Nigeria’s oldest practicing musician, Pa Fatai Olayiwola Olagunju, popularly known as Fatai Rolling Dollar has passed on. He died this morning at Marritol Hospital,   Sam Sonibare Street in Surulere after a brief illness.

One of his wives, Funmulayo Olagunju, confirmed his death. He was 85 year old.

The Octogenarian born 22nd July 1926 was known for his verve and dexterity on the guitar. His zest for life and energy, even in old age, was a marvel to all who beheld him perform.

Fatai, was one of the popular highlife singers in the 60s through early 70s. Some refer to him as the godfather of juju music.

He is survived by three wives, including a German and 16 children. May his soul rest in peace, amen.

Peter Okoye posted these photos on his instagram page this morning. Business looks with a class!  See more photos after the Cut

Tonto Dikeh was a guest artist at Iyanya’s (Kukere) Concert which took place yester night in London and things got out of hand.

The singer first got audience thinking she was under the influence of alcohol when she said something about not wanting to wave because her armpit wasn’t shaved and kept mouthing off

But what got everyone gasped for air was when she accurately fell off the stage and displays her breast…. See more pics below

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Mo’Nique is serious these days about taking care of her health, and in a new radio interview, she’s revealing some of the secrets behind her workout routine and new svelte figure. The 45-year-old actress and comedienne, who won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award in 2010 for her role in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” sat down this week with The Cipha Sounds & Rosenberg Show on New York radio station Hot 97 FM for a long-ranging half-hour interview, in which she discussed topics ranging from Charles Ramsey to Iyanla Vanzant. But the story behind her dramatic weight loss is what’s turning heads.

Mo’Nique has been tweeting her daily workouts, most days posting snapshots of her odometer once it has logged her minimum “10,000 steps,” along with various other fitness activities. She explained to the show hosts that the reason why she’s been documenting her journey is to be an inspiration to others.

“I tweet every morning, my workouts,” she began. “Because I want women to see – especially us big women – that you don’t have to let them cut you and suck it out, you don’t have to let them staple you up, you don’t have to let them give you a pill, you don’t have to let them put a band around your organs. If you put the work in, baby, I promise you, it comes off.”

And come off, it has! “The weight right now, when I got on a scale two weeks ago, was 218,” she continued. “My goal is between 190 and 200.”

“What were you before?” co-host K. Foxx then asked Mo’Nique.

“Well now, you see K … what I was before was … when my husband asked me I said, ’262,’ but I don’t actually know if that was the right number. That was the weight that I had a year prior to him asking me that. But when I watch reruns of ‘The Parkers,’ I know I was tipping 300.”

“And how do you feel?” K asked.

“I am the best Mo’Nique I’ve ever been in my life right now. And I still have a ways to go. But I feel amazing sis.”

Mo’Nique added that she’s proud of herself and believes she has never looked this good in her life before. And while she emphasizes that she always felt in the past that she was a big and beautiful woman, she says it is her husband who caused her to step back and look at the damage she was causing to her body (due to her weight).

“It made me say (to myself), ‘OK sis, you got these babies. The twins are 7, (stepson) Michael’s 9, Shalon’s 22.’ And I want to meet their babies. So, I said, ‘Let me stop being selfish, and eating everything.’ And I ate everything … I was a food junkie.”

And it looks from these pictures like she’s doing quite well on her way to recovery!

Dear compatriots,

1.    It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states.  These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.

2.   The recent killing of security operatives by a cult group in Nasarawa state is particularly condemnable. I have directed that no effort or expense be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those who had a hand in the killing of the operatives.

3.   The activities of insurgents and terrorists have been reprehensible, causing fear among our citizens and a near-breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, especially the North. We have taken robust steps to unravel and address the root causes of these crises, but it would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state and test our collective resolve.

4.  Since I returned to the country after cutting short my visit to South Africa and aborting a planned state visit to Namibia, I have received detailed briefings from our security agencies. These briefings indicate that what we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity. Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.

5.   These terrorists and insurgents seem determined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country. In many places, they have destroyed the Nigerian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place, hoisted strange flags suggesting the exercise of alternative sovereignty.

6.  They have attacked government buildings and facilities. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze, and taken women and children as hostages. These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state and threaten her territorial integrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this.

