Entertainment
Zuma Honours Nollywood Veterans
The video-film industry of Nigeria has been described as one of the greatest explosions of popular culture that Africa has ever seen. It is the first economically self-sustainable film industry in Africa.
It was before a quality crowd that the ChidiaMaduekwe led Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), organisers of the yearly Zuma international Film Festival, unveiled recipients of the special awards instituted to recognise practitioners who contributed in no small measure to the growth and development of the audio-visual industry in Nigeria.
The recipients Prince JideKosoko, ChiwetaluAgu, Usman Baba Pategi aka Samaja and Segun Aina Padonu aka Segun Arinze- all popular faces and long standing practitioners in the motion picture industry received the Long Time Achievement crest at the impressive ceremony held at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Abuja. The late Cinematographer Jonathan Amu received a posthumous award, while Alhaji Mohammed Labbo of the Nigerian Television Authority and Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda were recognised for their support to the NFC in the fulfillment of their mandate.
Celebrity salutes the practitioners amongst the awardees that have by this recognition been rightly admitted into the hall of fame for Nollywood veterans.
Kosoko
Prince JideKosoko
BORN into the Kosoko ruling house of Lagos and christened Abdul-Rafiu Adesina Babajide Kosoko, Jide Babs, as the actor of vast credit is fondly called, received the Lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the industry.
An accomplished actor and producer and a prominent member of a number of industry guilds and association, Prince Kosoko started acting in 1964, ten years after he was born. He said he was inspired to hop on the acting run way by the doyen of Nigerian theatre Chief Hubert Ogunde whose Noble Street Residence in the Yaba area of Lagos was just a stone throw away from their Queens Street, Alogomeji, Yaba, home. For the Prince, the more he watched the late doyen at work the more he was convinced that ‘it won’t be a bad idea to try out acting as a profession.’
But it was one Dele Toyinbo, Jide’sneighbour at Queens Street and a member of the celebrated Ifelodun Theatre group that broke the ice for the mega star. Dele, aware of Jide’s interest, invited him to watch the Ifelodun Theatre group at work. Jide honoured the invitation and even attended more rehearsals without the consent of his parents. One day during rehearsals, he got an opportunity to try out what he felt was in built talent. He was auditioned alongside eleven other teenagers for a role in a drama series that was then running on NTA Channel 10 Victoria Island.
Expectedly it was Jide who eventually carried the day. He outshone the others and so he got the role on merit. Two days after, the young Prince was ready to mount the raised platform and he has remained on that raised platform till date.
Segun Arinze
VETERAN actor Segun Arinze received the Lifetime Achievement award at the event. He was the only recipient who personally received his award. No one does everything as an entertainer and does it so well like the former President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN).
In fact tagging SegunAinaPadonu is by no means an easy task for the method actor; show host, singer, voice over star, husband and father represents so many things to so many people. First known nationally for his portrayal of the role of ‘Black Arrow’ in that action movie of the nineties by Chico Ejiro titled Silent Night, Segun became noted as a singer with an irresistible voice, one whose hit track from his debut album as a singer Nwanyi Ganga was on repeat on radio.
However, with the emergence of the Nollywood, ‘Presido’ as Segun is also called, became Nollywood’s undisputedly ‘bad boy’ and the producer’s first choice for an actor who can add zest to a picture. And since he joined Nollywood, Segun’s rating has not dropped. The Lagos born actor is one of the not too many actors in the Nigerian screen acting space whose popularity is so overwhelming and whose simple precepts are roundly admired.
Usman Baba Pategi aka Samanja
Legendary actor, Usman Baba Pategi, popularly called as Samanja, was honoured with lifetime achievement award by the NFC. Son of the late Etsu Pategi, Samanja who is 77 years old and now visually impaired walked into national prominence and became a household name playing the dutiful, witty and one of the most iconic characters in the history of drama on Nigerian television ‘Sergeant-Major’ in the long rested Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) drama series Samanja, which ran for decades on national television.
