Amstel Malta has been leveraging on the Nigerian movie industry,Nollywood for the past three years.The partnership christened Amstel Malta Box Office(AMBO)is being used to produce talents that will drive growth of the Nigerian movie industry. Flagged off in 2005,AMBO,the sponsorship platform offers an abundance of nourishment and refreshment to the consumer through unrestricted,healthier access to essential vitamins and minerals facilitated by its low sugar content and 33cl bottle size. Consequently,the sponsorship platform of the brand must express these attributes in an engaging and interactive way with the brand's target audience which is the young, the not so young and the young at heart.Nollywood,the soubriquet for the Nigerian movie industry is therefore the platform of choice for the brand which was recently re launched.
Twenty Nollywood wannabes may just be tempting fate as they await the verdict of the judges on November 16, when the final 10 contestants for the third edition of the Amstel Malta Box Office,AMBO3 would be picked.The twenty who emerged from 110 shortlisted from regional screenings across the country were selected from the over twenty thousand entries received for AMBO3 across the country.
The regional screening which just concluded witnessed a parade of beauty and brains as millions of youths with hopes of making a career in Nollywood,Nigeria's thriving movie industry thronged the audition venues.Auditions held within the last months in Abuja,Jos,Benin,Enugu and Lagos have produced some budding talents that would compete for a space in the Amstel House which opens in Lagos this November.
Final audition is expected to hold early this month from where a total of ten will battle for a spot in the top 20 at a fabulous opening night to be held at Ocean View Restaurant tomorrow.
Buxomy Nollywood actress is one of Nollywood most verstile character.The third child of a family of six,her family hails from Oyo State and her mother is from Edo State. Bimbo Akintola is not a run-of-the-mill actress,having distinguished herself in the profession.She attended Maryland Private Primary School and Command Day Secondary School,both in Lagos.After which she did a diploma course in Theater Arts at the University of Ibadan and followed it up with a Bachelor's degree.
Bimbo fell in love with music earlier in her life but acting career took off while on campus.A friend of hers, named Bassey Okon asked her if she was interested in playing a certain role in Lola Fani-Kayode's upcoming TV series Family Ties to which she was affirmative.They together came down to Lagos to meet Lola and she was given the role.Incidentally, her first movie role was facilitated by Niyi Wuraola who was a crew member of Family Ties. Niyi later told Tade Ogidan about Bimbo's skill in interpreting roles.So,when it was time for him to shoot Owo Blow,he invited her for audition and she got a role.And from 1995,when Owo Blow was shot till date,Bimbo has featured in some of the best movies produced in the country.They include The Gardener,Back to Life, Ogede Didun,Diamond Ring,The Mourning After,Temi Ni Tooto and Out of Bounds which shot her into the limelight.
Bimbo is often described as being weird because of the kind of roles she's given to play and her past relationship with Afrobeat artiste,Dele Mabiaku.The 'kiss and tell' attitude of her past lovers who would rather expose her secret habits has also not helped matter.THe seductive actress loves wearing casuals especially jeans and T-shirts and doesn't give a hoot about that.She think she's nice,caring and principled.She is also outgoing and loves meeting people.
Bimbo funny enough doesn't see herself doing any other thing aside acting and that explains why she's giving it her best.she's one of the best actresses around.Despite the fact that she considers her Yoruba as not fluent,she has featured in movies done in either Yoruba or English.Her kind of man must be nice,loving and appreciative of her and everybody else.He must look good enough.Bimbo, aside reading also loves dancing and singing.
The 12th Afro-Hollywood Movie Awards held in London have gone but the memories will continue to linger in the hearts of our Nollywood stars who were warmly received during the award.Apart from being the cynosure of all eyes on their arrival at the London Heathrow Airport,they were highly distinguished during the award ceremony as they bagged most of the awards for excellence.