7.  Previously, we adopted a multi-track approach to the resolution of this problem through actions which included persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.

8.  We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both State Governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence.

9.  Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent government from fulfilling its constitutional obligations to the people as they pursue their fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.

10.                     While the efforts at persuasion and dialogue will continue, let me reiterate that we have a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all our people and protect the sovereign integrity of our country. Therefore, we shall, on no account, shy away from doing whatever becomes necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.

11.                         We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

12.                      Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy. After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

13.                       Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.

14.                     This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.

15.                       The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

16.                     I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.

17.                        I am again approaching our neighbouring countries, through diplomatic channels, as done in the recent past, for their co-operation in apprehending any terrorist elements that may escape across the border.

18.                      Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential character of our people.

19.                      I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state, and their collaborators; those insurgents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, whoever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.

20.                    I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these

challenges and together, we will restore every part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan who is one of the most insulted Nigerian presidents in history( because of people’s perceived ideas that he is weak) shocked the country today when hedeclared a State of Emergency in some Nigerian States plagued with deaths and other terrorist activities. To his critics, the President is finally showing who is in command while the majority of Nigerians welcome this act hoping it will put an end to the attrocities of the terrorist

Watch the President’s full speech here 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jxtswIaWKo&feature=share

Ever since the Trailer of her X-rated movie came out couple of days ago it’s been one story after another trailing singer/actress AfroCandy. The latest one involves an actor in her movie and people are accusing AfroCandy of sending the man out of his home with her movie and she came out to clearify the allegations.

Below is AfroCandys version of this never ending saga :

“My People Judge this case for me, this shit is just about to blow up and I think I need more than an Entertainment Lawyer right now….I cast this guy in my movie, he came on set, I explained everything to him and asked him if he would have any problems with playing the role the way I wanted it, he said he was ok and I quote him ‘I am an adult, I can do whatever I want and nobody pays my bills’….

“Then Camera was rolling, Action, he jumps into bed with me, squeezes my boob and my butt enjoying himself. Now the trailer came out with an explosion, now he is threatening me to ‘Remove the Video from the Internet, and remove him from the Movie cos his ‘Baby Mama has thrown him out, also his family and everyone that knows him is crying……

“Pls tell me, what am I supposed to do now? Shut down the production cos of him? It’s too late to re-shoot the movie now my premiere is almost here God punish enemies of progress!”

The Nigerian film industry has come under fire over the warped values it espouses. Most Nigerians either love or hate Nollywood  with not too many occupying the middle ground. In primary school, children play clapping games while singing songs about Living in Bondage, considered the first Nollywood blockbuster, and the film that launched the Nigerian cinema industry. However, as the industry grew, parents beganto forbid their children to watch Nigerian movies due to the abundant depictions of rituals or “juju”.Still Nollywood continued its ascent, and it is not until when a Nigerian goes outside that he realist how much of an influence Nollywood has.

Perhaps Nollywood is so influential because of its shows of wealth, which many living in poverty aspire to, while simultaneously reflecting the realities and challenges of ordinary people as it imparts one moral message or another.But while many criticism the industry for its obsession with witchcraft, there’s been a lot less criticism about the way in which women are portrayed and treated in these movies. And when people discuss the female characters, the focus is largely on how scantily dressed they are, and what a bad influence they are on young women.a country that prides itself on being morally righteous and religious, you can’t help but wonder what kind of morals most Hollywood movies are trying to communicate. Hollywood is a reflection of Nigerian society, then what it reveals doesn’t say much about how Nigerians view women Nollywood movies feature heavy doses of sexism that even the least feminist Nigerian is likely to pick up on. In movies such as Blackberry Babes, White Hunters and Facebook Babes, women are depicted as cold and two-timing, always in search of a rich man or sugar daddy, thus creating a world in which men are seemingly oppressed by women who use them only for financial gain.

Others do their bit in normalizing rape culture in Nigeria and generating sympathy for rapists and abusers. I have personally sat through movies that had “romantic” story lines in which women fell in love with their rapists! Assertive women who take matters into their own hands, or who are ambitious and focus on their careers – always get the short end of the stick. Another trope involves women and abortions. Abortion is illegal in Nigeria, and there are women who go through risky procedures to have them done.