An iconoclastic actor and Prince of Pategi who has had a rich acting career, the idea to create a mock military drama programme that will focus on the lives of Soldiers, off, on and in the barracks came shortly after the Nigerian civil war. But the inspiration as Samanja revealed came with his enlistment into the Nigerian Army in 1969. A former staff of the Public Works Department who had his early education in Pategi and later Ilorin Middle School, Samanja retired formally from the Army in 1985 and he returned to his former beat, but this time at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Kaduna broadcasting station.
Star of one of NBC’s flagship drama programme of the 70’s titled MallamJatau Na Albarkawa, it was shortly after Samanja was delisted from the Army that he led a small team at FRCN and later at NTA to give life to the drama series Samanja, which as he reiterated was meant to enlighten the civil populace on military regiments.
ChiwetaluAgu
A VETERAN actor, comedian and producer of vast credit, ChiwetaluAgu is clearly one of the leading names in the Nigerian screen acting space. Best know for his usage of specific language phrases in each movie he features in, the actor who joined Nollywood over three decades ago from an accomplished acting career on television made the list of recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award at ZUMA 2020.
Admired both at home and abroad for his unique interpretation of roles, movies that have benefitted from Chiwetalu’s engaging portrayals include Last Ofalla, Taboo, The Catechist, The Prince Must Die and lately Lost Okoroshi and Lion’s Heart.
Conversations revolve around the wild demands of women. The Highlife record feels like lamentation and an empirical examination of the negative effects of patriarchy on men.
The Garden City of Rivers State Port Harcourt at the weekend joined other parts of the world to celebrate the World Music Day, 2025, as Alliance Française showcases talents.
The event which is internationally known as Fête de la musique was held at cultural hall of the Alliance Française was a remarkable concert with memorable experience.
The event brought together music lovers, students, Artistes and members of the community For an exciting evening live performances and cultural exchange.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the world Music Day, which was created 1982 in France by the then Minister of culture, Jack Lang, ‘ Fête de la Musique’ is now celebrated in more than 100 countries every 21st June, marking the first day of summer with free concerts and musical showcases in public spaces.
In Port Harcourt, the Alliance Française honoured the tradition by spotlighting four(4) emerging artistes offering a platform to young talents shaping the city’s contemporary scene.
The audience enjoyed an unforgettable moments as they were entertained by the powerful performances from Preach A, who is known for blending fitness culture with spoken words and rhythm.
Also, artiste Emmayany delivering a vibrant fusion of afrobeat and afro pop. A singer, song writer and a performing artiste with a distinct sound.
Others were Amarachy Uko, a sensational singer with passion for soul , R&B, pop music and afrobeat.
While DJ Prospel closed the night with an energetic DJ set that got the entire hall dancing.
Earlier, the Director, Alliance Française, Port Harcourt Mrs Marina Lacal high lighted the mission of the Alliance Française saying that the event was more than a concert.
According to her, the event was put together by the Alliance Française to promote cultural diversity and foster artistic expression by connecting a long standing French tradition with creativity of the local music scene, adding that the event offerers an avenue for dialogue between culture and generations.
She stated that the event is used to promote professional and bring amateur artistes to limelight via the platform of the Alliance Française which is aimed at promoting the French Language through cultural heritage.
She explained that the celebration is also a broader series of Fête de la musique activities organized by the 10 Alliance Française across Nigeria in sync with concerts held in France and around the world simultaneously.
She further noted that the occasion reaffirms the role of Alliance Française as a cultural bridge, one where French heritage meets the pulses of Nigerian youth.
It would be recalled that no fewer than 19 artistes applied to perform at the event in Port Harcourt, but only four got approval for appearance.
The Governor of the Performing Musicians Employer’s Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Rivers State chapter, Comrade Moses Mabadeje popularly known as Mozy B said that the body has announced plans to implement performance Levy on artistes in the state with effect from 21st June.
This was carried in a statement released to The Tide Entertainment, yesterday by the Deputy Governor of the association, Comrade Abiye Howells.
According to the Governor, the announcement was made by PMAN, the only governing body that regulates the music profession in Nigeria, as authorized by the Government of Nigeria, in line with the Trade Union Act.
He stated that those affected by the Levy include (Non members)bands, groups, Hotels, Bars, lounges, Event Centres, show organizers, promoters and other stakeholders hosting events which feature live music performances within the State.
However, the Levy does not apply to members of the Performing Musicians Employer’s Association of Nigeria. (PMAN).
