Saturday, June 13, 2015
Lil Kesh, Kiss Daniel Battles Korede Bello, CDQ As Nigerian Entertainment Awards Return
This term, raves of the moment Lil Kesh, Kiss Daniel and Korede Bello would be slugging it out against Falz, CDQ and Di'ja for the 'Best New Act To Watch' while Olamide and Phyno comes head to head against one another in the 'Indigenous Artist of the Year' category which also has Pasuma, Flavour, Mc Galaxy and Jaywon as contenders.
As expected Davido and Wizkid leads the nominations' list as the count down begin for the much anticipated awards.
Asides music, the award also has other categories for Nollywood, radio and all aspects of entertainment with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Hakeem Kae-Kassim, Joke Silver, Odun Adekola, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi nominated in different categories.
See full list of nominees below...
Hottest Single of the Year
Woju – Kiss Daniel
Shoki Remix – Lil Kesh, Olamide, Davido
Godwin – Korede Bello
Shake Body – Skales
Dorobucci – Mavins
Ojuelegba – Wizkid
Best New Act to Watch
Lil Kesh
Dija
CDQ
Kiss Daniel
Ayojay
Falz
Korede Bello
Gospel Artist of the year
Obiwon
Eben
Tope Alabi
Nathaniel Bassey
Psalm Ebube
Onos Ariyo
Flo
Indigenous Artist of the Year
Olamide
Pasuma
Phyno
Flavour
MC Galaxy
Jaywon
Best R&B Artist of the Year
Banky W
Seyi Shay
Chidinma
Timi Dakolo
Praiz
Shaydee
Best Pop Artist of the Year
Sean Tizzle
Presh
Davido
Wizkid
Runtown
Burna Boy
Female Artist of the Year
Yemi Alade
Aramide
Seyi Shay
Cynthia Morgan
Dija
Eva
Male Artist of the Year
Olamide
Skales
Flavour
Davido
Wizkid
Patoranking
Best Rap Act of the Year
Olamide
Reminisce
Ice Prince
Phyno
Falz
M.I
Music Producer of the Year
Pheelz
Shizzi
Legendary Beatz
Young John
DJ Coublon
T Spize
Best Music Video of the Year (Director)
Ibadan (QDot ft Olamide) By HG2 Films
Condo (Ycee ft. Patoranking) – Clarence Peters
Shugga (Eva) – WOLTRK Ent & Radioactiiv
Onye (Waje ft. Tiwa Savage) – Kemi Adetiba
Aww – (Dija) – Unlimited LA
Crazy (Seyi Shay) – Meji Alabi & JM Films
Best Collabo of the Year
Indomie Remix – MasterKraft, CDQ, Davido
Shoki – Davido & Olamide
Badgirl Remix – Mr. 2kay, Seyi Shay & Cynthia Morgan
Collabo – Psquare ft Don Jazzy
Condo – Ycee ft Patoranking
Marry Me – Falz Ft. Yemi Alade
Most Promising Act to Watch
Danagog
Niniola
Tjan
Tonye
Pere Carter
Simi
Sunkanmi
TeeGee Da Unsual
Diaspora Artist of the Year
Bils – USA
Jay Cube – USA
Emmy Gee (SA)
Moelogo (UK)
Stylzz – USA
Lioness (UK)
African Artist of the Year (Non-Nigerian)
Eddie Kenzo
Diamond Platinum
SAUTI SOL
Sarkodie
Stoneboy
AKA
Mzvee
Male Disc Jockey of the Year
DJ Spinall – Nigeria
DJ Xclusive – Nigeria
DJ KAYWISE – Nigeria
Dj Neptune – Nigeria
DJ Kenny – ABJ
DJ Tunez – New York
DJ LEGEND – Nigeria
DJ Magic Flowz – Canada
Female Disc Jockey of the Year
DJ Fizzie – Nigeria
DJ Cuppy – Nigeria
DJ Soupamodel – USA
DJ Lambo – Nigeria
Dj Nana – Nigeria
Album of the Year
Baba Hafusa – Reminisce
Thankful – Flavour
Street OT – Olamide
King of Queens – Yemi Alade
AYO – Wizkid
Rich & Famous – Praz
