9jaNollywoodstars

Conflict in Nollywood
Ike becomes factional president of AGN.The movie body known as the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has been a field of battle among its members over who becomes the president or not. Some time this year, an election was conducted,which produced Segun Arinze as the factional president of the body. Kanayo O. Kanayo and his faction disagreed with the emergence of Arinze as the president and he declared himself as the president.

In the middle of this ongoing battle, another election was conducted producing Emeka Ike as the AGN president to the discontent of the likes of Arinze. Embattled Arinze attempted to halt the caretaker committee of the guild from conducting the election that produced actor Ike. Arinze, last month, was appointed to head the alleged Government of National Unity set up by the Ifeanyi Dike-led Board of Trustees of the guild, with Ike as his deputy as a way of moving the troubled guild forward. Arinze allegedly stormed the guild's secretariat with a team of policemen from Area D, Mushin, with the intention of stopping the election. However, he failed as the Kanayo team, armed with a court order, refused to be intimidated.

Odueke killed a 16 month old baby
Tayo Odueke, popularly called Sikiratu Sidondo, a named she got from the wayward lifestyle role she played in the movie Sikiratu Sidondo years back, killed a year and four months old baby boy known as Daramola. The incident, which happened last Friday at Muri Busari Close, Oloti Village off Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos has been dragged to the State Traffic Division B OPS Department where the actress cum movie producer is apprehended.

The Ibinabo Fiberesima crisis
If you can recall, Ibinabo Fiberesima killed a male medical doctor identified as Suraju Giwa while allegedly driving carelessly and under the influence of alcohol along the Lekki/Epe Expressway in Lagos. The Nollywood actress was later convicted of murder/manslaughter and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the Igbosere Division of the Lagos Magistrate Court.

Those who did not make it through 2009
The death of Omoladun Omidina, aka Kenkelewu, the late wife of the dark skinned Yoruba movie comedian, Tunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe, is still generating controversies. Her husband who was rumoured to have killed her.

Nicholas, the Galaxy Damsel television programe presenter on Galaxy television, died from the effects of diabetics.

Steve Efosa Kadiri, popularly called Steve the Sleek, of Ray Power, died after battling for years with a deadly Kidney problem.

Also to be remembered is Remi Abiola, the veteran actress and one of the wives of the late business mogul, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, who passed away after an being diagnosed of Cancer at a New York hospital. She died on August 3.

Just this month, Caroline Johnson, an actress, died of cancer of the blood.

Awards by Nigerian entertainers
Awards were given out and received by the members of the industry. Locally, such awards for 2009 included the Sound city Music and Video Awards (SMVA), the Nigerian Music Award (NMA), the Future Awards, the AMAA, awards and the City People Awards etc. Internationally, there was the Koral award, Grammy award, Afro Hollywood Award and a host of others.

Kuti geta Grammy nomination again
As quiet as Femi Kuti appears to have been in recent times, he has been busy making himself a better person and improving his career. He has again been nominated for the Grammy awards. Kuti got a KORA award for his hit album 'Bang Bang Bang.

Ezuruonye become the face of Amstel Malta
Good looking actor and Glo Ambassador, Mike Ezuruonye, has just become the face of Amstel Malta and for this, he got paid in millions. His contract will run for one year.

Monalisa Wins Afro Hollywood award
Taking time out of her busy schedule in the bustling city of Lagos, Glo Ambassador and sexy screen siren, Mona Lisa Chinda, jetted out to the Queen's own country (England) to attend the 2009 edition of the Afro Hollywood Award. The actress was nominated along with several other actresses for the Award for Best Actress in an English movie, and she won amidst some stiff competition. Also present at the occasion was veteran actor, Justus Esiri, Mercy Johnson, etc. The Afro Hollywood Award is a yearly event organised by Mike Abiola and it seeks to reward deserving actors and actresses for their contribution to the development of the film industry in Nigeria.

Highlights on Nollywood stars
This has certainly been a year of innovation and growth for Nollywood. Oprah Winfrey, the most influential woman on television, mentioned Genevieve Nnaji on her show as one of the 20 most popular people in the world, Stephanie Okereke directed and produced a film 'Through the Glass,' racking in millions at the box office.

