The star-studded ceremony, themed #LoveFoundMe25, was a visual feast of colour and tradition held in Akwa Ibom State.

Eve Esin paid homage to her Oron roots in grand style.

Dressed in resplendent traditional attire, the actress made a regal entrance that instantly became the highlight of the evening.

The emotional high point came when a family elder reminded Eve of her royal lineage, urging her to uphold the values of love and humility in marriage

“Please, I am begging you as your mother to take Suleman as your husband, love, friend, and confidant. I know you’re a celebrity, but you come from a humble, royal family — you’re a princess.”

Guests couldn’t help but gush over the magical blend of Nigerian and Ghanaian traditions, symbolizing unity and shared cultural pride.

The event drew the crème of Nollywood and top dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State and the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, who came to witness the union of two hearts across borders.

Among the notable faces who graced the occasion were Rita Dominic, Patience Ozokwor, Okon Lagos, Empress Njamah, and Mary Igwe, all elegantly dressed and visibly thrilled to celebrate their colleague’s big day.

Social media has since been awash with congratulatory messages, as fans and colleagues hailed the actress for not only celebrating love but also elevating cultural heritage with unmatched class.

Watch video below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Real Eve Esin (@eveesin)

At the pre-premiere dinner of Funke Akindele’s highly anticipated movie Everybody Loves Jenifa, Mama G shared moving details about the sacrifices she made to support her family.

She disclosed that before her breakthrough in acting, she worked in a mortuary, dressing dead bodies to earn a living to ensure her children could attend school and have food to eat.

She praised Funke Akindele for her strength and work ethic, expressing admiration for the filmmaker’s resilience which she can relate to.

“Funke Akindele is a very strong woman. I love strong women. I am a strong woman. I went through thick and thin to become who I am today. When the ways were bad, I used to go to the morgue…, did a lot of things to make my family what they are today. I know they say no prophet is accepted in his town, but with mine, they accept me because they saw the things I went through” Mama G said.

Her heartfelt story resonated with fans, inspiring many with the reminder that behind every success is hard work, sacrifice, and determination.

Patience Ozokwo talks about Funke Akindele and her impact on Nollywood. pic.twitter.com/Zy94lGzm1K

— Dami’ Adenuga (@DAMIADENUGA) December 19, 2024

The 66-year-old actress was honored for her decades-long contributions to Nollywood and African cinema.

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) presented the award in a ceremony on Saturday, which also celebrated Yoruba actors Adebayo Salami and Jide Kosoko for their legendary roles in the industry.

Sharing her excitement on Instagram, Ozokwor expressed gratitude, saying, “Today was like a movie. Honorary Doctorate Degree. Thank you, UNILAG. Thank you.”

Patience Ozokwor, a trailblazer in Nollywood, began her career as a radio announcer before rising to fame in the 1999 film Authority.

With over 100 movies to her credit, her standout performances include classics like Ukwa (2001), Blood Sister (2003), and Billionaires Club (2003).

Veteran Actress, Patience Ozokwor Honored With Doctorate Degree In Theatre Arts And Media By Achievers Networks UK Academy UNILAG 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/k8o2wo9g9K

— Ólú ndị Igbo (@VoiceOfTheEast) December 1, 2024

Funny Face recently faced legal issues after being involved in an accident while undergoing psychological distress, resulting in his temporary remand into police custody.

Following his release, Funny Face lamented the loss of potential sponsorships and brand deals due to his public outburst.

Expressing concern over Funny Face’s experiences, Nhyiraba Kojo appealed for empathy towards the comic actor, particularly in light of his mental health challenges.

Kojo urged industry stakeholders not to ostracize Funny Face but to afford him another opportunity to rebuild his career and life.

In extending his support, Nhyiraba Kojo pledge to hand over GH₵20,000 to alleviate his burden.

Nhyiraba Kojo also called for prayer for Funny Face, acknowledging that anyone could find themselves in similar circumstances.

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The arrest orders were issued following the persistent failure of the two to appear in court to answer for alleged contempt charges.

The court’s decision came in response to an application filed by Sureword Global Outreach, seeking an order for the respondents to release a vehicle registered as GN 2925-20 to the applicant.

Despite the court’s orders, the respondents repeatedly failed to appear before the court, leading to the issuance of the bench warrant.

