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Showing posts from June 14, 2015

Yabatech messy crises update

The bursar of the Yaba College of Technology, Olu Ibirogba, who’s currently on suspension, has accused the school’s rector, Dr Kudirat Margaret Ladipo, of large scale fraud, economic and financial misappropriation. In a letter written by his lawyer, Frank Eke & Co, to the President, Muhammadu Buhari, and the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Ibirogba said that pursuant to the provision of Section 38 of the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Act, 2004, he sees it as his duty to bring to the attention of the government the misappropriations. According to the letter, Ibirogba has sufficient information regarding the extent, audacity and temerity with impunity to which the alleged crimes have been perpetrated, to the extent that the rector has allegedly embezzled not less than N2bn in the last five years. Concludingly, the letter pleaded that “Your Excellency, we enjoin you most pleadingly to direct the appropriate anti-graft agency as well as the federal Ministry of

Moelogo asks a big question

On the back of the success of his single, My Sweetie, which was championed and playlisted by MTV UK, BBC 1Xtra, Bang Radio and Channel AKA among other tastemakers, Island Records afrobeats star and recently announced 2015 NEA nominee, Moelogo, is proud to debut his brand new single, Do You Love Me, as premiered on Beat FM, BBC 1Xtra and Capital Xtra. Produced by prolific hitmaker, Maleek Berry, DYLM is an infectious jam tailor made for the summertime. Laced with a melodious bassline, lush drum patterns and Berry’s trademark keyboard arrangements, this record sees Moelogo beautifully showcasing his buttery smooth and captivating vocals, with the lyrical dexterity to match, as he lays it all down for his leading lady. With a string of back-to-back-to-back hits already below his belt, from his breakthrough hit Pangolo to the instant classic The Baddest featuring renowned British rapper Giggs, to last year’s fan favourite, My Sweetie, Moelogo’s recent nomination, by the NEA for Diaspora Ar

Janelia explains absence … I’m battling intimate personal attacks

Promising music artist, Janelia, whose songs, Sexy Nana and Bakassi, are doing relatively well, has explained why she has been silent for some time now. According to her: “Sorry you have not heard from me in a while. I have been focused on composing and recording songs for my new EP album and just finished working on it a couple of weeks ago. “It’s titled Triumph, after the first song on the album, and I decided to name it Triumph because despite several setbacks in my music career and personal attacks from those even closest to me, by the special grace of the Almighty God, I always scale through with flying colours and triumph over the enemies. (Shame on them. Lol.)” Continuing, she said, “The song, Triumph, continues to encourage and minister to me almost as though it was not I who wrote it but a force greater than me speaking through me. One day in our home studio, after Femi Sanya and I had finished mixing the song and we were getting ready to send it off to my publisher for mast

Nizzy and Omeiza entice Rashida

Not waiting for the dust to settle on his recently released No Way which is currently on heavy rotation on BBC 1Xtra, MTV Base Africa, SoundCity TV, Wazobia FM, Hip TV, and Bang Radio among leading afrobeats radio and TV tastemakers, UK-based Nigerian afropop/afrobeats artist and musician Nizzy, has dropped a new single, Rashida. Taken from his forthcoming debut mixtape, The Accurate Volume 1.0, Rashida is produced by Omeiza who has previously worked with the likes of Wande Coal, Ezi Emela and Dizzy VC. And on Rashida, Nizzy goes really lyrically about his lady love, singing that “for the street, na me the leader, but for mi house, na you be my teacher.” Excellently fusing together the best of afrobeats and dancehall music, Nizzy and Omeiza have come together beautifully on this monster record, following their first working collaboration on Dizzy VC’s 2014 hit song, Ashewo, which featured Nizzy and was produced by Omeiza, and both of them take it up a real notch with Rashida.

Seyi Shay begs for votes

Top Nigerian songstress Seyi Shay has picked up two nominations at the MAMAs 2015 happening in South Africa next month. The Jangilover crooner has been nominated in two major categories, best female, and video of the year for her single with Wizkid, Crazy. Shay finally receives global and continental recognition as she makes headway in African music’s biggest night for the first time with nominations in two major categories. She also gets to rub shoulders with the biggest names in African music; the likes of Wizkid, Davido, Diamond Platnumz, Mi Casa, Sauti Soul and Uhuru who will all be in attendance hoping to pick up a win in their different nominated categories. Shay has been pitched against Davido, Riki Rick, Bebe Cool and Prime Circle for the video of the year award and she tussle with Yemi Alade, Bucie, Vanessa Mdee and Busiswa for the best female award. Immediately after the nominations were announced, Shay reacted thus: "I thank the Almighty God for this platform to expr

Mo Abudu snags Jega

TV talk girl, Mo Abudu, has taken another major step in her career as a TV host, producer and executive by snagging Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega for his first interview since his retirement as Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The invitation-only event holds on Saturday, June 20th with some of Nigeria’s best and brightest professionals in a conversation tagged Afternoon Tea with Professor Attahiru Jega. Nigerians will remember Jega for his full and unrivalled commitment to free and fair elections during the just concluded 2015 General Elections. Abudu will anchor the conversation in which invited guests are encouraged to come with one out-of-the-box, beyond-the-usual question for the respected Professor. All Nigerians are invited to participate in the conversation by tuning into Abudu’s EbonyLife TV at 12.30pm.