Akindele wins multiple awards
As the year comes to an end in a few days, one person who will pray that all the goodies of 2009 should go with her o 2010 is Funke Akindele, the Jenifa star actress. Her 2008 box office hit, Jenifa, was indeed a breakthrough as it catapulted her to the status of the leading Yoruba actress in Nigeria and as such her schedule dictates when productions take place as many producers are desperate to have her face in their movies. Many awards have come her way this year of which the BON award for best movie of the year 2008 goes to her for her great comical performance in Jenifa. Another award to her credit is the Future Award. City People gave her the Best Movie award. She also won the best actress of the year at AMAA where she also became Africa's best actress of the year. At the Afro Hollywood award held in the UK, she carted home the most outstanding actress of the year. She is currently one of the Glo ambassadors.

Darey the award mania gets four awards
Nigeria's king of R n B, Darey Art Alade, is definitely one artiste who did well this year. He won two awards at this year's Channel O awards on October 29 and four at the Nigeria Music Video Awards on November 1.

Johnson, Ademola, Nuoah, others shine at BON awards
Some weeks ago, the inaugural edition of the Best of Nollywood Award, organized by Seun Oloketuyi, was indeed a colorful one. Nineteen awards and six special recognitions were given out at the event. The best movie journalist of the year went to Samuel Olatunji. Upcoming artistes were not left out as the revelation of the year award for the male went to Kayode Akinbayo for his performance in the movie 'Bi a ti ko' while the female revelation award was given to Kehinde Bankole for her role in the movie 'Elerin Eye.'

Muyiwa Ademola went home with the best supporting actor of the year for his role in the movie 'Bamitale' and the best supporting actress of the year was Mercy Johnson for her role in 'Distance in Between.' The television personality of the year went to Denrele Edun while the radio personality of the year is Tosyn Bucknor.

Emem Issong 'Reloaded' also got Ramsey Nuoah the best English actor of the year while Ini Edo Philip carted away the best English actress of the year, which she got from her role in the Reloaded.
Indeed, Emem Issong went home a happy woman with her film Reloaded wining the best English movie of the year. Doris Simon Ademinokan was also a happy woman at the event as her movie Omo iya kan also won the indigenous Yoruba movie of the year. Dele Odule too was not left behind as he bagged the Indigenous Actor of the Year award, which his performance in the movie Bolode Oku earned him.

Gemini, best marketer of the year
If there has been any Nigerian award that is for the movies that gives out awards to the marketers of the movies, then, they will definitely be few. The Best Of Nollywood Award,which had its inaugural edition recently was one award that is all encompassing as it tend to look beyond just the actors and actresses but went the extra mile to also celebrate the marketers,the editors and producers of the movies. The event which was the master plan of Seun Oloketuyi was indeed a good innovation and a source of motivation to the industry at large. Gemini pictures emerged as this year's best marketer of the year. It was indeed a thing of joy and pride for the good works, sacrifices and efforts of the marketers to be acknowledged and recognised.

The Glo Ambassador contract
Globacom Nigeria, a leading telecommunications company, took the step in celebrating young artists who have distinguished themselves in the area of movie and music by making them its Ambassadors. The beneficiary of this deal this year include Jim Iyke, Rita Dominic, Monalisa Chinda, Funke Akindele and D'banj.

Artistes with crashed marriages in 2009
They started dating at the dawn of Nollywod after they hooked up on the set of a top movie producer. Their relationship was celebrated in the media after they tied the knot in a colourful ceremony. Uche Osutule was the darling of the screen while Obi Osutule was a director. However, it came crashing like a pack of dominoes and both partners called it quits. Today, they have both remarried.

Saheed and Fathia Balogun were the poster couple of the industry. Saheed always took time out to tell the world how rock solid his union with Fathia was. He spared no word in praising her to the highest heavens. That was until disaster struck after a close pal of Saheed's was alleged to be having trysts with his wife. The actor/producer was said to have done all he could to save his marriage from going under because they already had two kids. However,it seemed that their differences were irreconcilable and the drifted apart.But last year,Fathia made attempts to be reunite with her husband unsuccessfully.She had even dedicated an award she won in the UK to him and enlisted top Yoruba actors,including the likes of Jide Kosoko, to help plead her cause. But to his day,Saheed remains adamant,insisting that their union is buried in the graveyard of history.

