Entertainment

Rivers Celebrates Peaceful, Funfilled Yuletide

Published

10 years ago

January 8, 2016

Choro graphic display by students of Orada Int’ School, Ozuoba, Port Harcourt

The world Yuletide refers to
the period around Christmas, while Christmas is the time to think about Jesus as a baby in a manger. The birth of Jesus is a special and miraculous event. The central truth of Xmas is that the child of Christmas is God. This is why his birth is celebrated on the 25th of December every year.
This year’s Christmas celebration in Rivers State was not only very peaceful, but funfilled, it was marked with prayers, thanksgiving services, sober reflections and funfair. Although most people in the state celebrated it in a low-key due to financial constraints, others still took time out to patronize their favourite entertainment hang-outs like the cinema houses, night clubs, hotels eateries and drinking joints with their families, friends and well-wishers.
The Tide’s entertainment investigation revealed that the peaceful celebration was as a result of the first ever Rivers State Christmas carol hosted by the state Governor, His Excellency Chief Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (CON) with the theme “Hossana 2015” held on Saturday 19th December 2015 at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium Elekahia, Port Harcourt.
The historic event which attracted a mammoth crowd of Christians from different denominations across the state and its environs, is a record breaking gathering built to strengthen the cord that binds the people of Rivers State by bringing together choristers, citizens and other attendees from every religious denominations across the state, the state Governor and his deputy, Dr Mrs Ipalibo Harry Banigo, members of the state executives council and other distinguished guests from within and outside the state were also in attendance in what has come to be seen as a lofty, commendable and true unity project.
Although the carol had come and gone, the spiritual liberation left behind by the 1000 mass choir and other gospel singers still lingers in the minds of those who were opportuned to attend the historic event. It remains a vital part of the Christians worship experience exuding an ambience of bliss and serenity in and around the event venue and leaving a lingering nostalgia long after the event.
With the Amiable state Governor Chief (Barr), Nyesom Wike and a renowned man of God and special advisers to the Governor of Rivers State on religious matters and chairman 1st Rivers State Christmas Carol organising committee, Bishop Winston Iwo at the helm of the religious affairs one cannot but expect the best in spiritual liberation of the people. It is no gainsaying that when the history of this epochal time shall be written, it shall be said that a choir of uncommon singers joined a team of uncommon people to bring about uncommon physical, mental and spiritual transformation of the people of the state.
Commenting on the Christmas carol a member of the Rivers State Pilgrims board and Chairman Local Government Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) coalition, Rivers State, Rev Peter Wobihiele Georgewill commended the state Governor, Chief Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for his foresight in introducing the Christmas carol in the state in place of the so-called CARNIRIV. He said the programme was a right step in the right direction as it had brought the people of the state closer to God instead of the CARNIRIV which did not only distance the people of the state from God, but promoted immorality and idol worship.
The man of God stressed that CARNIRIV also gave roam to satanic activities such as masquerade dancing and other demonic activities that are not in conformity with Christian beliefs. He noted that the Christmas carol is no doubt a cautious effort by the Wike’s administration to change the ugly trend and bring the people back to God as well as save the state from the reckless and frivolous spending of huge sums of state revenue all in the name of CARNIRIV, while other important sectors of the state economy begged for attention.
According to him CARNIRIV was not just a mere conception of showcasing the cultural heritage of the Rivers people, but a deliberate revival of idol worship, sexual perversion and other societal taboos. This is why all well-meaning people of the state should give kudos to Governor Wike for his timely intervention in saving the state from the cluches of the devil.
Reverend Georgewill who is also the Vicar in charge of St Paul’s Anglican Church Nkpor Village Rumuolumeni in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state also lauded Wike for sending over 600 pilgrims to Jerusalem with all expenses paid even when his detractors thought it would be impossible to do so after they had looted the state treasury.
He said the Governor’s magnamity is unprecendented as he has even promised to increase the number of pilgrims to the holy land in subsequent years. He therefore called on the people of the stat eto embrace Gov Wike’s Administration because when the righteous rules the people rejoice.
Among the personalities that attended the event included his Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (CON), Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Hon Justice Eberechi Surzzette Nyesom Wike, wife of the Governor Banigo, Deputy Governor, Rivers State, Rt Hon Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani, Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Justice Daisy Wotube Okocha, Bishop Winton Iwo, Bro Felix Obuah, Chairman Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers State, members of the Rivers State executive council and other distinguished guests within and outside the state among others.
The gospel groups in attendance included the Mass Choir led by Adonye Omubo Pepple, Niger Delta North Diocese Choir, Music Ministration by Chioma Jesus, Royal Male Choir as well as Rivers State Cultural troupe and a host of other gospel groups.

