Entertainment
Rivers Bubbles With Yuletide Festivities …As Beach Parties, Carnivals Dominate Celebrations
Christmas and New Year celebrations are here again and everybody is feeling the excitement and catching the fun this season offers. Although, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital has been agog with series of festivities in the last few years starting from the centenary celebration of Port Harcourt City, to CARNIRIV and now Christmas and New Year celebrations is celebrated as a special season in human existence.
Apart from marking the birth of Jesus Christ, beyond the Christain sphere, people celebrate Christmas as a special time when families friends and relatives embark on holidays or visits and exchange gifts and goodwill.
This years celebration is not an exception as the ever busy roads and streets of the of the city of Port Harcourt as most of the residents have travelled out.
Our investigations reveal that this years Christmas and new year celebrations seem to be most celebrated in the rural communities, towns and villages were majority of the city dwellers have returned to, this has increased the population of the communities this period with it is equally an increase in the tempo of celebration, fun and merry making.
However, in these towns and villages, beach parties and carnivals of all sizes and standards dominate the yuletide celebration most of these carnivals, such as the Buguma beach carnival, Okrika beach party etc attract international artistes and comedians, some parade local artistes, while others made do with studio Djs.
Fireworks, popularly known as “Knock out” or “banger” is another event that dominate the celebration. The shooting is not only a continuous exercise, but the defeaning sounds of these knockouts can be heard from every nooks and crannies of the communities creating an impression of a communal war. Surprisingly most of the people including adults seem to be enjoying it.
According to a community chief from the Ibaa community in Emohua Local Government Area (EMOLGA) Rivers State, who pleaded anonymity shooting of knockout is a universal practice during Christmas and new year celebration.
There cannot be a valid celebration without it, it has become part of the culture this time of the year, infact, knockout is synonymous with Christmas and new year celebrations.
It was also observed that the once popular street parties that dominated Christmas and new year celebrations in most streets of Port Harcourt and villages seems to have been abandoned this year as only few street parties were held. Most of the organisers of the beach parties who were international on the issue adduced reasons why beach parities were prepared this year.
According to them, beach parties prevent prying eyes of parents most of whom come to the street parties to chase away their daughters, so the beach parties provide more privacy, enough space to dance and catch fun as well as averts the various restrictions that most communities and government place in street parties.
Apart from the beach parties, cultural displays, masquerade dances also played prominent roles in the festivities as well as football matches, wrestling contests and other side attractions.
While the villages bubbled with festivities, the few residents of the city who could not travel out also had fun in the numerous existing spots and locations in the city including amusement and the thence parks where parents, Children and families visit to unwind with great supply of toys, amusement related devices and games.
Cinemas such as the Silverbird Cinemas and Genesis De Luce Cinemas located at former Obiwali Cultural centre, Abonnema Wharf road and Tombia Street respectively are another beautiful place where families and loved ones visit. Apart from visiting the cinema for movies, there are special booths and spots around most cinema houses that offer a number of services, foods and drinks.
Bars and lounges also add to the fun of the season especially as visitors are offered lots and loads of music with variety of drinks and fun, while for the flight crawlers, Night life in Port Harcourt this period and always is unique, vibrant and explosive wherever one finds, himself, he is sure to enjoy the infectious rhythm and beats of the clubs and bars.
In Port Harcourt, loads of musical shows have also been organised in various parts of the state capital at different times and places to entertain people this yuletide. It provides a beautiful avenue for families, friends and lovers to share pleasant times together.
There are also children shows and funfair children are the most excited people during Christmas and new year celebrations as it provides them the opportunity to visit relatives enjoy the holiday, have access to plenty food and drink, stay at home with parents and visit fun grounds.
In all, this years celebration is rated one of the best in recent times as it was not only celebrated under a peaceful atmosphere.
It was the centenary Christmas celebration with lot of glamour and fun fair it is therefore a historic Christmas for the people of Rivers State.
Masquerades
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.
Popular Nigerian comedienne, Tomama has revealed how she waited for Afrobeats superstar, Wizkid outside the bathroom.
She shared this while recounting her encounter with the singer at a recent event with heavy security.
In a video posted on her Instagram page, Tomama explained that she waited by the bathroom in an attempt to have a one-on-one conversation with Wizkid.
She stated that she positioned herself near the restroom, hoping Wizkid would eventually use it, giving her the perfect opportunity to speak with him.
“Wizkid, I saw you, and I waited for you to pee, but you didn’t even stand up from where you were sitting. You just stayed there. All your crew members standing around got up to go pee. I was standing by the bathroom, waiting for you to come pee so that you would notice me,” she said.
Content creator and actor, Mr Macaroni has opened up about his financial struggles, saying he was both a victim of a scam and a failed investment in 2021.
He revealed that after losing all his savings, he resorted to borrowing to settle pending commitments and slipped into N500 million in debt.
He admitted that he is financially reckless and generous, impacting his financial stability negatively.
In lengthy post shared via his X handle yesterday, Mr Macaroni wrote, “Sometime around 2020/2022, I was a victim of a scam and simultaneously a failed investment that cost me all I had saved at the time. It shook me deeply but I told no one about it. If you know me well enough, you would know I do not like to share my problems. I could be going through the worst and at the same time helping others solve their own problems but I just would never share mine.”
“After I lost all the money I had then, Trouble started when I had to borrow money from different sources to settle all pending commitments and also fulfill certain responsibilities I have always believed were mine to fulfill. I make money in millions so I never thought borrowing money to pay back with interest could ever be a problem. But I got too comfortable and it took me a long time to realise that I was using the money I was earning to pay back interests. Also, my financial recklessness did not help. Please don’t borrow money! But if you must, please be responsible.”
The actor stated that 2024 marked a pivotal moment in his acting career but it was also the most challenging year for him as he faced over half a billion naira in debt.
Mr Macaroni revealed that his frustration grew worse after he was betrayed by someone he considered “a friend and sister.”
He added that with the support of family and friends who stood by him during his trying times, he now “feels better than I have felt in the last three years!”
The comedian stated that he decided to finally share his story to encourage others who are going through challenges.