Entertainment
Check Out Nigerian Cultural Festivals To Enjoy In 2019
Festivals in Nigeria are a time to immerse fully in culture and be a more relaxed version of oneself. We are anticipating everything from food and music to art and film in some spectular locations. Check out the various cultural events this year.
Argungun Fishing Festival (February): One of the famous cultural festivals in Nigeria, the Argungu festival takes place in Kebbi state. Thousands of fishermen from the Northern region come together and compete in catching the largest fish in the river using only traditional nets.
Gidifest(March): It is an annual pop culture festival of foods,drinks,sports and music .
Lagos International Jazz Festival[(April): Scheduled to hold in Lagos Island from April 27-30,the Lagos International Jazz Festival brings together award winning jazz artistes and enthuasiasts including the likes of Grammy a3ward winning artistes like Jermaine Jackson, Lekan Babalola .
Lagos Carnival[(May): This is the celebration that emphasizes what a melting pot of culture Lagos truly is. From western Nigeria to Brazil and Cuba the colourful carnival usually involves dancing, music, dazzling costumes and visitors from all over Nigeria.
Durbar Festival(June): Durbar festival or Hawan Daushe is Northern Nigeria cultural treasure. The Durbar is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, Eid el-fitri and at the start of pilgrimage to Mecca. Eid el kabir, Durbar festival holds in Kano, Bida in Niger State, Katsina , Sokoto and Bauchi .
New Yam Festival(August) : The new yam festival or iwaji, ikei , iri iji is an annual festival that holds for a week in August. It is time when the people from southern and eastern Nigeria gather to celebrate the new yams of the season with folk dances, masquerades and parables. The yams are offered to gods or ancestors first before they are eaten.
Ojude Oba Festival (August): It holds in August 23, the Ijebu Ode people celebrate their culture and heritage three days after the start of Eid-el-kabir.
Osun Osogbo Festival(August): This is a two week programme of events in August that typically revolves around the cleansing of the Iwon ‘Iwopopo’. This is followed by the lighting of a 500 year old 16 point lamp ‘’olojomerindinlogun ‘’ .
Igogo Festival (September) : The Igogo festival lasts a total of 17 days in owo, Ondo State. Just like the new yam festival, it also features the blessing and release of new yams.
Lights Camera Africa Film Festival : The lights, camera Africa Film festival was created in 2011 to stimulate discourse on issues and experiences that are rooted in the African experience. The annual event shares a diverse range of African and independent cinema including documentary, feature and animation, supporting the work of emerging African Film makers .
programme of films, keynote conversations and discussions on issues affecting the cinema with participation from film makers, critics, directors and the press. The event usually takes place between November and December.
ABUJA CARNIVAL [NOVEMBER ] : It usually takes place at the end of November, the Abuja Carnival is organized by the carnival road show company and promises to showcase the diverse cultural events and practices in all 36 states of Nigeria. Road shows, music and dance, masquerades are just a few of the highlights.
CALABAR CARNIVAL [DECEMBER] : The Calabar festival is the most anticipated cultural festival in Nigeria with visitors and performers coming in from all over the world. It is tagged as Africa’s Biggest Street Party and holds in Cross River State all through December.
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.