During proceedings on Monday, April 15, Counsel for the applicant, Abraham Arthur, moved an application for the committal of the CID boss and the DG of the Legal and Prosecution Unit for contempt.

The court found that the respondents had “blatantly refused” to honour its directives, prompting the issuance of the arrest warrants.

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Felix Owusu-Gyimah said people with disabilities are capable of achieving remarkable feats and should never face discrimination.

The MCE stressed that, with adequate support and accommodations, individuals with disabilities can excel in various aspects of life and contribute positively to society.

This call came as the Nkwanta South Assembly disbursed GH₵70,000 from their share of 3% of the Common Fund to Persons With Disabilities to enhance their living standards.

Mr. Owusu-Gyimah disclosed several programs and initiatives designed to support persons with disabilities in the community, including skills training and job placement services.

He urged individuals with disabilities to actively engage in these programs and utilize the available resources.

Mr. Owusu-Gyimah stressed the urgent need for greater inclusion and acceptance of persons with disabilities in society.

He called on community members to extend their support to persons with disabilities to foster a more inclusive environment for everyone.

For her part, Hajia Sherifa Sekyere Tijani, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the upcoming elections, urged persons with disabilities (PWDs) to fully utilize the items they have received from the government.

She has been actively involved in advocating for the rights of PWDs.

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The individuals involved have been turned over to the police to facilitate further inquiries.

In an update on the missing devices, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, the Director of Electoral Service at the EC, disclosed these developments.

He stressed the significance of involving the police to conduct thorough investigations into the matter.

Dr. Quaicoe reiterated the EC’s commitment to ensuring accountability and stated that appropriate actions will be taken against anyone found guilty of stealing government property.

“What I can say on authority is that we lost one BVD in North Tongu and what happened was that we normally package these things in ballot boxes. You put your systems and you seal. In the course of transporting, we got there, they couldn’t transport the ballot boxes.”

“So we reported to the police. We have lost this and these are the suspects so investigate and let them go through the legal regime.

“Whatever has to be done should be done. They have been interdicted they are now going through the investigations. So, the Police I am told that they will be arraigned before court soon,” he explained.

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Nana Kwabena Obeng Ankoana ll stated that, traditional leaders, religious bodies, and Ghanaian cultures do not support such acts and therefore called on the President to stand against all efforts to infiltrate activities of LGBTQ+ into the nation.

The Chief, who is also the Head of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Aduana Royal Family (Abusuapanin) of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area, made this plea during the celebration of this year’s Allie Festival at Pataboso.

Nana Kwabena Obeng Ankoana, after receiving the meal prepared by Asona family members of Sefwi Anhwiaso, was accompanied by the chiefs and people of Pataboso in a procession amidst a brass band and traditional drumming through the street of Sefwi Pataboso to the cemetery.

At the cemetery, he fed their ancestors in fulfillment of customs and tradition in order to pave the way for other divisional chiefs within the various communities to follow suit. 

Nana Ebiri Kwaku ll, Chief of Hwenapori, narrated that Allie is a harvest festival celebrated annually by the people and chiefs of Sefwi to express their gratitude to the Almighty God and ancestors for bountiful harvests in agriculture and other spheres of endeavor.

It is a period to feed their ancestors with their preferred meals and also ask for protection, blessings, and a better harvest in the coming year since they believe in reincarnation.

On his part, the Paramount of Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi ll, encouraged the youth not to ignore the rich culture of society in which they live in the name of Christianity and modernity.

He expressed regrets about the neglect of Ghanaian culture by the youth, noting that it was unfortunate for you to ignore their culture in the name of modernity.

According to him, culture and tradition are what identified people and showcased the rich culture of their ancestors, adding that the youth should embrace cultural heritage to keep their identity. 

The Paramount Chief, who is also the President of the National House of Chiefs, said culture depicted ideas, customs, and a way of life for particular people in society and urged the people to embrace theirs and ignore foreign ones.

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The anti-witchcraft bill passed by Parliament is awaiting for Presidential accent, which will eventually lead to closure of the Gambaga witches camp.

President Akufo-Addo has already communicated inability to pass the bill due to constitutional issues.

But the NDC flagbearer paying a courtesy call on Gambarana at Gambaga, hinted on preparedness of the office of the First Lady to embark on the project if the NDC wins election.

