Events: Wizkid Thrills Fans In Dubai

Wonder star Wizkid is not letting the disappointment of the Channel O awards slow him down as he stormed Dubai over the weekend, to hold an electrifying performance at the capital’s Crown Plaza hotel night club.

This is coming barely one week after a shattering Channel O awards left him without any laurels.

Wizkid appeared on stage to the roar of fans and immediately began unleashing his songs; hit after hit.

The arena was filled to capacity with most of the patrons being mostly Africans.

According to a fan “Everybody was excited to see Wizkid perform. His hit song ‘Tease Me’ got the crowd so excited. Then he did: ‘Don’t dull’, ‘I Love my baby’ and then ‘Dance for me’, it was really crazy!”

D’Banj is also expected to perform in Dubai in December.

He had a blast this year at the Channel O awards; snatching the ‘Most Gifted Male Video of the Year’ award and also the ‘Special Recognition’ award.

Events: Lionel Petersen Arrives In Ghana For Sonnie Badu Concert

World renowned South African gospel artiste and worship leader Lionel Petersen has arrived in Ghana for a highly anticipated Let Peace Rain concert with Sonnie Badu.

The concert is billed for this Saturday, December 1, at the Dome of the Accra International Conference Centre.

The event is expected to be the biggest gospel music concert to be staged in Ghana, and the arrival of the South African gospel legend is sure to cement the readiness of the organizers to give Ghanaians a memorable show.

Famous for mega gospel hits such as Jabulani Africa, When the Righteous Prosper, Peace, Instruments of Your Peace and Behold the Lamb, Lionel Petersen is renowned not only for the soul-inspiring music that he has churned out since the 1980s, but also for his abilities as a worship leader and a preacher.

Ironically, he began his career as a pop singer with legendary South African pop group The Invaders from 1969 to 1971.

He has collaborated with artists like Chevelle Franklin, Neville D and Judith Sepuma and sang on the soundtrack of the 2008 feature film Hansie. In 2010, he was a judge on the first season of the One Gospel reality competition Shine in his native South Africa.

This will be Lionel’s second visit to Ghana, and it is expected that he will bring his best material Saturday night. He will be sharing the stage with Sonnie Badu, Ohemaa Mercy, Cwasi Oteng, Nii Okai and DSP Kofi Sarpong.

Meanwhile, tickets for the concert are available at GHC40 for regular admission and GHC70 for VIP. They can be purchased at the Joy FM front desk, the Silverbird Lifestyle store, Sunny FM, the TTC head office in West Airport and at the Empire Entertainment head office in Lartehbiokorshie.

The Sonnie Badu Let Peace Rain concert is sponsored by LGG, The Telecom Channel, Atlantic Trust, a Dubai-based, Ghanaian-owned investment and finance company and supported by Dalex Finanace, Access Bank and Fidelity Bank.

Gossip & Gists: Nigerian Gospel Artiste Jailed For Internet Dating Fraud

Conman Oluwamayola Ajayi, 31 year-old Nigerian gospel artiste based in the United Kingdom has been jailed for six years and half for internet dating fraud.

The acclaimed gospel singer used a dating site to steal more than £120,000 from lonely women by posing as a pilot, oil executive and grieving widower has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.

Oluwamayola, preyed on four single women on popular dating website, using a series of aliases and outlandish stories to fleece them of their cash.

He even sent email threats, purportedly from a captor, claiming he had been kidnapped and would be killed if a ransom was not paid.

Ajayi, who was nominated for Best International Act at the 2011 Gospel Music Awards under his stage name MaioJoe, was jailed for conspiracy to defraud at Snaresbrook Crown Court with Judge Sarah Paneth saying that it was clear he intended to defraud his victims ‘for much more money’ than he did.

He blew all the money on a luxury lifestyle, including a holiday to South Africa etc.

Gossip & Gists: Funke Akindele Sets To Drop WAZO (Video)

Funke Akindele latest movie, WAZO is scheduled to hit the cinemas in December. The highly anticipated and much talked about movie features a lot of popular actors and actresses in the Yoruba movie circuit including Odunlade Adekola, Muyiwa Ademola, Ronke Ojo, Ijebu, Sunny Alli and Jide Kosoko.

“This movie promises to be another interesting production with unbelievable suspense and drama from Funke,” a short message from the actress’s publicist reads.

Meanwhile, the year 2012 has no doubt been bountiful for Akindele. The actress has virtually broke all records in the movie industry and indeed the corporate clime. Her blockbuster movie, The Return of Jenifa, Showbiz Trends learnt made a whooping N35 million at the cinemas this year. The movie enjoyed several weeks at the cinemas and the managements of the cinemas had to extend the showing time.

The success at the cinemas continued as her role in Tunde Kelani’s movie, Maami, earned her more accolades, while the movie has grossed N19 million at the cinemas as at date.

The University of Lagos Law graduate also starred in another movie, A Wish produced by actor and filmmaker, Elvis Chucks of the Super Story fame. The movie is due to be premiered in December. The movie features the best comedy actors in this clime including Hafeez Oyetoro (Saka), Helen Paul (Tatafo), Bishop Imeh and others. And Akindele is presently working on her first English language movie.

Gossip & Gists: Davido Sets To Launch O.B.O Clothing Line

David Adeleke, more popular with his stage name, Davido, is set to follow his billionaire father’s footsteps, by venturing into more businesses. The singer and producer, is already one of the more popular artistes on the Nigerian music industry, but has stated he is ready to start his clothing line.