Her forte is acting bitchy roles in movies. The question now is, could that have affected her marriage? Was she bitchy to her husband? Full-bodied actress, Eucharia Anunobi, probably believed that she had found Mr. Right when she hooked up and married her knight in the shining amour, Mr. Ekwu. However, he soon went AWOL, dumping his matrimonial home and in the process, also abandoning his child. Unconfirmed reports claim that Mr. Ekwu chickened out of town. Today they are separated.

The marriage of top actor,Femi Adebayo to his wife,Khadijat Bukola,has crashed.The blissful marriage of the couple began to experience trouble a few months ago after it was established that the actor has been involved in a secret affair with top actress,Funke Akindele. Sequel to this, there have been several stories about how Adebayo sent Khadijat packing with the three kids.As you read this, Khadijat now lives in her parents house located at Epe Road, GRA Area, Offa, Kwara State.

New marriages in 2009
Ini Edo tied the nuptial knots with her spouse this year and is currently in faraway America.

The widow of Jaiye Aboderin,Stella Damasus,finally deemed it fit to remarry this year to her business mogul love,Emeka Nzeribe.Today they live together as man and wife in her Lekki home.

Also not left out is the popular busty Yoruba actress,Ronke,popularly called Oshodi Oke,a nickname she earned from her hit movie,Oshodi Oke.She too joined the married club this year.

One of the newest marriages in town at the moment is that of Tricia Esiegbe,the versatile actress and producer of a popular TV programme,Bold Faces. She went to the alter with her heartthrob, Kingsley,two saturday ago.

Yoruba actress, Ireti Osayemi,took the bold step of tieing the knot with her lover boy of some years with whom she had two kids before.She is happily married now to her producer turned husband.

Story by http://nigeriafilms.com

2009 witnessed lots of rumors, scandals and ugly incidents in the entertainment industry.

The ugly
Many a star lost their lives to the cold hands of death.

Omoladun Kenkelewu: Omoladun, the late wife of Baba Suwe died of hypertension related ailment in August. Her death was one too many for a lot of people to bear.

Remi Abiola: One of the wives of the late politician,( M.K.O Abiola) Remi Abiola died in United States and the association was almost ridiculed when it could not bring her corpse back home. Luckily help came from other quarters and she was brought back home in one piece. It was five days after her burial that Omoladun passed away.

Bisi Ogunde also died on a film location at Itaegbe-Owode, near Idiroko, Ota, Ogun state. She had allegedly complained of dizziness to her colleagues when she arrived at the film location. She was advised to take a rest. But she insisted on shooting few scenes from her role. She later slumped on set possibly due to fatigue and died on the spot.

Mojisola Abeke Ogunsola aka Iya Alakara, passed on after a brief illness in Ibadan, on the 23rd of July 2009. She was one of the wives of another late movie veteran, Ishola Ogunsola aka Isho Pepper.

The bad
Kidnapping of comic Nkem Owoh was one of the bad things for Nollywood. Nkem Owoh was kidnapped on his way to Port Harcourt from Enugu . He spent about two days with kidnappers before he was reportedly released after the payment of about N1 million ransom.
Kidnapping of Pete Edochie: The veteran actor who has a reputation that is as hard as rock was kidnapped in August and there was nothing he could do about it. He was later released after payment of a ransom. His kidnapping was the beginning of wisdom for many A-list celebrities as they are now extra careful in the eastern states.

Crisis in AGN
The drama at Actors Guild of Nigeria is reminiscent of what is going on in the political circle in Nigeria . Two actors, Emeka Ike and Segun Arinze are laying claim to the presidency of the association and the feud is getting messier by the day. Some artistes are on Segun's side while many are also on Emeka's side. The feud no doubt has polarized the association and we can tell you for free that not many people take them serious anymore.

Rumors of break-ups
Oge Okoye's marriage: Oge Okoye's marriage was said to have packed up and her Holland based husband is said to be out of the picture.

It later turned out to be rumor according to Oge, though her husband has not made a categorical statement.

Ini Edo: her marriage made the news and gave the magazines a field day but not long afterwards, news filtered into town that her marriage was on the verge of breaking. She hopped on the next flight and went to Houston in United States to meet her man in order to douse the tension. The strategy proved effective as the rumor mongers calmed down but many are still poking noses and expecting to hear the worse.

Femi Adebayo's broken home
Femi's broken home was one of the bad news in the course of the year. Many alleged that it was his relationship with Funke that broke his home, but revelations have since emerged that the marriage was already under a lot of pressure before the rumor.

