Entertainment

Garden City’s Emerging Singer, VOW To Be Unveiled, Sunday

Published

7 years ago

June 21, 2019

An emerging gospel singer in the Garden City, Voice of Wisdom (VOW), will be unveiled on Sunday, June 23, 2019.
VOW (Wisdom Nwachukwu) is the last daughter of a Port Harcourt-based journalist, Ignatius Chukwu, General Manager/Regional Editor of BusinessDay, who works with Nig Info in Port Harcourt, but has a string calling in gospel songs.
VOW will be unveiled along with some others discovered by a record label, JC Records, at ‘The Hub’ (a mega event centre) on Peter Odili Road near Trans-Amadi.
The Port Harcourt manager of JC Records, Emma Steve, said arrangements are in top gear and that the discovered stars would be unleashed to the nation thereafter.
VOW studied English/History in the UNN before picking up a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism at the International Institute of Journalism (Abuja; affiliated to the University of Maiduguri), and did internship in a radio station and now works with Nig Info in Port Harcourt where she aspires to break into the airwaves as an On-Air-Personality (AOP). Her father (Chukwu) said VOW had been identified from infancy when she had been inclined to voice and was the newscaster of her school. “She loves drawings and designing, all total arts’, he added.
About the event, VOW, who hails from Mbutu in Aboh Mbaise LGA, said: “I am based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State presently. I am a gospel singer and minister, and also a journalist. I love singing and in the gospel way. I was linked to JC Records through the pastor of Eleutherial Ministries, Kingsley Nwachukwu. I am ever grateful, humbled and touched for the honour and privilege.
“So far however, my song is almost done in the kitchen (studio) where I cook my lines in the steaming tunes of my voice. Now, everything is set. I kept working on it. I also know, by His grace, that the world is about to experience one of rare wonders of God when they hear the song ‘Great and Mighty God’.
“Now, we are at that stage where we’re asking everyone at home and abroad to come and witness our unveiling where my song will be rendered for the first time and definitely not the last time. The media campaigns are out and the ticket sales are still on.
My song ‘Great and Mighty God’ is a testimony of God’s awesome powers which He uses for our preservation, healing and restoration.
“The song teaches me never to fear or tremble before any situation, because my God is mighty and loving, hence I am victorious. There is peace of mind and rest I experience in deep worship of God, and I am sure that everyone who comes in contact with the song in true worship will testify.
“I still have other songs I am putting together to bless the people of God all to His glory.
“So, right now I am expecting a great turnout for my ‘Mega Unveiling Concert’ that will properly announce and introduce me formally into the gospel music scene, where I expect to play the lead for as long as I shall live, by God’s grace.
I also hope to touch lives round the world, if God breathes on my songs and ministry; that way I know I will not fail or fall. I hope to always usher people unto true worship to be filled with the Holy Spirit more than I entertain them. This is because the moment people can only be entertained by my songs but no longer be connected with God through them, then I would have failed, and God forbid that I should fail.
And to all my wonderful fans out there I want you to expect beautiful and wonderful songs from me always, because I owe you that. You mean everything to me. You are beautiful people, wonderful and deserving of the best. I also hope to see all of you at ‘The Hub Event Centre’ on Peter Odili Road in Port Harcourt this Sunday, June 23, 2019. It is coming on the platform of JC Records where God is waiting to touch you through my song ministration. Remain blessed.”
JC Records is a label that has hit the Garden City in search of true gospel singers who push from the heart and aim for salvation. They have picked out those they regard as the best and would unveil them on Sunday to the world.
According to Steve, the PH representative, “the aim is to encourage young singers to realize their dreams and help in building a body of voices that can disarm Satan any day.
“This is the objective and the model which seem to attract budding gospel singers from the city that gave the world Mercy Chinwo and many others. More seems to come”, Steve added.

Entertainment

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn

Published

3 weeks 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.

Entertainment

Adekunle Gold, Simi Welcome Twin Babies

Published

3 weeks ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

Popular Nigerian music stars, Adekunle Kosoko, widely known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simi, have become parents again this time to twins.

The award-winning singer shared the joyful update on his Snapchat story on Wednesday, confirming the expansion of their family.

“Asked God for another child and he blessed me double,” she wrote.

While the couple has not yet disclosed the gender of the newborns, the announcement has sparked an outpouring of warm wishes from admirers, fellow celebrities, and industry colleagues.

Speculation had intensified in December when Simi posted a video on Instagram accompanied by the caption, “From my baby, for my babies.”

The clip showed her with a growing baby bump, fueling anticipation that another child was on the way.

Their latest blessings arrive just weeks after Simi highlighted a scene from Adekunle Gold’s newly released music video, “My Love is the Same,” further stirring excitement among fans.

The Tide Entertainment reports that Adekunle Gold and Simi who tied the knot in 2019 after a long history of friendship and musical synergy remain one of Nigeria’s most admired entertainment power couples. Both artistes were once signed to X3M Music before soaring into mainstream acclaim.

The pair welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.

Entertainment

Jesse Flames Opens 2026 With ‘Praise The Lord’ Featuring Magnito

Published

3 weeks ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

After closing out 2025 with the release of “Praise the Lord” featuring Magnito, Jesse Flames enters the new year with renewed clarity and purpose, continuing to build a body of work rooted in intention rather than noise. In a moment where Afrobeats is moving faster and louder than ever, his approach remains measured and deliberate, prioritizing meaning, craft, and longevity over momentary attention. The official music video arrives January 10.

Following the momentum of his breakout single “FLEX,” “Praise the Lord” represents a shift from celebration to grounding. Reflective and soulful, the record centers gratitude, growth, and perspective, capturing a quieter confidence that resonates beyond a single moment.

“This song is about recognizing the full picture,” Jesse shares. “The work people see and the work they don’t. The lessons, the setbacks, the growth.”

The collaboration with Magnito, a respected voice in Nigerian hip hop known for his sharp lyricism and cultural authenticity, adds depth and weight to the record, reinforcing its themes of resilience, faith, and self reflection.

Released in December at the height of Detty December, “Praise the Lord” became a natural soundtrack for both celebration and reflection as the year came to a close. With the video arriving in January, the record takes on new meaning, opening the year as a tone setter rather than a reset.

Born in the United States, raised in Festac, Lagos, and now based in London, Jesse Flames brings a global perspective to his sound, blending Afrobeats, hip hop, and melodic soul into something sleek and intentional. His music reflects lived experience and cultural nuance rather than trend chasing.

The Tide Entertainment reports that with over 11 million streams, performances at O2 Brixton Academy and OVO Arena Wembley, and coverage from The Guardian and Business Post Nigeria, Jesse’s rise has been steady and self made. Looking ahead to 2026 and 2027, he is preparing for collaborations with Ice Prince, M.I Abaga, and Smurlee.

“Praise the Lord” ft. Magnito is available now on all streaming platforms.