The Big Names In 2009 Show Biz

Stephanie Okereke One of the good things that happened in 2009 was the N10 million movie titled premiere mark hit by top actress, Stephanie Okereke with her movie titled Through The Glass. Even though the film was not produced during 2009, it made an extra-ordinary mark and shot the status of Imo State-born actress high and made her one of the richest and most hardworking actresses in the country.

Funke Akindele

Funke got to the Zenith of her career through her celebrated movie Jenifa. The movie turned out be the only Yoruba speaking movie that has sold over one million copies in one year. Early in 2009, Funke won the award of best Actress in Africa at AMAA awards. She also scaled through and picked the prestigious Future Awards as the best Nollywood Actress for 2009. She equally bagged another as the best Actress for 2009 at the Afro Hollywood Awards. Her achievements and hardwork in the movie industry earned her endorsement deals with the telecom giant, Globacom worth N14 million per season for two seasons, as well as another one with the Lagos State Government. 2009 proved to be Funke Akindele’s year and it will not be out of place to say she was the wealthiest actress in that year.

Wedding Bells

The year 2009 ushered in a lot of weddings for showbiz people as many of them got their heart desires. There were lot of wedding in the year. Early in the year, and an unprecedented number of entertainers got married or renewed their wedding vows. Top actress Ini Edo opened the door for others to follow as she and her husband had their wedding in Houston, Texas, US after a superlative traditional marriage in her home town late in 2008. Ini’s wedding was followed shortly by another actress, kate Effiong whose traditional marriage was held in Lagos. After this, another huge surprise struck the Nigeria’s biggest veteran actress as, Liz Benson walked down the aisle after many years of widowshood and single parenthood. She got married to a Delta State based Bishop.

Ireti osayemi was the next to follow before Bisi Ibidapo-Obe got married to a German based businessman in secret. To end the year in style was Tricia Eseigbe, another top actress and a television presenter. She got married to kingsley Jite kerry in an elaborate wedding which pulled all the stops on the 19th of December.

Big Brother Africa  4

A Nigerian, Kelvin Chuwang Pam made Nigeria proud in far away South Africa when he became the first ever Nigerian to win the prestigious BBA 4 after years of trying. The Jos, Plateau State born 27 years old took home the handsome cash reward of  S200,000 for his troubles.

Brand Endorsements

The year 2009 was a good year for Nigerian actors as corporate endorsements came in from every angle for some of them. Despite the fact that the movie industry remained in a state of inertia, the few fortunate artistes hit big with brand endorsements. The most prominent among them was the famous Globacom endorsements that telecoms giant splashed on the acts. Those who were lucky to be made Globacom Ambassadors worth a whooping N500 million were Rita Dominic, Uche Jumbo, Monalisa Chinda, Funke Akindele, Chioma Chukwuka, Ramsey Noah, Desmond Elliot, Jim Iyke, Nonso Diobi, Mike Ezeuruonye. Aside the Glo endorsements artists like Funke Akindele, Bimbo Akintola, Segun Arinze and Kate Henshaw Nultal also got endorsement from the Lagos State government while the likes of Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Jide Kosoko became Chi Plc Ambassadors.

Movie Premieres

Apart from the premiere of Stephamie Okereke’s Through The Glass the year witnessed more premieres than any other year which gave the movie industry a serious lift.

Movie maker, Emem Isong and actor Desmond Elliot premiered Guilty pleasures which was considered to be one of the blockbusters of 2009. top actress, Uche Jumbo premiered Nollywood Hustlers, which received lots of accolades from people in and outside the industry. Vivian Ejike, another top movie maker also premiered her movie silent scandals while top Yoruba actress, Bisi Ibidapo equally premiered Igboran San. Not left out in the season of premiere was Kunle Afolayan who premiered his movie figurine which turned out to be one of the best movies shot in the year.

Sound Sultan

Lanrenwaju Fasasi is the man behind the brand Sound Sultan and for him, the biggest breakthrough he had in year was the successful release of his fourth album, SS4 and the marriage to his wife Farida as well as birth of his child, a beautiful female baby named Zara. If such were the yardsticks used to judge the success of man in his life, sound sultan will be singled out as a man who increased the population of Nigeria by one and recorded so much in terms of registering his presence as a force to be reckoned within the industry year 2009.

Femi Kuti Got Nominated For The Grammy

Scion of the late Afro Beat creator, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Femi got a well deserved nomination for grammy Awards even though he had not been too visible in the Nigerian music scene in 2009. the living Afrobeat King had cause to rejoice and boast that his works are seriously receiving global attention in the sense that he was nominated for the second time for the world’s most popular music award coming up in February 2010 in America.

Nelson Brown Blessed With A Son

Close to a decade after, he got married to his wife Mary, God blessed the family with a bouncing male baby. The birth that came in 2009, brought smiles to the face of the longsuffering music producer.

Paul Dairo/Kl Escape Death

It was good news when top of the range musical act survived cancer scare after he had minor surgery in South Africa. The talent musician, song writer and producer had cause to thank God in 2009, and has bounced back to doing what he loves doing. It was also the same cheering news for KI De ultimate, who was surprisingly diagnosed of living infection and was operated in Canada. The king of Fuji music has also retired to the country and is doing even better.

John Enyie