WIZKID AND SARKODIE SHINE AT BET AWARDS

They had been nominated for Best International Act-Africa in the Black Entertainment Television (BET) 2012 Awards.The Nigerian pop star Wiz Kid and Ghanaian hip-hop sensation Sarkodie also beat South Africa’s Lira, Mali’s Mokobe and Nigeria’s Ice Prince and Wiz Kid, who were all nominated in the same category to emerge the cream of the continent.This is the second time for two African musicians to get a tie in this category after Nigerian stars D'Banj and 2Face Idibia got a tie last year. Meanwhile, American rappers Jay Z and Kanye West emerged as the biggest winners in the awards after winning the Video of the Year award in the song ‘Ótis’ and also the Best Group for their collaboration on the "Watch The Throne" album. Jay Z’s wife Beyonce won two awards as well as R n’ B singer Chris Brown.Other winners included Drake, Wale, Big Sean, Common, Nicki Minaj, Kevin Durant, among others.The show was hosted by ‘The Avengers’ actor Samuel L Jackson and performances were by Nicki Minaj, Usher, Brown, Wale, G.O.O.D. Music, Y'Anna Crawley, Amber Bullock, Jessica Reedy, Melanie Fiona and 2 Chainz. Fallen musician Whitney Houston was also given a tribute with performances by Chaka Khan, Brandy, Monica and Whitney’s mother Cissy Houston.

WHY CAMP MULLA WILL MISS BET AWARDS

Camp Mulla

Local hip hop sensation Camp Mulla will be missing in this year's BET awards. The hip hop group have been denied US visas and will not travel to America to join other A-listers in the gala night. According to our sources at the American embassy in Nairobi, the group submitted their VISA applications late and could not be processed in good time. However, Camp Mulla will be joining Coldplay in fighting hunger crisis in Sahel, West Africa. Currently, more than 18 million people in the Sahel region of West Africa are facing a food crisis. Food supplies are nearly non-existent. Prices of food are rising drastically. Women and children are faced with the harsh reality of hunger. Coldplay have been active supporters of Oxfam for several years, advocating for issues including making trade fair to end injustices against poor farmers. Nigeria's Ice Prince famed for his song Oleku is also going to be part of the project.

AMERICA:SOMALIA THE MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRY NOT KENYA

Americans,  Europeans and even Asians, You now know which are the most dangerous countries. Kenya is not in top ten when you continue to offer travel advisory. Here's the top 10 Most Dangerous Countries in Africa 2012.That is according to the Global Peace Index, conducted by the Research Institute of Economics & Peace. It recently released its top 10 most dangerous African countries in 2012.

10. Ethiopia.

9.Burundi. 

8. Zimbabwe.

7. Chad. 

6. Nigeria. 

5. Libya.

4. Central African Republic.

 3. Democratic Republic of Congo.

 2. Sudan.

1.Somalia

 The ranking is based on countries most affected by war, terrorism, political instability, regular violence etc.

CAPTAIN HILDA RINGO DELIVERS BABY

Aichi

Hilda Ringo

After dumping his Tanzanian boyfriend, Tanzanian pilot Hilda Ringo has delievered a  baby boy; a Nigerian. Barely,one year after getting a job with Virgin Nigeria, the bootilicious Hilda could not relax and quickly indulged and here we have the product; a baby boy she has called 'Aichi', a probable furure oga.

NOLLYWOOD GOES HOLLYWOOD

The Nigerian movie industry has taken yet another huge step of progress with the movie, TOBI; a Nigerian movie shot in the United States of America. This is not just one of those movies where the producer or director sneaks a camera into the streets and shabbily shoots a single scene and merges this into a Nigerian picture. Rather, with an American lead cast (Mark Williams) and a cross section of other foreign and Nigerian actors (including Chet Anekwe of Monique’s ‘Phat Girls,’ Chisom Oz-Lee and others), Nigeria’s U.S-based producer, Emmanuel Ijeh delivers a movie that takes a giant leap into the halls of Hollywood yet retaining its Nigerian essence. The movie premieres today (18/05/2012) in Nigerian cinemas on at Ozone Cinema in Lagos, Nigeria.

CHINUA ACHEBE OUT WITH BIAFRA MEMOIRS

Renowned Nigerian novelist of ‘Things Fall Apart‘ fame Chinua Achebe has put together recollections of personal experiences had during the era of Biafra in a new memoir.

The much anticipated book, ‘There was a Country‘, recounts the fateful events of the Nigeria-Biafra war (July 6, 1967 – January 1970) and is published by Penguin Books with a slated September 2012 release.

