Entertainment
Kenneth Okonkwo, Tonto Dikeh, Others Bag Peace Ambassadors Awards
Kenneth Okonkwo and
Tonto Dikeh were recently honoured with the peace achievers award by the Peace Ambassador Agency (PAA), an organisation, that promotes national peace and integration. According to a recent report, the duo received the awards at the 5th anniversary of the annual Miss Ambassador for Peace and Peace Achievers Award held in Abuja on Sunday. Kenneth Okonkwo, a foremost Nollywood actor, received the ‘Actor of the Year Award’, while Tonto Dike got the ‘Actress of the Year Award’.
According to the Project Director of PAA, Mr. Kingsley Amafibe,the entertainment stars are recognized for their immense contributions to the growth of the film industry, which has created jobs for many Nigerian youths. He said that the recipients had also been involved in humanitarian gestures over the years that had promoted social peace and harmony, which was in consonant with the objectives of PAA.
“The veterans have contributed a lot in building social harmony and peaceful existence in Nigeria, using the motion pictures. The Nigerian movie industry has become one of our unifying factors. It entertains and brings happiness to Nigerians, which are crucial keys to peace inspite of tribal and religious divides. Besides as individuals, these actors have also championed some humanitarian initiatives that have impacted the society in one way or the other,” Amafibe noted.
In his remark, Mr. Kenneth Okonkwo expressed delight that the award was an indication that the society was interested in whatever one did in the society. The actor of the popular “Living in Bondage” movie pledged his continous commitment toward growing the entertainment industry. “This recognition is clarion call to duty in my little service to nation building. “I hope to strive to continue to put in my best both as a professional and a patriotic citizen of this great nation”, he said.
The 2016 edition of the prestigious awards cuts across over 20 categories with recipients picked from various fields of human endeavours. Other recipients of the Peace Achievers Award include: popular gospel artiste Chris Morgan, who was honoured with the Gospel Artiste of the Year Award, Mr. Denis Okwu was honoured with the Maritime Personality of the year, while Toju Foyeh got the Fashion Designer of the Year Award among others.
Also, a renowned youth mobiliser and Organizer of the popular Emerging leaders conference, Dr. Linus Okorie was also honoured with the Excellence in Leadership awards. The report indicates that the peace achievers award is a flagship initiative of the Peace Ambassador Agency. The organisation promotes tolerance and peaceful coexistence through pageantry and peace education and campaigns. Its peace education campaign, which is targeted mainly at the youths, trains and empowers students of higher institutions and other youth communities, irrespective of their religious and cultural background.
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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