Meanwhile, the NDC flagbearer has revealed plans to build military barracks in all newly created Regions.

Mr. Mahama spoke about how the military will be embedded with police to fight armed robbery.

Mr. Mahama is wrapping up the “Building Ghana Tour” in the North East Region.

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In an interview, the veteran remarked that abandoning her passion for acting simply because of marital obligations was not acceptable.

She likened it to advising a trained nurse to abandon her profession simply because of marital obligations, which she opined is unreasonable.

Recalling a difficult period when her husband fell ill, Patience Ozokwor shared that she received pressure from her family members to prioritize her husband’s care over her career, but she refused.

She explained that not only is acting her career, it is her source of happiness and solace.

She fondly recalled how her husband encouraged her to continue acting, even during his moments of sickness. He would often request they watch her movies together.

Throughout her husband’s illness, Patience Ozokwor ensured that he received the best medical care, even at times when she was absent to film.

The veteran advised her followers to maintain a delicate balance between their profession and responsibilities as spouses.

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She made this known while also appreciating her children in celebration of her Industry Merit Award, which she received at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award on Saturday evening.

On Monday, the actress, in a lengthy Instagram post, shared pictures of herself at the AMVCA event, her children, and grandchildren.

According to the actress, her children made significant sacrifices and went long times without a mother throughout her performing career.

She stated that there was no social media when she began her acting career, and that success entirely relied on talent, humility, word of mouth, and trust.

She wrote, “LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

“When we started in the industry there was no social media and so many other luxuries we enjoy now. Progress was completely dependent on your talent, humility, word of mouth and trust.

“I appreciate my colleagues who work tirelessly and often times without recognition.

“I appreciate my family who have always surrounded me with love and acceptance. My children sacrificed a lot and stayed long periods without a mother. At one point, my daughter became my PA and is still my Associate Manager to date.”

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For the 9th edition Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA), and over 20 categories, some old faces reaffirmed their positions in the industry while a lot of new school also represented.

The night ended with Kunle Afolayan’s popular English-Yourba infused Netflix series, Aníkúlápó being the most awarded with 5 plaques out of 16 nominations.

Brotherhood movie also came through with four awards and Osas Ighodaro, for a second time running, was adjudged Best Actress.

This year’s coveted Industry Merit Award went to none other than veteran actress Patience Ozokwo alias Mama G. She received a standing ovation while she accepted her award amid tears.

Former Big Brother Nigeria housemates also made their mark and all three who were nominated – Tobi Bakre, Elozonam, Diane Russet clenched an award.

The prestigious event, which took place at the Eko Hotel, was to celebrate talents in the film world across Africa.

Check out full list below:

BEST SOUND EDITOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

Anu Afolayan – Aníkúlápó (WINNER)

Dare Olaitan, Adio Solanke – Ile Owo

Fredrick Karumba – Click Click Bang

Kolade Morankiyo, Grey Jones – The Set Up 2

Ismail Kyobe Ssebowa – Bedroom Chains

Kazeem Agboola – Ijakumo the Born Again Stripper

Kolade Kayode Morakinyo – Shanty Town

Kolade Morakinyo, Pius Fatoke – Battle On Buka Street

Q Rodney Abia, Angelo Anosike, Kayode Kasum – Obara’ M

Shiloh Godson – Black Mail

BEST PICTURE EDITOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

Adio Solanke – Ile Owo

Banjo Onyekachi, Winston Aig-Ohioma, Oluwaseun Adeosun – Diiche

Holmes Awa & Daniel Tom – Crime & Justice (WINNER)

Kimera Paul – Tembele

Martini Akande – Brotherhood

Sanjo Adegoke – King of Thieves (Agesinkole)

Steve Sodiya – Ijakumo the Born Again Stripper

Temitope Folarin – Anikulapo

Valentine Chukwuma – Battle on Buka Street

BEST LIGHTING DESIGNER (MOVIE OR TV SERIES)

Francis Wanyahdeh – Crime & Justice

Matthew Yusuf – Brotherhood (WINNER)

Lanre Omofaiye – Anikulapo

Walter Odhiambo – Shanty Town

Ismail Adewunmi – Ile Owo

Muri Salami – Four Four Forty Four

Francis Wanyahdeh & Ebuka Enejere – Diiche

Renaldo Van Den Berg, Emmanuel Patrick, David Otuokere – Real Housewives of Lagos