In its synopsis, publisher Penguin declared that ‘it will stand as definitive and reinforce Achebe’s place as one of the most vital literary and moral voices of our age.’

Dr Ngozi Achebe, a niece of the novelist, hinted that ‘this book, There was a Country, is of course one of the most anticipated books of our times and will hopefully shed more light on the events surrounding the most important period in the history of Nigeria, even of Africa and the world at large‘.

Professor Achebe is considered among the most significant writers in the world. His novel Things Fall Apart published in 1958 is a required secondary and high school text over the world.

He made international headlines when in November 2011 he rejected for the second time the Nigerian government’s attempts to bestow upon him a national honour the Commander of the Federal Republic, stating that it was ‘inappropriate’.

AFRICA'S WEALTHIEST BISHOP TO LAUNCH AIRLINE COMPANY

Nigeria’s richest pastor and self-styled bishop, David Oyedepo, has made a glistening addition to his business empire by floating an airline called Dominion Air. Oyedepo, who a few years ago ignited debate on flamboyant Christianity by acquiring his fourth private jet, is the owner of Dominion Publishing House, Covenant University and an elite secondary school called Faith Academy.

Sources within the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the agency charged with business registration in Nigeria, confirmed the registration of Dominion Air with David Oyedepo as its chairman. Another source within a Lagos-based insurance firm known to handle most of Oyedepo’s businesses said the airline project had been in the works for six years and was only made a reality this year. The broker who balked at putting figures to the number of aircrafts so far purchased authoritatively said none of them is on lease.

True,Bishop Oyedepo is reflection of God's prosperity.

GRAMMY AWARD STAR 'S SURPRISE VISIT TO P-SQUARE

The bond between Senegalese superstar Akon and popular Naija twin brothers P-SQUARE seems to be getting very strong. The trio who have a single out together are becoming bossom friends. Wel,, Akon who signed the twin brothers to his Konvict Music label was in Naija last weekend to see P-SQUARE at their mansion dubbed Square Ville Omole Estate, home, in Lagos.And they had fun together before the star flew back to the US.

$300,000 FOR 2012 WINNER OF BIG BROTHER AFRICA

The mega-hit reality-TV Big Brother Africa which is also M-Net’s sensational series is out to get your attention this year! This season 7 rather than bringing just two people from the same country, participants are expected to bring a partner to enter biggie’s house as a pair. So whether you enter with your best friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, mom, dad, brother, sister, boss, husband, wife, neighbour, hairdresser, whomever…you must just make sure that you enter as a pair for you to get a chance to scoop the $300,000 cash bounty up for grabs. Big Brother Africa is also welcoming two new countries Liberia and Sierra Leone to the Big Brother house for the first time ever, while this time round, Ethiopia bows out of the game and Mozambique will take on a new role that will be announced at a later stage.If you want to enter Big Brother Africa you can do so if you and your partner are citizens from one of the following participating countries: Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Both partners must come from the same country, must be 21 years or older, must be fluent in English and must have a valid passport. Interested persons can collect an entry form from the nearest MultiChoice office in their country or go to online www.mnetafrica.com/bigbrother anytime from February 5 and the deadline entry is on 27 February.

Banana Island: The Most Expensive Residential Area In AFRICA

A friend of mine met a really cute Nigerian girl at a nightclub in Lagos recently. He’s got a certain je ne sais quoi with the ladies. So he approached her, chatted her up for about an hour or so, and was lucky enough to walk away with her phone number and her house address. She asked him to visit her sometime. He promised he would, but he never did.
The reason is this: The lady lives in Banana Island, Nigeria’s most expensive residential area. There are only a few privileged men who can afford to date a girl who lives in Banana Island. My friend is not yet a part of the privileged few.
If you never heard about the Island, now you know. Banana Island is Nigeria’s most extravagant and expensive neighborhood – on par with the Seventh Arrondissement in Paris,  La Jolla in San Diego, California and Tokyo’s Shibuya or Roppongi neighborhoods.
The exclusive playground of Nigeria’s obscenely wealthy, Banana Island is an artificial island built on reclaimed land in Ikoyi-Lagos. From an aerial view, the island is actually shaped like a banana, hence its name. Sitting on 1.6 million square meters, the sumptuous island is divided into about 535 plots ranging in size from 1,000 square meters and 3,000 square meters.
Banana Island is a place of unrivalled opulence and grandeur. It’s an entirely different world from other parts of the country. It’s a gated community, and its inhabitants enjoy such luxuries as underground electrical systems and water supply networks, 24 hour-electricity supply (the only other place such privileged is the Nigerian President’s residence), extremely tight security, good road layout, a central sewage system and treatment plant and the well-cherished company of fellow wealthy folks.
The island is the most expensive place in Nigeria and one of the most expensive in Africa to own a house. Property on Banana Island is dollar-denominated. The average cost of buying a three bedroom apartment is $2 million. However, if you’re just looking to hang around the island for some time, and not to buy property, you can rent the same apartment for about $150,000 per annum. But there’s a clause: you must pay for an initial minimum term of 2 years – in