However, in these movies, any woman who has an abortion either dies or ends up unable to have children. When Nollywood tries to highlight the problem of domestic violence in Nigeria and the challenges faced by abused women, the result usually falls short of the stated aim. For example, in A Private Storm, the filmmaker draws more sympathy for the abusive husband than for his battered wife.

One has to ask why did the filmmakers chose to tell the story from the male perspective? A petition in Lagos started by Bayo Olupohunda, is attracting signatures from all over the world, which suggests more people are becoming aware of the problem. Olupohunda notes that Hollywood “movies are dominated by scenes of sex and extreme violence against women”, and concludes that that Hollywood scripts perpetuate violence against women while cementing the longstanding patriarchal narrative.

While we wait for Nollywood to get it right when it comes to women, we can enjoy filmmaker and video artist Zina Saro-Wiwa’s “alt-Hollywood” short film, Phyllis, a breath of fresh air. In Phyllis, the tropes concerning women in Nollywood are subverted. The character Phyllis is a woman who lives alone, making her independent in a country where women who are independent and single still get labelled as “witches” or prostitute.

She is a psychic vampire trying to become human through wigs, Jesus and Nollywood. The supernatural is present in Phyllis – a reference to Nollywood – yet different because the story is told from the perspective of the “witch”. Phyllis is complex in a way that most Nollywood movies do not have the time for, which I suppose isn’t surprising that it is primarily a money making industry. I’m not alone in hoping Phyllis provides inspiration for home-based Nollywood filmmakers, though I don’t think Nollywood filmmakers are quite ready to take such a big step. In the meantime, one can hope that Nollywood 2.0 will turn out to be good news for women in Nigeria as a whole – and will do at least a bit more to challenge patriarchy in Nigeria. (This is Africa)

Mr. Universe Nigeria. This year, we have decided to increase the audition centers/regions to 20.

This is to provide a much larger promotional platform for our sponsors/partners to even reach out further better than their competitors and also for us, bring closer the event to lots of young Nigerians and hopefuls. The national final casting/audition would hold in the center of excellence, Lagos. All auditions are designed as open casting, hence, contestants would have the opportunity to invite friends and loved ones to come watch the audition;

this has been strategically done to open up the event for premium branding and brand activation This is the official unveiling of the event as well as the 30 Finalists to the media. It has also been designed as a forum to announce all our premium sponsors and support brand to the media and the public. It would be a formal presentation for all supporting brands and sponsors to meet the media and also, re-enforce their aims as well as corporate social responsibilities.

The media will after the press conference be treated to an exclusive fashion party. Even though strictly by invitation for the media, top stars and celebrities, the general public will get an opportunity to be part of this event via specially designed quizzes and polls on selected radio/TV stations MR UNIVERSE NIGERIA REALITY CAMP – The Mr. Universe Nigeria 5 days camp has been designed as a premium reality TV

show. The 26 contestants would be camped in a choice hotel for five(5) nights; during this period, they would engage in major tasks and activities designed to add brand value to all sponsors and supporting brands. Support/sponsoring brands have the opportunity to include their TV commercials in the daily broadcasting of camp activities on Partnering Stations:

Nigezie, Superscreen and ON-TV.During the camping period, contestants would also tour various media channels on courtesy visits to articulate the event thereby serve as a major platform for brand mileage as contestants would be wearing the branded shirts of the sponsors and also mention them on air. support/sponsoring brands can also take advantage of the camp activities by buying camp schedule (selected days) to have a specially designed programmes aimed at brand boost.

PROPOSED DATE – MAY, 2013 GRAND FINALE – This is the coronation of Mr. Universe Nigeria 2013.Expected to attend are over 2, 000 affluent guests including Government and Non Governmental Functionaries, Diplomats, Business Executives, Fashion Press/Critics, Top Music and Movie Stars, Fashionistas, upwardly mobile youths and the general public.

DATE: MAY, 2013 VENUE: Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos
TIME: 6:00am (Red Carpet by Denrele Edun) 8:00pm (Show Proper)
HOST: Joseph Benjamin (Actor/MTN Project Fame Host) & Bimbo Akintola (Actress)Expected Number of Guests: 2,000 – 2,500 Time: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm For Details & Updates: www.mruniversenigeriapageant.com