Afrobeat Artist of the Year
Lagbaja
Femi Kuti
Seun Kuti
2face
Tony Oladipo Allen
Ara
Best Dance/Live Performance
MC Galaxy
Yemi Alade
Psquare
Omawumi
Wizkid
Olamide
Record Executive of the Year
Emperor Geezy – GworldWide
Tobi Sanni – State of Mind Ent
Howie T – Baseline
Ossy – Achievas
JP – One Nation Records
Mr. Dilly – Eric Manny
OAP of the Year
Gbemi – Beat FM
Tisan Bako – Raypower
Osi Dirisu – BeatFM
Ajebo – Naija FM
Dotun – Cool FM
Omalicha – Rhythm FM
Entertainment Personality of the year
Olisa Adibua
Toyin Lawani
Dbanj
Emmanuel Ikubese
Ehis
Jimmie
Entertainment TV Programme of the Year
Shugga
Return of Jennifer
Gidi Up
Tinsel
Who Wants to be a Millionaire
Project Fame West Africa
Comedy Act of the Year
Helen Paul
Akpororo
Ushbebe
Bovi
Emieka Smith
Still Ringing
Actor of the Year (Nollywood)
Kunle Afolayan (October 1st)
Wole Ojo (Brave)
O.C Ukeje (Secret Room)
Yakubu Mohammed (Dark Closet
Femi Jacobs (The Meeting)
Gabriel Afolayan (Antique)
Actress of the Year (Nollywood)
Rita Dominic (The Meeting)
Weruche Opia (When Love Happens)
Linda Ojiofor (Secret Room)
Ruth Kadiri (Matter Arising)
Joke Silva (Folly)
Kehinde Bankole (October 1)
Film of the Year – Producer (Nollywood)
Invasion 1897
October 1st
Secret Room
Verdict
Antique
The Meeting
Film Director of the Year (Nollywood)
Eneaji Chris (Secret Room)
October 1 (Kunle Afolayan)
The Meeting (Mildred Okwo)
Antique (DJ Tee & Darasen Richards)
Stanlee Ohikhuare (Verdict)
Adeleke Dolapo (Brave)
Actor of the Year (Indigenous Films)
Zubby Micheal
Ibikunle Oladipo
Jide Kosoko
Adekola Odunlade
Yakubu Mohammed
Actress of the Year (Indigenous Films)
Aborisade Abisola (Temiloluwa ATM)
Faithia Balogun (Iya Alalake)
Halima Fatete (Har da Mijina)
Onyekachukwu Okeke (Olanma)
Ariyike Akinyanju- (Eyinju Eledumare)
Toyin Aimakhu-Johnson (Alakada)
Film Director of the Year (Indigenous Films)
Olanrewaju Abiodun
Blessing Adejumo
Amechi Ukeje
Niji Akanni
Okey Zubelu
Ugezu j Ugezu
Obi Emelonye
Film of the Year – Producer (Indigenous Films)
Ibaje
Wazo
Eyinju Eledumare
Alakada
Har da Mijina
Onye Ozi
Actor of the Year (Africa)
Majid Michel (Knocking on Heavens Doors)
Adjetey Anang (Devils in the Details)
Gerald Langiri (Fundi-Mentals)
James Gardiner – Shattered Romance
Actress of the Year (Africa)
Terry Pheto
Joselyn Dumas
Sonia Ibrahim
Lydia Forson
Okawa Shaznay
Film of the Year – Producer (Africa)
Shattered Romance
FAR
Devil in the Details
A Letter from Adam
Fundi-Mentals
Film Director of the Year (Africa)
Shirley Frimpong-Manso
Eddie Nartey
Gilbert Agbor
Sam Kessie
Alex Konstantaras
Actor of the Year (Nigeria in Hollywood)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
David Oyelowo
Hakeem Kae Kazeem
Gbenga Akinnagbe
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Actress of the Year (Nigeria in Hollywood)
Carmen Ejogo
Caroline Chikezie
Enuka Okuma
Adepero Oduye
Joblessness! Three Men Trekking To Honour Former VP @atiku Abubakar Stranded In Yola
Three men, who trekked to Yola in honour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, are now stranded in Yola.
