Entertainment
Participant Hails NAFEST 2018
The National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) 2018 themed “Our Festivals, Our Heritage’ which was held from the 21st to 27th of October 2018 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State was indeed an exciting festival.
Speaking with the Delta State Head of Performing Arts Department, Mrs Akani Siri stated that NAFEST was a unity festival with the aim of bringing the various cultures of Nigeria together.
Mrs Siri shed more light on what the NAFEST festival was all about, stating that NAFEST has both competitive and non-competitive events, which the states participate in, saying also that different states usually pick the events they would participate in after the syllabus has been sent to them.
Mrs Siri who said the festival was made up of different types of events like, dance drama; traditional wrestling ;traditional cuisines which is particular to each state; craft expo; and also tales by moonlight by children which was added to the events this year, has said that all these depend on what the national council wants, with different centers for these events.
She said that NAFEST was an annual festival, with the sole motive of bringing Nigerian cultures together, saying the festival unites our heritage and our ‘fast dying cultures’, which we do not want to go into extinction.
She stated that NAFEST aims at promoting national development, harnessing our culture, bringing them from their raw state, polishing and working on them, and see if they can be a source of income by exporting some of these cultural values.
Siri went further to explain that if a festival like NAFEST was not held, then some of our cultures would just be stories to tell to our children. “It’s preserving, promoting and documenting our culture that is what NAFEST is all about”, she said.
The commissioner of Arts and Tourism Delta state, Mr Emmanuel Chinye also spoke on NAFEST being a means of uniting every culture within Nigeria, saying that NAFEST is the biggest festival in Nigeria.
Speaking on the reason most states didn’t attend as on Thursday, the commissioner said it was due to some logistics, “sometimes some logistics might warrant this, especially during an election period.”
At the closing/Award ceremony of NAFEST 2018, which was held at the Port Harcourt Sharks Stadium in Rivers State, so many exciting cultural activities were displayed and wonderful awards were given to deserving states.
The participating states which were twenty four(24) in attendance included Abia; Anambra; Bayelsa;Benue; Delta;Ebonyi;Edo; Enugu; Gombe; Jigawa; Kaduna; Kano; Katsina; Kogi; Kwara; Lagos; Niger; Ogun; Ondo; Osun; Rivers (host); Sokoto; Taraba; and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
Gideon Victory
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.
-
News2 days agoDon Lauds RSG, NECA On Job Fair
-
Transport12 hours agoNigeria Rates 7th For Visa Application To France —–Schengen Visa
-
Nation10 hours agoHoS Hails Fubara Over Provision of Accommodation for Permanent Secretaries
-
Niger Delta9 hours agoPDP Declares Edo Airline’s Plan As Misplaced Priority
-
Niger Delta11 hours ago
Stakeholders Task INC Aspirants On Dev … As ELECO Promises Transparent, Credible Polls
-
Niger Delta9 hours ago
Students Protest Non-indigene Appointment As Rector in C’River
-
Sports10 hours agoSimba open Nwabali talks
-
Oil & Energy12 hours agoElectricity Consumers Laud Aba Power for Exceeding 2025 Meter Rollout Target