Timaya
He made the headline for reasons other than his music. First he got a bashing from Nico Graphity, put his hip hop world award plaque on his crotch in public and later went to fight Empress Njamah in a church when their love affair went sour. Of course he got a beating of his life and his reputation and goodwill flew out of the window.

Sikiratu Sindodo
She started the year as handbag of motor park lord, MC Oluomo in Oshodi. She lost out to manipulative play of some of her colleagues and eneded the year in police custody when her jeep was said to have crushed a toddler to death unknowingly. For her it was a bad year.

Story by www.nigeriafilms.com

Before now, these acts ruled the airwaves like a colossus.Okay, may be that is an exaggeration but they used to have such a visible presence in Nollywood on and off screen and of course they made plenty of news headlines. Now,we hardly see them.Most of them are no more in the news and if they manage to pop up somewhere in newspapers and irrepressible soft sell magazines it is for the wrong reason.
Here is the list of entertainment personalities missing in the thick of the action in 2009.

Dakore Egbuson: Yes, she can act and has this good aura that made her likeable. She was the new face, the critics of Nollywood wanted and her down to earth attitude gave her a plus. Dakore was not vain unlike many Nollywooders. With abundant talents and likeable personality Dakore did not fly beyond the sky as predicted and this year she missed plenty of Nollywood action. Instead she is said to be working on a TV programme and music that has reached advanced stage. And she has been in the news for her relationship with Harry Akande’s son Olumide whom many alleged has been responsible for her not acting that much. Let’s hope 2010 will finally be her year.

Chidi Mokeme: Chidi Mokeme is an actor that has gone full circle. He is an actor, presenter, TV anchor, and model and now he sells sex toys. What a 360 degree man. Chidi has been obviously missing in action for the past two years and he doesn’t seems to care, who will if you have to sell toys that make a bevy of beauties throng your shop. Lest we forget, Chidi was in Omotara Johnson and he was awesome.

Lilian Bach: The very attractive actress might not be on the A-list in her days but she has a presence you can’t ignore. At a time, she started acting in Yoruba flicks too and did we love her? Oh yeah and would love to see more of her but she is conspicuously missing in action in 2009. Her missing in action is by choice not that she doesn’t get offers. However she did a movie with Teco Benson this year and we hope that would be her re-launch pad in 2010.

Pat Attah: The lover boy of Nollywood came back to Nollywood in 2009, but he is still not as active as the word active. He is still missing in action in 2009. He was in ….. but that still has not helped matters. Pat would not have made the list, if not that he came back to Nollywood. Perhaps he came back too late because he missed plenty of the action.

Saint Obi: Saint Obi has every reason to be on top of his game. He is fine and can act like the word act but he is missing big on the screen. Saint Obi is said to be getting busy running his production company as the young actors seem to have taken over.

Shan George: Shan George was not in the thick or thin of the action. She was missing in the whole of the action. She made the news twice, one she was in the news for dating another younger man (any big deal?) and when she collaborated with some foreign people to produce Zebra. Anyway we heard she has also finished work on her musical work, if that is true we might see lots of this actress in 2010.

Fred Amata: Thanks to Celebrity Take 2, Fred Amata would have been lost in the crowd in 2009. He was almost invisible until he was named as one of the contestants in the highly popular TV reality programme, Celebrity Take 2. He has been making lots of noise and that made him a bit visible but some of us are not fazed. Fred was still not involved in the real action of Nollywood. We can’t remember a title of one of the movies he did this year. Our bros was seriously missing in action.

Nkiru Sylvanus : Not until we saw her in commercial TV advert and her name propped up as the Vice President (South East) of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Nkiru was nowhere to be found. She missed the Nollywood action and it was pretty obvious.

Benita Nzeribe: Benita has been perpetually missing for years now and she is still missing. May be now that she is PRO of one of the AGN factions things will pick up for her and she would be.

Baba Suwe: His case is understandable. He was down for health reasons and lost his wife along the line. We doubt if Baba Suwe featured in anybody’s movie this year but he did produce his own movie, Baba Jayejaye. We want to tell you for free that the movie is one of the flicks many are looking forward to in 2010.

Chioma Chukwuka: She is the good girl with no scandal and she can act. But somehow, this year wasn’t just Chioma’s year. She got a Globacom deal as one of its ambassadors but she was obviously missing in the action on the big screen and even the Glo advertorial doesn’t seem to favor her.