Godwin Lawal – Tarella

Segun Adeleke – Flawsome

BEST ART DIRECTOR (MOVIE OR TV SERIES)

Olugbenga Ogunsina and Joy Kadiri – Brotherhood

Pat Nebo & Temple Chima Adighije – Crime & Justice

Wale Adeleke – King Of Thieves (Agesinkole) (WINNER)

Olatunji Afolayan – Battle On Buka Street

Olalekan Isiaka – Shanty Town

Toka Mcbaror – Almajiri

Uche Nwaohiri & Tunde Lawal – Diiche

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

Charles Oleghe – Diiche

Ekuka Ishaq – Tembele

Idowu Adedapo – Ijakumo the Born Again Stripper

Idowu Adedapo (Mr Views) – Flawsome

Jonathan Kovel – Shanty Town

Jonathan Kovel – Anikulapo

Loukman Ali – Brotherhood (WINNER)

Mex Ossai, Philip Okpokoro, Esmond Igho, KC Obiajulu, Goke Oyerinde – Real Housewives of Lagos

Paul Gambit – Jolly Roger

Yinka Edward – Crime & Justice

BEST WRITER (MOVIE OR TV SERIES)

Jade Osiberu – The Trade

Tunde Apalowo and Jeffery Musa David – KANAANI

Sodi Kurubo, Stephanie Dadet & Victor Aghahowa – Diiche Episode 5

Funke Akindele, Jack’enneth Opukeme, Stephen Oluboyo, Jemine Edukugho – Battle on Buka Street

Yinka Laoye – King of Thieves (Agesinkole)

Uche Ateli – Choke

Sola Dada – Aníkúlápó (WINNER)

BEST COSTUME DESIGNER (MOVIE OR TV SERIES) 

Millicent Jack – Four Four Forty Four

Ezugworie Franca – Brotherhood

Bolanle Austen-Peters, Clement Effanga, Juliana Dede – Man of God

Toyin Ogundeji – Anikulapo

Deola Art-Alade – The Real Housewives of Lagos Reunion Episode (WINNER)

Bunmi Fashina, Tiannah Empire & Secrets of April – Shanty Town

Kingsley Okoye Rex – Nnewi The Land of Gold

BEST MAKEUP  (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

Carina SFX – The Trade

Feyzo Artistry – Ile Owo

Francisca Otaigbe – King of Thieves (Agesinkole)

Hakeem Effects Onilogbo – Anikulapo

Hakeem Effects Onilogbo, Jemila Sedik – Battle on Buka Street

Maryam Ndukwe, Hakeem Effects Onilogbo – Shanty Town (WINNER)

Sandra Oyiana-Ogbeni – Tarella

BEST SOUNDTRACK (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

Abiola Olayinka, Habeeb Adebayo – L.I.F.E.

Adam Songbird and Tolu Obanro – King of Thieves (Agesinkole)

Gbas Gbos by Tolu Obanro and Adam Songbird – Battle on Buka Street

Jaysynths and Hotkid – Shanty Town

Joel Christian Goffin – Black Mail

Kent Edunjobi – Anikulapo

Q Rodney Abia, Angelo Anosike, Kayode Kasum – Obara’ M

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – SWAHILI

Safari – Phoebe Ruguru & Njue Kevin

Barakatatu – Malcom Hamisi

Click Click Bang – Philip Karanja Njenga (WINNER)

Frida – Wilson Nkya & Jane Moshi

Mpiganaji – Daniel Manege

Dau – Freddy Feruzi

Mvanmizi – The Intruder – Wilson Nkya

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – HAUSA

Aisha – Abubakar Bashir Maishadda (WINNER)

Kwana Casa’in – Evans  Ejiogu

Lulu Da Andalu – TY Shaban

Guzama – Nancy Yiljep

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – YORUBA

Aníkúlápó – Kunle Afolayan (WINNER)

Ogeere – Ololade Tijani-Ebong

Abebi Seranko Seniyan – Funmi Bank Anthony  Abdullahi Abdulrasaq

Mr Raji – Okusanya Bayonle Samson

Morenikeji – Karamot Adeboye

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – IGBO

Brown Ene, Victor Onwudiwe, Ben Cassie – Ifediche

Shileola A. Ibironke – Ijeoma

Shileola. Ibironke – Ego Mbute

Trinity Ugonabo – The Bride Price (imego)