He informed his over 200,000 followers on Twitter that “My clothing line O.B.O coming next year!!!! Get ready!!! There will be a fashion launch!!”

O.B.O stands for ‘Omo Baba Olowo’, which is translated as son of a rich man. His father, Deji, has big investments in oil, education and real estate.

Gossip & Gists: Elliot Unveils The Skeleton In His Cupboard

Gone were the days when number, in terms of the volume of films produced, worked for Nollywood. The reality of growth has dawned on practitioners: you either step up professionalism or simply fall by the roadside.

Part of the ways out of the volume syndrome, the film makers have been advised, is to explore themes that are hitherto considered a no-go area. The fact that Nigerian films also have to compete globally means that they have to enhance the technical outlook of the works. The question is: What is a story if it is not well told? Or what is a film if the cinematography is not right and arresting?

Some of the movies recently produced in the country have been taking care of this. A good number of people have, for instance, applauded Tade Ogidan’s Family on Fire, Kunle Afolayan’s Phone Swap and Kalejaye Paul’s Married But Living Single. Another film that promises to impress the market is In the Cupboard, produced by popular actor, Desmond Elliot. While approaching the questions of death and inheritance from a fresh perspective, it also takes on the controversial subject of lesbianism.

In the Cupboard is a story that revolves around the lives of six siblings born into the rich, aristocratic De Souza family; a name synonymous with wealth and power. Everything seems perfect in their lives until their father dies unexpectedly and all of them gather from different parts of the world to be with their mother, the elegant matriarch Veronica “Ronnie” DeSouza, played by Biola Williams. What ensues is a series of events that threatens to shake the family to its very foundations.

In the cast are celebrated figures that include Ini Edo, Big Brother Africa winner Uti Nwachukwu, Alex Ekubo and Ghanaian actress, Lydia Forson. It has received five awards since its release in August – including, Best Original Story, Best New Actor and Best Supporting Actress at the 2012 GIAMA Awards in the US and the Most Promising Actor at the 2012 Best of Nollywood Awards.

Co-produced by Caroline Danjuma, the film marketed by under the Denziot Productions brand, had a swell time at the cinemas and is now on DVD.

Gossip & Gists: “Crazically Fit” – Tonto Dikeh Set To Release New Song Featuring Terry G

Tonto Dikeh has definitely emerged from all the scathing criticisms that greeted her first two singles, a much stronger person.

Not only has the actress-precipitate-singer gone on to grant interviews on her ‘music career’, she has been scheduled to perform at the Rhythm Unplugged concert on December 23. And just yesterday, we reported that Nigezie, will be sponsoring her new video.

Buoyed by all these, Miss Dikeh, is set to release new material. She revealed this on Twitter, where she confirmed she was working with eccentric artiste and music producer, Terry G, in the studio.

The Akpako Master himself confirmed it, tweeting “Recording a hit sound at the moment with @tontolet… Y’all gonna luv this one.. GBES!!”

Tonto added: “Greater surprizes** Hehehehehehe, Ya’ll better burn all ya speakerz oo**I’m coming again n stronger, No dullin*I rule it*”

Videos:

Nigerian music pioneer Lágbájá is back again and this time, he didn’t come back alone. Lágbájá features known faces like Adekola Odunlade and Rachel Oniga. This new single “Omo Jayejaye” is from his new album “200 Million Mumu – The Bitter Truth”

Omo Jayejaye from Motherlan’ is nothing short of entertainment, enjoy!

 

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Gossip & Gists: Nigezie To Sponsor Tonto Dike’s ‘Hi’ Video

Nollywood actress, Tonto Dike has again hit it big, this time getting a free video shoot as winner of the Win A Video competition organised by Magic Factory and Nigezie in partnership with Beat FM and Naija FM.

The elated actress broke the news on the micro blogging site, Twitter, earlier today, ’Congratz Loverz. We jux won the Nigezie Magic factory/Beat FM ‘Win a muzic video promo’ Meanz I aint gonno spend a dime of ma money shootin #H’ @tontolet tweeted.

The competition which kicked off few months back, is the first of its kind and is aimed at helping upcoming musicians achieve their dream of a befitting video.

Another nugget is that she would be teaming up with Akpako master, Terry G to produce a hit single. According to their twitter feed, the two are currently recording what promises to be a club banger. We can’t wait to see the outcome of such a fusion.

Gossip & Gists: Controversial Actress, Bisi Ibidapo-Obe Welcomes Baby Girl

E! 365 just got a report that controversial Nollywood actress, Bisi Ibidapo Obe popularly known as Bisi Omo logba logba, has been delivered of a baby girl. Bisi, as we learnt from industry sources, gave birth to a baby girl this morning at Reddington Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos at about 9am as against the initial reported plan of her child delivery in Canada..

Few weeks ago, Bisi was in the news over the paternity of her pregnancy, which she reportedly said was for controversial lawmaker, Dino Melaye, a former federal lawmaker from Kogi State. She later reportedly challenged Dino for a DNA to ascertain the child’s real father.

She later travelled to Ghana to rest from the dust the controversy created before heading to her initial destination of her child delivery, Canada, until she gave birth in Lagos this morning.

We hear that she is in good condition with the child.