Entertainment
Cinemas Have Reduced Piracy In Nollywood – Engr Orlu
The chairman of the Asso
ciation of Movie Producers (AMP), Rivers State chapter, Engr. Reginald Orlu, has disclosed that the nefarious activities of pirates in Nollywood is now reduced with the return of cinemas in the State and Nigeria as a nation through premier of the movies.
The movie producer who stated this during an interview with The Tide Entertainment recently, disclosed that the way things are organised in the industry today is that after shooting a film you take it to the cinemas for premier here in the country after which you still go abroad and do the same thing, before you send the film to the market. He stressed that the good thing about this is that pirates will not see the film to pirate.
According to him, even before the movies go into the market the producers must have realised the money they spent, because in most cases through premier which is the showing of the film for the first time, they receive their money in dollars and before the film is seen in the Nigerian market, it had already entered the foreign market, so pirates find it difficult to pirate the films since it is already in the market abroad where the pirates sell their pirated copies.
Engr. Orlu explained that “Lost Number” a movie produced by Ifeanyi Dike, a member of the Association of Movie Producers, Rivers State which was premiered sometimes ago, is being premiered in London after which it will enter the London market and other foreign countries before entering the Nigerian Market, so the pirates are checkmated.
The chairman who reacted to the new trend of featuring Ghanaian actors and actresses in most Nollywood movies maintained that the Nigerian producers introduced movie in Ghana.
He noted that when he went to Ghana in 2006, there was no movie there as such and the few movie there were directed by Nigerians. He said the truth is that most of the Ghanaian actors and actresses have the zeal to act.
According to him, their coming to Nigeria is to make their Nigerian counterparts wake up and take their career seriously, because if they do not seat up, the Ghanaians may take over the profession. We taught them so their presence in Nollywood is not affecting the industry negatively, but positively.
On the recent grant of N3 billion naira to Nollywood by President Goodluck Jonathan, he said the federal government’s grant is a serious business for serious Nollywood stakeholders and not a jamboree He suggested that the money should be shared amongst the various Associations in Nollywood for distribution to their members particularly movie producers, so as to come up with good scripts as well as to improve on the standard of their movies. According to him, the conditions attached to the grant is stringent and may be difficult to meet.
It would be recalled that on Saturday March 2, 2013, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan honoured the Nigerian film makers with a dinner at the State House Marina, Lagos titled: “Nigeria Celebrates Nollywood” which was organized to celebrate 20 years of the movie industry.
At the occasion, the President who was represented by the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala promised a N3 billion intervention fund for the industry under a programme tagged: “Project Nollywood.” The fund is to promote the film industry in the country. Though the country’s film industry is older than 20 years, but the March 2 celebration marked the inception of the video and digital film making in Nigeria.
The fund is earmarked for grants for capacity building, infrastructural development and the commissioning of best scripts. It will be administered by the Ministry of Finance headed by Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in alliance with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism headed by Chief Edem Duke.
A renowned film maker, Amaka Igwe, a veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, actress turned producer, Mrs Stephanie Okereke-Idahosa alongside other professionals from the finance, judiciary and education sectors are part of the committee picked by Jonathan for the project.
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.
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.
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.
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