The men, Salihu Jibrin, Aliyu Adamu and Abubakar Suleiman, who spoke to newsmen on Saturday in Yola, said since their arrival, they have been unable to see their mentor, Atiku.
They said all they needed was to see Atiku or his representatives to deliver their messages and go back to their various destinations.
"I trekked for 38 days all the way from Lagos to Yola to see Atiku in view of his role over APC's victory in the general election but up till now I hAve been unable to see him.
"I am now stranded with no money to go back; at times I sleep in motor parks or squat with good Samaritans," Jibrin said.
Adamu, who rode on a bicycle from Kaduna to Yola, said he spent eight days on the way.
"I want to thank the Secretary, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Adamawa Council, Mr. Baba Zare, who had been assisting me since arrival to cope with the difficult situation I found myself.
"I want to meet Atiku before finding my way back to Kaduna," Adamu said.
On his part, Suleiman, who trekked from Shelleng town, Adamawa, to Yola said he had been squatting from one relation to the other while waiting for an opportunity to see Atiku before going back home.
Gbese Re o! Man Trekking For President Buhari Goes Missing...he has been missing since May
A statement from the Command's spokesperson, DSP Haruna Mohammed, says:
"On the 3/6/2015 at about 11:15am, one Muhammadu Hussaini, male, of Dass town, reported at Dass Divisional Police Headquarters, that on 15/5/2015 at about 6.00am, his son, one Nuruddeen Maimako, male and 38 years, left Dass on Foot Solidarity to attend the swearing in ceremony of President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
"Since then, his whereabouts is not known and all efforts made to locate him proved abortive.
"The last contact he (father) had with Maimako was when he (son) informed them that he was in Jos, Plateau State.
"Particulars of the son are: 1.50 metres tall, Jarawa by tribe, light in complexion and speaks English and Hausa fluently.
Anyone with useful information should please contact the nearest Police Station or his father through GSM no 07051789119" the statement reads.
GTBank MASTERS CUP SEASON 4: QUEENS COLLEGE, St GREGORY THROUGH TO FINALS
It started on a high note when barely three minutes into the match, Ariori Dolapo scored the first goal and later scored two more goals into the match to get a hat trick. At the eleventh minute, Dolapo input her second goal and by this time the Queens College dominated the field of play against Ansar-ud Deen girls. The third goal came in the second half from Adeleke Adefunke. However, this did not stop the winning team from resting on their evident victory. Ariola Dolapo got his hat trick when she sealed their triumph with a fourth goal.
It all looked like the game will go into penalties but a last minute effort from the Obalende boys saw Frank Okafor scoring at the stroke of regulation time to give St. Gregory's College the GTBank Masters Cup Finals ticket for the second time in two years.
The Masters Cup which was formerly known as The Heritage Cup was formed for first generation heritage schools and private schools. It has also become a football championship for the secondary school participants as it serves as a platform for the healthy sportsmanship and ultimately discovers raw football talents by scout agents.
The second group of semi finalists will play on Saturday June 13th 2015 as Federal Government College, Ijanikin will fill out against Ansar- Ud-Deen Girls High School, itire while Jibril Martins Grammar School, Iponri will fight for supremacy against St. Finbarr's College, Akoka.
For FGC, Ijanikin, this is their first appearance at the GTBank Masters Cup and they have done well in the female category of the competition. They qualified alongside defending champions, Queens College, Yaba in Group-B after they shrugged off worthy opponents like Methodist Girls High School, Yaba and neighbors Corona College, Agbara to pick the second semi-final ticket. Their Captain, Towoju Toyosi has been inspiring to her team mates and she also holds the defence well.
But it will be a different ball game for the newcomers who will be facing Group-A winners Ansar Ud Deen Girls High School, Itire who won all their matches and did not concede a single goal. Toyosi and her defence will have a lot to do to contain Ansar Ud Deen's Fatima Oyebanji who has 9 goals to her name.