Entertainment

‘Lie From The Pit Of Hell,’ Family Debunks Pete Edochie’s death Rumours

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The family of veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie, has dismissed viral rumours circulating on social media claiming that the film icon is dead.

Reacting to the reports in a video shared on his Instagram page on Tuesday, the actor’s eldest son, Leo Edochie, described the claim as false and malicious.

“I’ve been receiving text messages and calls over the nonsense post by some people that our father, Chief Pete Edochie, is dead. It is a lie from the pit of hell,” he said.

Leo added that the actor is alive and in good health, condemning those responsible for spreading the rumour.

“Our father is alive, hale and hearty. And if you wish someone dead, two things usually happen. The person will live very long and you will die before him. Shame to all of you,” he said.

The rumour had sparked concern among fans before the family’s clarification.

Entertainment

‘Mother’s Love’ Challenges Nigerian’s Film Portray Of Motherhood

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde critiques Nollywood’s lack of mother-daughter stories ahead of her directorial debut, ‘Mother’s Love.’ See the cast and 2026 release date.

Nollywood veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is making her directorial debut with a different and sharper focus. Speaking recently with Newsmen,, the screen icon highlighted a glaring void in the industry’s catalogue, which is the authentic reality of mother-daughter relationships.

“We don’t have too many films that explore or showcase the relationship between mothers and daughters,” Omotola said during the interview, describing the subject as something deeply personal to her.

Speaking honestly about raising her first daughter, she admitted she had only one mode at the time, which was discipline. “I didn’t do a good job,” she said plainly, explaining that she understood motherhood strictly through control, not softness or emotional openness.

At the centre of Mother’s Love is Adebisi, a sheltered young woman from a wealthy home whose life is shaped by her father’s rigid control. Her first taste of freedom comes through NYSC, where distance from home allows her to begin discovering who she is outside her family’s expectations. She forms a friendship with a young man from a more modest background, and through him, starts to see the world and herself differently.

But the emotional core of the film isn’t Adebisi’s rebellion. It’s her mother. Long after being presented as quiet and compliant, she slowly reveals a resolve when her daughter’s safety and future are threatened. As secrets surface and buried grief comes into view, Mother’s Love becomes less about youthful independence and more about maternal sacrifice, unspoken trauma, and the emotional costs of survival inside a patriarchal home.

The Tide Entertainment reports that the film doesn’t shy away from weighty themes by including PTSD, unresolved grief, and social inequality at the centre of the story. It is far removed from the soft-focus sentimentality that often defines Mother’s Day-style narratives.

It also marks Omotola’s directorial debut, a significant moment considering how long she has shaped Nollywood from the front of the camera. She stars in the film alongside a mix of familiar faces and newer talent, including Ifeanyi Kalu, Olumide Oworu, and Noray Nehita.

Beyond the film itself, Omotola’s interview touched on a tension that has been simmering in Nollywood for a while now: how movies are marketed in the age of TikTok. Addressing the growing expectation for actors and filmmakers to create viral dance content to promote their work, she didn’t mince words. The pressure, she said, is exhausting and unnatural.

For her, the industry wasn’t meant to function this way. Still, she was careful not to judge anyone else’s approach. Everyone invests differently, carries different risks, and should be allowed to promote their films however they see fit.

“Do whatever you can do. It’s exhausting, it’s not natural. For me, the film industry is not supposed to be like that. We are encouraging nonsense if we are doing that. It doesn’t mean that whoever is doing it is wrong.”

Her comments arrive not long after the public back-and-forth between Kunle Afolayan and Funke Akindele over marketing styles, a debate that quickly turned into a proxy war between prestige storytelling and viral strategy. Omotola’s stance sits somewhere calmer. She understands the shift social media has brought, but she’s also clear about her own boundaries.

Omotola’s critique about the lack of mother-daughter stories isn’t unfounded. In Nollywood, mothers often exist as symbols rather than people. They’re either saintly figures who pray endlessly for their children or villains whose cruelty drives the plot forward. What’s missing is intimacy, the negotiations, and the regrets. The love that exists alongside resentment and misunderstanding.

Films rarely sit with the emotional complexity of women raising daughters in systems that also failed them. There’s little room for mothers who made mistakes but are still trying, or daughters who love their mothers while questioning the damage they inherited. Mother’s Love attempts to occupy that space, offering a more grounded portrayal that reflects lived experience rather than archetypes.

That’s where the film’s potential impact lies, in the decision to centre a relationship that Nollywood has largely flattened. If it works, it could open the door for more stories that treat motherhood as a lived, evolving reality rather than a fixed moral position.

Mother’s Love, directed by and starring Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, had its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025. The film is set for a nationwide cinema release in Nigeria on March 6, 2026.

Entertainment

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn

Published

1 month ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.

Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.

Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.

The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.

Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.

What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.

Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.

Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.

Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.

Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.

And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.