Onyeka Nwelue defends Linda ikeji

Linda Ikeji is the most powerful blogger in Africa. And the richest! While this may not be earth-shattering breaking news, as most of us already know or at least probably have an idea about, it is still heart-warming to know that a regular Nigerian girl (yes, she is quite regular) can drag herself from virtually nothing to reach the apex of the blogosphere. It is a truly inspiring tale of rags to riches. It is also not news that a lot of people dislike Linda Ikeji. They read her blog, they swear by the Gospel of Linda Ikeji Blog, but they dislike her. They dislike her under the usual banner of “there is nothing this person is doing that should make her better than I am.” But she is better than most people because she is different from most people. Linda Ikeji is not some air-headed young lady that leisurely eavesdrops on conversations of the celebrities and the upper class and then shares it with the internet. Linda Ikeji takes blogging more seriously than some medical doctors take me

Olu Maintain seeks music salvation … hopes 2face magic will rub off on him … Victor Uwaifo's too

It’s no longer news that since the unprecedented success of his monster hit, Yahoozee, Olu Maintain has been struggling to record another hit track. Though he’s released several songs and even big budget music videos since Yahoozee, he’s still floundering. Right now, though, he has released another song, Cinderella, and he featured 2face on it, obviously hoping that 2face’s magic touch will rub off on it to make it successful. And taking extra precaution, he sampled past highlife hits by great musicians that include Victor Uwaifo on it as well. So will Cinderella ride, fly to success based on Olu’s strategy of featuring and copying truly successful musicians.

BET Africa award generates debate

The nominees of one of the most-sought-after awards for African musicians have been announced. The award itself is the best international act, Africa category, of the Black Entertainment Television Awards which holds in America, and African musicians are falling over themselves trying to win the category because they believe it bestows true international prestige on them. So far, D’Banj and 2face, Wizkid and Sarkodie, Ice Prince and Davido can lay claim to have won it since 2011, with D’Banja and 2face co-winners, Wizkid and Sarkodie joint winners as well, and Ice Prince and Davido solo winners. Davido won it last year and this year, those nominated are Wizkid and Yemi Alade representing Nigeria, Stone Bwoy and Sarkodie representing Ghana, AKA and The Soil representing South Africa, Sauti Sol for Kenya and Fally Ipupa for DR Congo. The nominees’ identities have of course led to a lot of debates. Will it be a Nigerian musician winning again or will it be Wizkid and Sarkodie co-winning

Project Fame West Africa auditions begin with major innovation

The award-winning music talent discovery and grooming competition, MTN Project Fame West Africa, is back for an eighth straight season. Looking for raw talents, the annual show will commence auditions on today in some of West Africa’s major cities and rest the auditions in Lagos on July 3rd and 4th. This year, thousands of young talents will fight to get into the prestigious Project Fame Academy, where superstars are made, to be tutored by the best in the music and entertainment industry. For this season, a major innovation that encourages participation from the comfort of one’s home has been introduced. According to Olumide Akinlabi, spokesperson of Ultima Limited, producer of the show, aspiring contestants can simply “dial 5900 from their mobile phone (MTN Line Only) and follow the voice prompt to record their audio audition for 45 seconds.” Akinlabi stated that after this, the applicant will receive a notification PIN number within 24 hours, which will be used to register online.

Love is the answer to Nigeria's problems -Imanse

Imanse is one of the many Nigerians who’ve returned to the country from their overseas bases to fit back into Nigeria’s sectors. In Imanse’s case, music is the sector she’s trying to make headway in, and she told OSEYIZA OOGBODO BLOG that she will rule the music industry in the nearest future. What’s the focus of your music? My focus is on love. You know they say ‘love is the greatest,’ ‘love makes the world go round’ and all that. Well, love seems to cover everything. Within its context, you will find everything else. Love for family, friends of both sexes, God, country and other people. It’s not just portraying or lamenting about what is going on in the society that’s important, but also what we can do about it and I think love is the answer. Love is a verb. It’s proactive. At what point did you decide to take up music? It was way before I actually did. I thought about it and talked about it for like three years but I couldn’t work up the courage to do it. It took me time to find