This will also be a similar story for Jibril Martins Grammar School who is also participating in the male category of GTBank Masters Cup for the first time compact team who was able to curtail Grace High School, Gbagada comfortably. Nonetheless, they will be playing St. Finbarr's College, Akoka who are equally fast and sharp on the break but also very sound defensively.
Both debutants are strong, skillful and disciplined but a game of football need more than that as it takes 11 to tackle 11. The venue and the outcome will determine who the Queen's College champion go up against in the finals to win the Masters Cup.
Will their prayer prevail against each other at Onikan Stadium?
Unpaid Salaries: Buhari Offers Bailout To Indebted States
He made this known yesterday in Makurdi, the state capital, during separate meetings with students and other union leaders from the Benue State University, BSU.
Ortom further revealed that his predecessor, Gabriel Suswam left behind a debt burden of over N90 billion for his administration, contrary to the N9.2 billion debt as claimed by the former governor.
Benue is among the distressed states in the country. Others include Osun, Enugu, Kaduna, Plateau and Imo. Most of the states or their local governments are said to be owing between four to six months salaries of workers amounting to several billions of Naira.
However, according to Ortom, "the list of the debt (left behind by Suswam) include N50 billion incurred from ongoing contracts, N18 billion on certificated contracts, N12 billion on salary arrears and about N10 billion for bonds and bank facilities and loans."
He stated that the President had agreed to avail the states some lifeline but noted that Benue State government had concluded arrangements to borrow funds to pay one month of the backlog of salary arrears across board and to also ensure the take off of both the executive and legislative arms of government.
He said the decision was prompted by the need to demonstrate to the state work force that he was determined to address their problems and to persuade striking tertiary institu-tion workers to call off their four-months-old strike.
Earlier, President of the BSU Students' Union Government, Bobby Taver-shima, had lamented that students of the university had been at home for four months but assured that they would not do anything to jeopardize the administration.
Also, a representative of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Gideon Obande appealed to Ortom to clear arrears of bursary owed students in order to alleviate their sufferings.
Saraki’s Election: High-Wired Game of Political Chess @Delemomodu
Fellow Nigerians, please permit me to say right away that the ways of politicians are never that of ordinary mortals. Otherwise, we would not have found ourselves in the present peculiar mess which culminated in the virtual fiasco at the National Assembly, last Tuesday, June 9, 2015. The emergence of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as Senate President has ignited an unprecedented conundrum in the Upper Legislative chamber for several reasons known and unknown to the general public. What is clear is that it was a high-wired game of political chess which caught even the most politically-savvy members of our society napping. It is a tale full of sound and fury but signifying nothing but plenty of intrigues and abracadabra.
But it wasn't as if the outcome of that combustive election had not been predicted and foretold. The platform had been provided by the inability of the amalgamation of different political parties that made up the All Progressives Congress (APC) to enter into a prenuptial agreement, prior to sealing the union, as to how to share power then and in the future. It was similarly tantamount to a polygamist failing to prepare a comprehensive Will ahead of his death and then suddenly dropping dead intestate. The hullabaloo would naturally reverberate across the seas and to far-flung places.
The APC had managed its multi-faceted marriage well pre-2015 elections to the admiration and adulation of most Nigerians who had expected the unification to be scattered to the winds after the primaries that produced General Muhammadu Buhari as the APC flag-bearer. But, mercifully, the cracks were ably glued and even solidly cemented as the Presidential aspirants came together in an atmosphere of uncommon maturity and vowed to work jointly with their Party's candidate. Such camaraderie was seen as indication of a new political order and remarkable sagacity in our clime. It was one of the reasons many Nigerian first time voters got connected to the change mantra of the APC and gave their unqualified support to an opposition party that was fighting for a life of its own.
Against all odds, including intimidation, manipulations and near-bastardisation of the electoral process, Nigerians went out with renewed determination to exercise their voting rights and stood stoutly to monitor and protect their votes with anything and everything. The burden of expectation would soon manifest its ugly head after the monumental victory. I had written articles about this and in particular the inherent danger of ascribing talismanic powers to President Buhari and his team. Unknown to us, this was going to be the least of the problems of APC. The lurking danger would turn out to come surreptitiously from a different and unexpected direction, in this case, power-sharing formula.