They were lodged in a very comfortable and spacious apartment throughout their stay.Grace Amah and Funke Akindele were the cooks of the house,having catered for their colleagues’s welfare and the talented and award-winning movie producer,Yomi Fabiyi also acted as the house coordinator,having travelled to the place just to cheer his colleagues who had been nominated for various awards.
The high point of the event was when organisers of the award introduced Fabiyi and requested for a standing ovation in honour of the dude among the thousands of guests.They saluted his courage and good conscience to have come to cheer his colleagues despite omiting his name in the award-winners’ list.They also hailed him for a recent script conference and critique session he organised for his upcoming movie,Pajawiri.
The organisers of the Afro-Hollywood Award also showered encomiums on the Nigerian stars for emerging as the best in Africa and for striving to move up from the third best position which they currently occupy in the world.Some of the stars who were honoured with awards at the event include Clem Ohameze Fred Aseruma,Iyabo Ojo,Ayo Badmus,Funke Akindele,Emem Isong,Grace Amah,Remi Surutu and Aisha Ibrahim (Omoge Campus)among others.
Fabiyi on arrival in the country with some of his colleagues said:“I am happy that although I was not nominated for any award,I got a special recognition which clearly shows that someday,I will bag the Afro-Hollywood Award.”He also bagged an excellence award at the third SOCOM award held in Lagos while he was away in London.
Star actress, Ini Edo had a superlative engagement in Dubai a couple of weeks back thus shutting up her detractors who have been carrying ugly rumours that she cannot settle down in a man’s house due to all kinds of nasty stories written about her in the media when the news of her engagement was regaled to them.She got engaged to her heartthrob,Philip in far away United Arab Emirate,Dubai last month.
The Superlative wedding engagement was impressive in arrangement as everything was in excess-food,drinks etc.Ini jetted out of the country on the 9th of October to Dubai via Emirate Airline in preparation for the engagement and didn’t return to the country until late October brandishing her engagement ring to those who care to see.
Meanwhile,the versatile and hottest Nollywood actress seems to have been enjoying her affair with this United State of America based businessman who has just won the her heart.When contacted,she confirmed the engagement but said she was not going to comment further about it until the proper wedding, which will holds before the first quarter of next year.
Most of Ini Edo’s friends amongst who are the most sought after Nollywood actress, Uche Elendu, Ego Okoye to mention but just a few are very happy about the new development in their friend’s life.Mr. Philip is from Benin in Edo State of Nigeria.
Last Thursday was a day of horrible memories for many artistes,they buried one of ther own-Joe Adekwagh (full names Joseph Terhemba Adekwagh),one of Nigeria's roundly talented and affable actors died suddenly in prime action.Excerpts from a release issued by the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN)where he worked until death reads: "our valuable staff and prolific artiste Adekwagh slumped while serving as masters of ceremonies at the 40th year on stage event of the veteran actor,poet and essayist,Lari Williams.The actor of immense credit and show host died after attempt to revive him at a clinic in Surulere,(Lagos)where he was rushed to after he slumped at the Lari Williams event held at the Cinema Hall 1 of the National Theatre.
"Aged 44,born on February 18,1963, Adekwagh is a native of Konshisha Local Government of Benue State. He was initially recruited in September 1989 as an artiste to form the nucleus of the then Hubert Ogunde led National Troupe of Nigeria.He continued as an artiste until in 1999 when his contract with the National Troupe lapsed. In 2001, Adekwagh was formally employed into the National Troupe, this time as a tenure staff.He was designated Assistant Stage Manager but he was always available to perform each time the National Troupe had a production that required his robust talent."
Married,Adekwagh who was at a time vice Chairman and later Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP)leaves behind two sons,Desmond and Mohammed.May his soul rest in perfect peace.
The countdown has started for the maiden edition of Nollywood Outstanding Personalities Award[NOPA]slated for December6,2007 at Muson Centre,Lagos.NOPA is being organized by the National Association of Movie Journalists [NAMOJ],an umbrella union of reporters covering the Movie industry in print and electronic media and is designed to honour institutions,ideas,and personalities that have contributed immensely in establishing the structure called Nollywood.