Pete Edochie: The grandfather of acting, Pete Edochie must have lost out to the poor movies being produced now. Aside from the news of his kidnap, Pete Edochie was missing in action. Majority of what we have now are movies that have jettisoned the traditional setting and that is what daddy seems to be very at home with.

Olumide Bakare: He is hard and tough in movies and there are very few people that did not like this man in movies. Olumide Bakare can dramatize everything but this year he did not see much of drama. Bakare’s face was missing in movie jackets and posters.

Bisi Ibidapo Obe: With grace and figure that make men drool, Bisi Ibidapo Obe should always be number one but her schedule seems to obstruct the flow of things. She was said to have secretly married and shot her own movie. We did not see Bisi’s face in any movie this year. She missed lots of things but doesn’t seems to care.

Bimbo Oshin: We cannot really say what is responsible for Bimbo’s absence this year but her marital status seems to be the reason many throw around. We learnt that her husband has to scrutinize everything before she considers any offer and since the man is not always around, it might be one of her challenges and motherhood might be another reason. Bimbo is missing in action and very missing.

Source: http://nigeriafilms.com

It is no longer news that most marriages involving Top Nollywood actresses have hit the rocks for one reason or the other. While a lot have been speculated on why these marriages fail, a recent investigation has revealed that top on the list are money and infidelity as well as quest for sexual satisfaction and the search to maintain the high profile bestowed on them by stardom which has led many of them into marriages of convinence and most times, they jump out of the relationship as soon as they go in.

Some of the victims of the broken marriages include:

Monalisa Chinda:- Hers is the latest marriage break up in Nollywood. It was alleged that the reason for the break up of the marriage of the top actress with her ex-hubby, Dejo Richards is money.

According to our source, the Rivers State-born actress, who had particularly been the bread winner of the household could not handle the heat of her wealth, part of which comes as Globacom ambassador and decided to let loose what she has been holding together over the years. Her marriage produced one beautiful daughter.

Ngozi Ezeonu: This top actress packed out of her matrimonial home many years ago on account of her husbands alleged unfaithfullness as he dumped her for another woman whom he pregnanted.

It was also gathered that before her husband's extra marital affair, she had been allegedly linked with a handsome young actor whose bed she was said to be warming.

Fred and Agata Amata: The handsome actor, producer and director and TV presenter and wife, have always served as a case study of Nollywood couple whose marriage hit the rocks as a result of infidelity. Though, they attribute the break-up to irreconcilable differences, a close source has it that the actor terminated the marriage due to the wife's infidelity while he had also been involved in extra-marital affairs. One of who is a top actress and ex beauty queen.

Stephanie Okereke:- This A List actress is said to be very happy with her divorce as she sees her self as being better of without her ex-footballer husband, Chikelu Ileoanusi.

The reason for their breakup is attributed to financial problems as she took charge of putting food on their table which nearly ruined her financially. Our source also revealed that the screen diva found out that all the stories the ex-hubby told her about himself before they got married were all lies.

Encharia Anunobi-Ekwu: Although, she wanted her marriage with Charles Ekwu to last, the ex-hubby had other plans as he depended on the actress for his own welfare and that of the family until he was caught red-handed making love to their 13-years-old house girl.

She made the actress to file a divorce suit. Revealing the reason for the dissolution of the marriage, the actress said, “it has not been easy because I have always been responsible financially in sustaining the marriage, we have been living in the house I secured as a spinster even after marriage because of the love I have for him.”

Clarion Chukwura: She is one actress who has married two husbands but not with any of them today. She has laid the blame for her failed marriages as the prize she has to pay as an artiste.

According to her, she has realised the fact that men come to them because they are stars and move on immediately they realise that artistes are ordinary people.

Chiege Alisigwe: The breakup of the marriage of this top actress is said to be based on extra-marital affairs. The actress, who was married to a UK-based businessman alleged that the man had other relationships, unable to bear it, she came back to Nigeria to continue her life until she met her second husband last year, an Enugu-based police officer.

Shan George:- She first got married as a teenager but left the marriage after giving birth to two boys, she later married a US-based guy, Tony Nwosisi, but she later found out that the man was married to another woman who had given him children at the time of his marriage to Shan, so she decided to quit the marriage for good.

Apart, form these actresses who have suffered broken marriages, there are others who are single and eager to hook a husband by all means, they include Ibinabo Fiberesima, Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, Uche Jumbo, Dakore Egbuson Lilian Bach, etc.