The CPC had succeeded in producing the President while the ACN got the Vice Presidential slot. The third and very influential bride was the New PDP. A not too distant party in the wedding party was the ANPP. APGA also played the role of bridesmaid. One would have assumed the New PDP would get a sizable chunk of the vast estate from the deal but this was not the case. Outsiders like us had warned about the danger of not taking good care of all interested parties in this holy matrimony. In fact, I had sermonised in my article titled Let's Honour Our Heroes (Thisday, May 2, 2015) about the need to accommodate and compensate the New PDP in the arrangement without any prevarication whatsoever:
"The first point to note is that APC must resolve all its power-sharing squabbles amicably and equitably. The greed factor must be jettisoned for fair-play. Every partner in the greatest political merger ever in Nigeria must be treated with respect and decorum. No attempt should be made to treat anyone as an inferior member of the union. Once that is taken into consideration and settled pronto, the party would enjoy the bliss it deserves after a most excruciating campaign. What kills most amalgamations is egocentricity. I already foresee a war of attrition if APC does not immediately halt the present macabre dance by some of its members. The Party and the Government that it will establish at executive and legislative level must not see itself as a coalition of Parties with separate ideologies and detrimental interests. Having fused into one it must behave as such and cater to the core doctrines embedded in its manifesto.
"Let me be more specific. The APC has been locked in a logjam over the zoning of the highest positions in the land. The way I see it is that CPC has already produced the number one slot. ACN has provided the number two. ANPP has secured the boss of all bosses the National Chairman of APC. The New PDP which came into the union with five formidable Governors and a multitude of National Assembly members is yet to get any position. This appears to me as grossly unfair and disproportionate. It is one of the reasons many onlookers and non-party members like me supported the candidacy of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as Senate President. We must learn to honour our heroes. Dr Saraki with Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso risked everything to make this Change Movement possible. They and their other colleagues took the bulls by the horns and took the battle to the doorsteps of PDP. It is unfathomable how anyone would say they don't deserve any chunky positions in the grand alliance…"
Unfortunately, it seemed no one hearkened to my admonitions. Obviously, Saraki was vehemently opposed by some top guns and practically turned into a pariah within his own party. Yet he was the first to throw his hat into the ring for the position of Senate President. It seemed that other contestants were only put forward mainly to thwart Saraki and not because of the added value that they would bring to nation building. Without any fear of contradictions, Dr Saraki is one of the most cosmopolitan politicians in Nigeria today. He is in the league of the El-Rufais, Donald Dukes, Babatunde Fasholas, Rotimi Amaechis, Adams Oshiomholes, Kayode Fayemis, Pat Utomis, Godswill Akpabios, Rabiu Kwankwasos, Tanko Al Makuras, Ibikunle Amosuns, Abiola Ajimobis, Waziri Tambuwals and many others who have shown enough promise of a greater Nigeria. I will be proud to showcase a Saraki in the gathering of world leaders and wondered how anyone would seek to suppress the obvious potentials of such an urbane and confident politician.
I followed the shenanigans that ensued with rapt attention and keen interest. Every obstacle was placed in Saraki's path to make sure he did not emerge as the winning candidate for the post of Senate President. Feeling rejected and dejected, but nevertheless determined to succeed, he must have turned to his former friends at PDP for support. At any rate, it should have been obvious to any discerning mind that it would be difficult to win the election without the co-operation of PDP Senators. The numerical strength of the PDP, with more than 40% of the Senators, made this a matter of stark fact. Since it did not appear some powerful members of his party favoured him, Saraki was buoyed by the support that he would get from the PDP. This was the beginning of the chaos that would explode and engulf the House of APC.
What happened when the APC leadership decided to shoot itself in the foot by summoning a Party conference with the President at the same time the Senate was being inaugurated is now the subject of intense speculation as to who, how, and why? What is clear is that this opening gambit played spectacularly into the hands of the Saraki faction. Call it what you want, a coup, double cross, ambush, outflanking, outsmarting, or any other nomenclature; this was surely a great military strategy at work. It is interesting that some of those in the forefront of the denouement are all military, from Senator David Mark to President Buhari. The deft move cut the opponents dead in their tracks. Whislt they were scurrying back to the Senate, having been left in the lurch by a President who had earlier stated in no uncertain terms that he was not going to interfere in the matter, Senator Saraki was being returned unopposed as Senate President by 57 Senators elect out of 108.