Comrade Moses Mabadeje, explained that this drive is aimed at financing the association and supporting the welfare and interest of musicians as outlined in Article 8 of the PMAN constitution as amended (2023). Consequently, a PMAN task force has been set up to enforce and swing into action to effect this move.
He further said that event organizers, promoters and owners of event centers are expected to comply with this regulation as the Governor has urged stakeholders to collaborate with the association to ensure the successful implementation of the levy and the peaceful co-existence between PMAN and Stockholders.
Nancy Briggs
Entertainment
“French Up Your Career” PH, 2025 :Consul General Of France Harps On Proficiency In French
The Consul, General of France in Nigeria, Laurent Favier has encouraged French Learners to improve their skills on the language, as there are lots of opportunities up for grabs on the job market with fluency in French Language, saying that there are many other career paths which are often less well known to learners of French.
Participants at the “French Up Your Career” event held in Port Harcourt.
Favier who disclosed this during the just concluded third edition of the seminar tagged “French Up Your Career” organized by Alliance
Française, Port Harcourt explained that learning French doesn’t mean adding a language to your resume. It rather provides learners with new opportunities. Irrespective of their area of interest, be it diplomatic and International relations, international development, translation and Interpretation or journalism.
According to the Consul General, it was important to create awareness for young Nigerians in Port Harcourt who desire to have better understanding of how been fluent in French can create diverse career opportunities for users of the languages in Nigeria and the world at large, emphasizing that proficiency in French could possibly make learner a bridge between Nigeria and fast-developing regions.
“You previously heard this morning about how you can improve your French skills. This afternoon you will discover how being fluent in French can provide a significant edge on the job market and lead to professional careers that you may not have even considered before,”
“This event comes at the right time, as it launches the celebration of the richness and diversity of French-speaking cultures, which will mobilize us for more than a month throughout Nigeria and alongside other French-speaking countries,” Favier added.
He further highlighted that French is spoken by over 300 million people across the world, saying that, it’s one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union.
“There are many neighbouring African countries to Nigeria ,who have French as one of their primary languages of communication including Cameroon, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. So, what does this mean for you as students here in Nigeria?” He asked
“These sectors in which the French Embassy is often mobilized are the business and marketing field for example, as French is often the preferred language in many multinational companies, particularly those in the energy, oil and telecommunications sectors. I’m thinking as well in technology and IT,” he said
He noted that French-speaking countries in Africa are investing heavily in tech, innovation, and infrastructure, revealing that companies in Tech are looking for bilingual professionals to assist with software localization, customer support, and managing projects in French-speaking regions.
“The French embassy is not only mobilized to help learners discover promising sectors. We are also providing our support and expertise in
training teachers and optimizing university programs,” he summed up
Also, the linguistics cooperation attaché, French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange, who also gave a lecture at the seminar, in an interview with Newsmen said that the main purpose of the seminar was to be more informative and supportive to those who want to make a skill out of French Language,saying that as the linguistics cooperation attaché of the French Embassy it is her duty to promote French language through culture.
She cited traditional stereotypes as a major challenge affecting the growth and development of French in Nigeria, as school, teachers at the primary and secondary level in most cases teach French using the traditional way, where students learn French, but could not put words and grammar together as a skill for communicate.
“French is important. I don’t see French as colonization, l see French as a key to embrace globalization, l hope that learners will be inspired and ready to embrace the global village,” Losange said.
She however said that the French Embassy is working to ensure that equipments to facilitate the learning of French is put in place to enable learners improve their skills fast, which in two to three years learners should be able to communicate with French, advising learners to be intentional with learning the language, through social media and other workable devices to advance their skills for certification and better opportunities.
Highlight of the event which had about 250 participants in attendance was the eloquence award ceremony where students were awarded for their eloquence in French language by the Director, Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs.Marina Lacal alongside the Linguistics cooperation attaché of the French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange.
After two edition of the seminar it was the turn of the Alliance Française, Port Harcourt to host the Third edition.
It would be recalled that the first edition of ” “French Up Your Career” event was organized at the Alliance Française Lagos on October 23, the second one at UNILAG on November 24, 2024 respectfully.