Source: nigeriafilms.com

The minister of communication; Mrs Dora Akunyili certainly tops the list of Nollywood Bashers. Every time she talks about Nigeria’s problem, she is quick to attribute it to Nollywood. All Nigeria’s image problems lies with the fact that we’re making Juju films, she couldn’t be more wrong. In the past few years, Nollywood has produced mostly love stories, I would even welcome a movie bordering on rituals just for a change. Yes we had our session of rituals. It’s the way it works; one person starts a trend, succeeds, everyone else follows till someone else breaks the trend. Hollywood is particularly guilty: They came with NEXT and PREMONITION and DÉJÀ VU etc, and then for a while, the Directors all visited Africa, LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, BLOOD DIAMONDS, CATCH A FIRE etc. Now they’ve all gone surreal: TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE, GAMER, 2012 etc.

Mrs. Akunyili is minister of information, an extremely sensitive position, before she can inform people, she must first be informed. All she needs do is grab a few copies of Nigerian movies from Idumota or sit facing Africa Magic for a few hours and she’d know a bit about Nollywood. It’s a bit embarrassing every time she makes a statement in error. In a recent statement, she blames Nollywood for the movie District 9. She says if we had been making movies about how Nigerians contributed towards ending apartheid, then District 9 may not have been made. Is she for real? The director of District 9: Neil Blomkamp clearly stated that he believes most of the crimes perpetrated in SA are by Nigerians, he’s probably never seen a Nigerian film.

Nigeria’s infamy is from corruption and internet scam, nicknamed yahoo, yahoo. And that’s the image she’s trying to clean, where does Nollywood come into the matter? Only recently, Amnesty International just accused the Nigeria police of extra- judicial killings stating that they ‘kill at will’. Someone will probably blame Nollywood for this development.

Even if we were making juju films as claimed, is this why my green passport is scanned a thousand times by immigration officers outside the country or why the guy in the bus in Germany shifts beside me uncomfortably, clutching his bag tighter. Or why the shop attendant in Dubai immediately becomes more alert when I mention that I am Nigerian. I bet they don’t even know we have a movie industry in Nigeria, all they remember is the number of crimes that have been perpetrated by Nigerians in their country. Why then is Mrs. Akunyili bent on blaming Nollywood? Only months ago, she asked Nollywood to help her rebrand Nigeria, now she turns around to rebrand Nollywood

The minister would do well not to tongue lash the Arts for it is the Arts that has saved Nigeriá’s face and given us global recognition. It is Uwem Akpan’s book that was selected by Oprah for her book Club, Asa who has gained acceptance world wide, I personally heard her on radio Leicester, Femi who has been nominated for the grammies, Chimamanda Adichie who has won several international awards, Lancelot Imasuen who has been featured on CNN and Genevieve Nnaji who was featured on Oprah.

But it is not only the minister that hates Nollywood. There are several websites dedicated to just spew venom on Nigerian movies and particularly at more successful producers. Most members of these sites are Nigerians in the diaspora or more specifically, Nigerians in the United States. Someone summarised their problem as beef(Nigerian English for envy) We succeeded where they couldn’t. We didn’t wait for them to return home with their Harvard or nursing degrees(not sure how nursing would help develop the country), we went ahead and produced an industry out of absolutely nothing. With most of us self-taught, we wrote scripts with candles, powered equipment with generators and made movies that have left the world gaping. How did we do it? Everyone is seeing the opportunities and potentials, except these set of Nigerians. South Africa, realising that winning the Oscar(Tsotsi) is not the all and all, have decided to go Nigeria’s way by creating Jollywood which they say will compete with Nigeria’s Nollywood. Ghana’s Gollywood is also following closely behind with the full support of their Government.

I was invited to a film makers workshop in Berlin based on a Nollywood script. The participants couldn’t believe my script had been shot as a feature film, they all wait for grants, grants that may never come and their dreams will be buried with them but in true Nigerian style, we found a way out without waiting for the Western Messiahs to come lead us right.

Nollywood has given me as a writer, a platform to be heard. I am privileged to write both screenplays and literature, while I enjoy both, in writing literature, my audience is mostly Western and I am forced often to look back to be sure that they are following me as I paint my dear continent black but with Nollywood there’s a freedom to be you.