The PDP which had co-operated in securing the Senate Presidency for one of their former colleagues suddenly saw a wind of opportunity as there were still not enough APC members to elect a Deputy Senate President from the ranks of APC. Seizing the moment they immediately put up Senator Ike Ekweremadu as thier candidate for Deputy Senate President. He duly won. I believe there was nothing Saraki could have done about this even if many feel he should have waited for his late-coming colleagues. APC simply did not have the numbers at the time and there is nothing in the Constitution stopping the PDP from doing this.
Indeed, given the disunity in the APC it is a wonder that PDP did not decide to go for the Senate Presidency itself. With its block of 49 solid votes it would only take Senators Lawan or Saraki to split the APC vote for a PDP candidate to win by default. There would have been nothing wrong with this, as the Constitution does not stipulate that it is the sole prerogative of the ruling party to present the Senate President or indeed the Deputy Senate President.
There is no doubt that the Constitution expects some sort of democratic input into the selection of the Senate President and his Deputy. It envisages that all shades represented in the Senate must participate in this process. If it wanted only the majority party to present a candidate or candidates it would have said so. In any event this country had just come from witnessing the glorious feeling of what true democracy can bring about. Why should APC which is the prime beneficiary of that spirit of democracy seek to egregiously deprive one of its own from engaging or enjoying this kind of spirit?
It is also instructive that ACN, one of the integral parties of the APC spearheaded the PDP revolt which led to His Excellency Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011 over Honourable Mulikat Adeola who was the anointed candidate of the PDP. PDP cried foul at the time but APC blew the trumpet of democracy and the constitutional right of members to elect their leader. The PDP realising the truism in this position sheathed their swords and embraced Tambuwal thereafter. The Party closed ranks and worked together. It is not clear what the difference is now and why APC should be complaining when what is sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander. What goes round comes round. For PDP it was certainly payback time. And they did so real good. At least, APC should have pretended that it was not pained at all. After-all, our dear Brother, Tambuwal remained The Speaker to the very end despite picking the gubernatorial mandate of APC and PDP bore its anguish with equanimity.
Now APC must, like PDP in 2011, must close ranks and move forward. It is gratifying that the number one father of the nation and the quintessential leader of APC, President Buhari, immediately congratulated the new leaders of the National Assembly and pledged to work with them. Other national leaders including the Chairman of the APC, Dr John Oyegun, and the projected Chairman of the Party's Board of Trustees, former Vice-President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, also did the same. This is what Nigerians need in this climate of change and I know that my dear brother and Publicity Secretary of the Party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed would now have the chance to join his fellow Kwarans in jubilating a rare feat by Oloye Saraki.
I must again single out for praise Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the stoic way he has handled the smashing of his carefully laid plans. Like the statesman that he is, Asiwaju has refrained from pouring oil onto the raging fire even though he is obviously piqued and miffed. That is as it should be. At the end of the day it is Nigeria's interest that is paramount and not personal interests. Tinubu has the culture of bowing to superior logic and I'm he has risen above unproductive altercations. I'm looking forward to seeing that special photograph of reuniting with his dear Aburo in the next few days. Nobody wants a divided ruling party because that cannot augur well for the much sought progress that the country and its long-suffering citizens are clamouring for.
These are momentous times for Nigeria. Everyone agrees that Dr Bukola Saraki has the qualities for making a good Senate President who will work in grand collaboration with the Executive led by President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the rot in our polity. Like the President, Saraki wanted this position and worked for it. He is not a reluctant candidate who simply contested or was drafted for the sake of it. The problem he faces currently is the strong suspicion that he may enter the Presidential race in 2019. We shall elaborate more on this speculation, sooner than later.
But whether true or false, this is no justification for throwing away this charming baby with the bathwater. God bless President Buhari for dousing this volatile tension.