NOPA is going to be an annual event.For this year’s event,20 individuals and organizations whose contributions to the growth of the industry is outstanding will be honoured.A committee has been set up to critically access the roles of the individuals and organizations penciled down as recipients.It will be based on merit or legacies the individuals have managed to achieve in their endeavours in Nollywood.Nollywood practitioners have been applauding the idea and even happy that movie journalists are the ones organising such event and sice they have what it takes to judge the contributions of people in Nollywood.
While preparations are in top gear for the event, all the guild heads and bosses of major product outfits have also signaled interest to partner with the association [NAMOJ] to make it a success.Top among the corporate organizations supporting Nollywood Outstanding Personalities Award includes; Lagos International Film Festival [LIFF], Central Logistics and Support Services [CLSS] KECH Productions, White Angels Communications, Proclaim International.
Although she became an actress by chance,Fathia Balogun is today one of the most versatile artistes in Nollywood.Bold, beautiful and confident,the fair-complexioned actress hails from Delta State but was born and raised in Lagos.Her full name is Fathia Adunni Korede Balogun. She attended Olufunmilayo Nursery and Primary School, Maryland Primary School,Maryland Comprehensive High School,after which she studied at Kwara State Polytechnic.She is the first child of the family,a strong Catholic.Her father is an ex-soldier andher mother is a petty trader.She is in her thirties.Married to Yoruba movie whizkid Saidi Balogun though currently seperated.
Fathia was introduced into acting by her uncle Alhaji Fatai Teniola who asked her to stand in for an actress that failed to show up.It all started in the early 1990s,the other actor who encouraged her was Kokonsari.Both of them encouraged her to go into acting in 1991.She just came home from school (Polytechnic) on a particular day and her uncle,a producer was shooting a movie and he wanted somebody to play the role of a secretary.A lady was given that role but she was not around at that time but they had to continue the shooting.So,he urged her to play the role but she said she was not interested because in those days they use to think that acting was just for illiterates.Her uncle insisted that she should take that part role and go.Then Kokonsari and Dele Odule briefed her on the role and that was how it all started.
Aside acting,she sing too but don’t sing for money and can dance.She love buying and selling a lot,so has a mini-super market and a video club.
When Nigeria movies and its stakeholders are busy celebrating its growth and escapades,strong indications are that this current celebration of Nollywood,the Nigerian movie industry as the third largest and fastest growing movie industry in the world after Hollywood and Bollywood will soon be a thing of the past considering the latest discovery that a website operated by a certain Devace Nigeria,an arm of Devace Inc.USA and indeed several other websites show the latest Nollywood films free of charge even before their release in Nigeria to those who want to watch them.
All you need to get into any film of your choice is just a click away.And it is on a full TV window which could be dubbed by any one who cares.When attention was called to the new development,it was very difficult to believe that such a thing exists now that movie makers of Nigerian stock are seeking alternative ways of turning around the fortunes of the industry especially in the area of quality production and distribution.
Dealers on Nigerian films in Europe also notice that their business falling as latest consignments of their movies remain stuck in their shops.According to them,their shop that use to be filled to the brim by those who want to enjoy the show but the story is different now.Before now more than 1000 visitors come into their shops asking for Nigerian movies but the number started dwindling and that was when they realise something is amiss.When they gotto know of the site they were shocked to the marrows.Their appeal is for Nigerian government to do something drastic about this before their only means of cultural imperialism dies an unnatural death.
Findings exposes the fact that it may be in a bid to outsell each other and of course discover new marketing out lets in an industry that lacks better organisation for production and distribution that Nollywood marketers make these films available to the organizers of the website who make millions of Naira, dollars and Euro in the process because any click on the Google advert links on the pages yield so much for the hosts or organizers of the website.
They want the Federal Ministry of Information,Culture and Tourism,National Orientation Agency,Nigerian Film Corporation,The National Film and Video Censors Board and of course the EFCC to set up an investigation to stop the nonsense.
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