advance. And there are no refunds. Ever! Also, the tenant is also mandated to pay a ‘service charge’ of $17,000 per annum.
A typical plot of land on the island usually goes for between $4 million and $6 million, and the cheapest building on the island costs upward of $8 million. But because of the ridiculous prices of property on the island, about 60% of the completed buildings are currently unoccupied.
So, who are the people who occupy the land? The list includes multinational corporations, well-paid expatriate employees, corrupt government officials; their concubines (or mistresses), and wealthy businessmen such as Alhassan Dantata, Kola Abiola and Nigeria’s newest billionaire, Mike Adenuga.

WOLE SOYINKA COMES TO NAIROBI

Re-known African literature expert, film writer, poet and play write Professor Wole Soyinka is set to grace this year’s Kenya International Film Festivals that will take place between October 21 -31, 2011.

Wole will be joined by Idrissa Ouedraogo, a well-known film director from Burkina Faso as jury member at KIFF 2011. Ouedraogo is a graduate of the African Institute for Cinema Studies (Institut Africain d’Etudes Cinématographiques) in Ouagadougou and has directed various short films. Ouédraogo also graduate school at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématographiques IDHEC in Paris in 1985.

Ouédraogo is also known for winning the Grand Prix for his film Tilaï (The Law) at the 1990l Cannes Film Festival, and the FIPRESCI Award for his 1986 film Yam Daabo (The Choice). His 1993 film Samba Traoré won the Silver Bear at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival.  

Prof. Soyinka, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, has written 21 plays, 2 novels, 5 memoirs, 10 poetry collections, 6 essays and 3 movies. His visit to Kenya has been made possible by the Nigerian Film and Video Censorship Board. The literary giant will also be accompanied by several Nigerian film producers who submitted their films for viewing at the KIFF.

In keeping with KIFF’s tradition, Prof. Soyinka is expected also facilitate a forum for literature scholars in Nairobi. During the forum film dons, film makers and lecturers will interact and with the insight of Prof. Soyinka forge the way forward on film syllabus and curriculum in Kenyan universities and colleges.   

Festival director Mr. Charles Asiba said: “We are delighted to have a personality of the stature of Prof. Wole Soyinka, who is an authoritative figure in the African film industry to come and grace us with his presence. We are also excited with the fact that KIFF is going to be used as platform for Prof. Soyinka   to educate the young literature scholars in Kenya”. 

Eric Wainaina to headline Africa Unites with Dube’s daughter

Afro fusion star Eric Wainaina has been selected to headline the upcoming Africa Unites live concert in Johannesburg. Nigerian Asa and Legendary Lucky Dube’s daughter, Nkulee will join Eric on stage in a concert slotted for September 9. Eric will showcase the best of his hits from his album Sawa Sawa like Twende, Twende a collaboration with Zimbabwean musician, Oliver Mtukudzi among others.
Nkulee is the daughter of Africa’s late, great reggae master, Lucky Dube – but she’s not letting the pressure of following in her father’s gigantic footsteps put her off from fulfilling the musical promise she’s shown since a young age. Signed to Native Rhythms, Nkulee’s album My Way is earning this young artist a devoted following for her fusion of ethno-soul, jazz and ethno-reggae.
Asa will be heading to South Africa after performing at Back2Black, an African roots, music and cultural heritage festival that takes place annually in Brazil. Following her Africa Unites show, this in-demand live performer heads for several dates in Japan. Over the past few years, Lagos-born Asa has gained increasing popularity for her eclectic fusion of pop, R&B, reggae, funk, soul and world music – best heard on her self-titled debut album (featuring the hits “Jailer” and “Fire In The Mountain”) and the follow-up Beautiful Imperfection. The 2011 Joburg Arts Alive International Festival is a project of the City of Joburg, and is produced by Zanusi Brand Solutions.