty, widowhood, rape, lack of care, hatred, humiliation, abandonment, among others.
Her evergreen classic, Sodom and Gomorrah, is a biblical narrative of the popular story of the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, a city destroyed by God due to their heedlessness and high level of immorality.
Some of her other evergreen songs include Iyogogo, One Love, Dancing in the Sun, and Choices, among others.
Entertainment
Osita Iheme Reacts To Pawpaw Memes
Legendary Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme, fondly known as Pawpaw, has revealed that he is happy with the way his memes are used on social media as a means of expression.
In a recent interview with newsmen, the actor expressed pleasure with the use of the clips from his films, stating that it shows his old films still have value.
“It’s good to see that your works are doing well out there and people are appreciating what you are doing,” he said.
“Even though it has been so many years, people are still valuing it years later. It’s good and it shows that you have an asset that you can always back up and bank with. Because when you look at 20 years ago, the works you’ve done and you see that people are using it to express themselves, you’d feel happy. I feel happy,” he continued.
The Tide Entertainment reports that over the past few years, hilarious stickers and memes of the star from his old films have been used widely across social media platforms to add a comic flair to conversations. His funny memes were not only used by Nigerians, but also in foreign media, especially during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown era.
It is worthy of note that Iheme is one half of the dynamic Aki and Paw Paw duo, the other half being his partner-in-crime, Chinedu Ikedieze.
The pair starred in numerous movies in their prime like ‘Aki Na Ukwa’, Village Rats, and Double Wahala, amongst many other iconic films.
More than 20 years later, they have remained Nollywood household names, hilarious memes, and pop culture icons.
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