Nollywood has also contributed towards bringing back the middle class in Nigeria. An average practitioner lives comfortably, travels round the globe, most times without having to pay for tickets.

While this profession will always attract its fair share of criticism, for most of the critics, it’s not aimed at bettering the industry, it’s sheer envy and hatred, they would give their left arms to see it fail so they can continue to feel justified for some of the conditions they live under abroad. Loads of them have tried to do it ‘better’ and few if any have succeeded so far.

While some movies make you cringe, some send you reeling with laughter or with tears. I choose to celebrate those ones.

Apart from Joy Isi Bewaju’s review of Guilty Pleasures and Molara Wood’s review of Figurine, a lot of what you read online is sheer balderdash. Ini Edo’s hair didn’t match her figure or Mercy Johnson should go learn how to kiss. These for movie reviews?

I read several reviews of Clint Eastwood’s ‘Invictus’: Some by critics and some by viewers. It left me with a prayer: Lord send us some intelligent critics in Nollywood. Chikena!

Story by www.nigeriafilms.com

Actress Caroline Johnson, who was down with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (Cancer of the blood), and received overwhelming support before, during and after her operation in India, has died.

The mother of three,who acted as Uju in popular Christian soap ‘Heaven’s Gate’, passed on at 5:30PM yesterday (Wednesday December 16), after suffering a relapse.

Her husband Tony told www.nigeriafilms.com early this morning that his wife was ‘very okay’ until last Saturday when she ’suddenly took ill’.

”It started again on Saturday. By Sunday she was unconscious. We had taken her to the hospital (St Mary’s hospital in Omole, Lagos) where she was transfused and revived”

”She was bleeding from her mouth and nose and under the skin” Mr Johnson told www.nigeriafilms.com.

Caroline was placed on artificial Oxygen.

By Tuesday she got really better, her husband says. ”They were planning to discharge her on Thursday (today), and i even told her i’ll get her a wheelchair so we can go to the Redemption Camp”.

”Unfortunately, she broke down again on Wednesday morning”.

”She was tired”, Tony says, telling www.nigeriafilms.com that her last statement was: ”I have finished the Book”.

Before leaving for India, Caroline Johnson went through endless chemotherapy and blood transfusions at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

Her illness was diagnosed in October 2008 – she was at the time, five months pregnant with her third child (whom she gave birth to, prematurely, on December 17, 2008).

She is survived by her husband Tony (they were married for seven years), and their three kids: Omolayo, Imisioluwa and Oluwatise (who clocks 1 today)

The late Caroline attended Ifako International Secondary School in Lagos and studied Mass Communication at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State.

Story by www.nigeriafilms.com

Former Ewi exponent, Mr. Sesan Adewusi a.k.a. Tantolorun, has assured members of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), that there shall be no mysterious deaths in their fold in 2010.

Speaking against the backdrop of an alleged prophecy that death will reign supreme among ANTP members in 2010 by a Lagos pastor, Adewusi, also popularly known as Baba Oloyin Original, said the prediction was aimed at causing confusion and making members to run helter skelter to the pastor’s church.

He recalled that a popular prophet has been advising the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, to pray for his health since the monarch ascended the throne in 1980, but in the contrary, the monarch has continued to wax stronger.

“If any prophet wants to use fake prophecy to attract undue publicity in order to gain more members, he is free to buy advert space in any of the newspapers in the country. I like to assure ANTP members that the same prophet once failed, when he targeted fuji musicians,” Adewusi stated in a statement issued from his Iyesi, Ota, Ogun State office.

He said juju music maestro turned evangelist, Dr. Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, once waxed a record for a prophet, who was predicting doom for juju musicians, saying it was back to the sender.

Adewusi posited that the motive behind these fake prophecies was to ensure that theatre arts practitioners rushed en masse to his church for spiritual help and that the prediction of doom was meant to scare ANTP members into submission, fear and subsequently, do such pastor’s bidding.

He noted that the incessant auto crash incidents involving theatre arts practitioners could be traced to their cars, especially sport utility vehicles (SUV) that most of them now ride.

He advised them to read Psalm 140 and pray regularly.

Story by http://nigeriafilms.com

1. Every problem you have is spiritual.
reply: not just Nollywood movies, even in Church. Everywhere. Its like this: you have a headache, and the situation becomes a spiritual attack.

2. In every romance movie, someone must die.
reply: sometimes I wonder what kind of fairy tales Nigerian movie producers /script writers read.

3. It is possible to hit a person without actually touching them!
reply: that one na Jaz ba?

4. Anyone who gets hit by a car dies immediately.
reply: even though the car is going slow-motion. Worse, camera men even film car tires.

5. Poisoned food always tastes better. reply: always

6. The best way to make money is by visiting a 'Babalawo' / joining a cult / sleeping with rich men.
reply: sleeping with rich women nko? There is nothing like hardwork + persistence in Nollywood.

7. One of a pair of twins (identical or not) is born evil…reply: between drama and horror movies, which is which?

8. There is never an end to your suffering, except death! reply: Now Your Suffering Continues

9. With a pastor … all things are possible.
reply: The easiest profession in Nigeria is armed robbery or Pastorship.

10. A movie can be titled anything… such as:
*The boy is mine,
* Face me, I face you
*Two rats,
*Spanner,
*Calculator,

reply: the title usually explains everything. In fact, after seeing the CD cover, you don't need to buy the movie. Add the title and the CD cover together and you have watched a Nigerian movie.

11… You are in love… you want to take your girl out, the best place
you take her to is…
*Mr. Biggs/Tantalizers: where you'll most probably see an ex while
feeding each other.
*The beach: where it is imperative that you ride a donkey and carry her playfully.
*Or the best: take her to buy some new ugly clothes.

reply: there are usually not more than 5 people inside Biggs/Tantalizers, and the ex is always sitting prominently. Talking of buying clothes, usually I might just fast forward. I cant imagine 20minutes of film inside a shop – when its not a bad-guy hostage situation.

12. An Igbo movie has been made if:
* You visit a Babalawo
* A fleet of cars is shown off at regular intervals for a total of half
of the movie time.
* Kanayo 'O' Kanayo is in the movie. Pete Edochie is there too!
* To get rich it is mandatory you join a cult .

13. Sometimes the title has absolutely nothing to do with the movie and other times, once you read the title and see the poster you know it all!!! (Also the soundtrack gives you a headache because it just narrates the whole story repeatedly – so much for suspense and intrigue!)
reply: this makes me wonder what the Nollywood stakeholders are really up to. Have you watched a Nigerian movie and you ended up asking yourself if the movie was ever reviewed? if any other person apart from the actors / directors have watched the movie before its released to the public?

14. A love story has not been produced if it does not have one or two of the following actresses-
* Stella Damascus
* Stephanie Okereke
* Genevieve Nnaji
* Omotola Jalade
* Rita Dominic

reply: and worse, its the usual story lines

15. The police are extremely 'efficient' unlike their counterparts in real life.
reply: not only are the Police extra-efficient in films, their uniform is always new and ironed.

16. It is permissible to wear very dark shades at night!
reply: dark shades at night, sweaters in broad daylight / Nigerian weather?

17. When you are shot in the chest, it really doesn't matter;your head will be bandaged! Same for your legs!
reply: its like this: someone is shot in the head, and the next thing is a hospital scene where the persons legs are in a POP cast

18. When advertising a movie, you really should shout because… people are deaf?
reply: worse, they plaster a bus with posters and start driving around town.

19.. When you are extremely poor, you will still be able to afford-a
beautiful house, very good furniture, T.V., nice clothes, but you won't be able to send your kids to school.
reply: and then junior will come and ask mommy, 'you mean we don't have food in the house'?

20. Most especially in Yoruba movies, your gateman must be inefficient and comical. He MUST dress like a freak, be rude to all your visitors and never mind his business.
reply: and this idea of bowing down to everybody? even to strangers?

21. At the end of a three-hour movie you'll be reminded that THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING…WATCH OUT FOR PART 2!
reply: not just 'watch out', its 'stay tuned'

22. An actor announces his death as he slowly dies- “You killed me” “I'm dying” “I'm dead”
reply: and then he dies.

23. In a case where a person is on his death bed, he/she must cough till they die.
reply: wahala dey for Nigeria o.

24. Every ghost must wear a white cloth and have powder unevenly distributed on their face.
reply: which makes me to wonder whats the difference between angels and ghosts. One's the good guy and the other's the bad guy.

25. No matter the type of movie…TO GOD BE THE GLORY….
reply: even if na juju fill the movie, its still To God be the Glory.

DISCLAIMER- no hard feelings abeg..

Story by http://nigeriafilms.com