Victor Iyke – Uhuruchi (WINNER)

BEST SHORT FILM 

Adeoye Adetunji – Pa Aromire (WINNER)

Gbenga Salu – Convictus

Nkem Nwaturuocha – The Song Maiden

Teniola Zara King – Teju’s Tale

Usama Mukwaya, Loukman Ali – Sixteen Rounds

Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Love Language

Victor Onwudiwe, Goodnews Erico Isika – Away

BEST ONLINE SOCIAL CONTENT CREATOR

Nollywood Epic Love Story Parody (THE FINALE) – Tee Kuro

Husband’s Side Chick – Steve Chuks

My Sweet Mother Inlaw – Isbae U

VIP Bathroom – Abiola

Back From The Future – Elozonam, Kie Kie (WINNER)

Quick Pronunciations – Kenzy Udosen

Soldiers at War (Compilation) – Oluwadolarz and Abayomi Alvin

The Activist – Edem Victor

Fake Alert with Mercy Johnson – Adeaga Bukunmi

Iya Barakat Teropi Secxxion – Bimbo Ademoye

BEST TV SERIES

Crime and Justice – Yinka Edward (WINNER)

Diiche – James Omokwe 

The Plan – Dimbo Atiya, Rahama Sadau, Sarafina Melisa

When Are We Getting Married – Ife Olujuyigbe, Kayode Kasum 

Visa On Arrival Season 1 – Bovi Ugboma, Ann Obaseki

Real Housewives of Lagos – Deola Art-Alade & Dare Art Alade

Single Kiasi – Grace Kahaki & Philippe Bresson

Flawsome – Tola Odunsi & Akin Akinkugbe

County 49 – Millicent Ogutu

Game On Season 2 – Vincent Nwachukwu

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Awaiting Trial – Chude Jideowo

100 of Us – Best Okoduwa

Truck Blind Spot – Nathaniel George

Green: The Amazons – Charles F. Solomon; Oluchi Nsofor; Aaron Olayemi; Famous Odion

Nigeria – The debut – Nora Awolowo

Way to the Top – Charles F. Solomon

Baby Blues – Nora Awolowo (WINNER)

BEST MOVIE EAST AFRICA

Click Click Bang – Philip Karanja Njenga (WINNER)

Elenor Nabwiso – Karamoja

Gashumba Emmanuel – Dial M for Maya

Hassan Mageye – Bedroom Chains

Lucy Mwangi – Baba Twins

Mugisha Herbert Morris – Tembele

Nadira Shakur – Married to Work

Omar Hamza – Gacal

Wilson Nkya & Jane Moshi – Frida

Wilson Nkya & Philipo Ngonyani – Mvamizi (The Intruder)

BEST MOVIE WEST AFRICA 

Four Four Forty Four – Winifred Mena Ajakpovi

Aníkúlápó – Kunle Afolayan

Kanaani – Rent-A-Studio & Native Media TV

Obara’ M – Kayode Kasum

Choke – Chris Odeh

Brotherhood – Jade Osiberu (WINNER)

Red Carpet – Samira Yakubu

BEST MOVIE SOUTHERN AFRICA

Elvis Chucks – Jewel (WINNER)

Emmanuel Mwape – Silver Lining

Leburugraphy – Ke Bona Spoko

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS ( DRAMA OR TV SERIES)

Efe Irele – Four Four Forty Four (WINNER)

Gina Castel – Kofa

Ivie Okujaye – On Your Own 

Sola Sobowale – Aníkúlápó 

Teniola Aladese – Love in a Pandemic 

Toni Tones – Brotherhood 

Man of God – Dorcas Shola Fapson

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (MOVIE OR TV SERIES)

Abdisattar Ahmed – Gascal (WINNER)

Bucci Franklin – The Razz Guy 

James Webbo – County 49

Jeff Roberts Walusimbi – Bedroom Chains 

O.C. Ukeje – Brotherhood

Taiwo Hassan – Aníkúlápó 

Yinka Quadri – Aníkúlápó 

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

Mercy Johnson-Okojie – Battle on Buka Street

Funke Akindele – Battle on Buka Street

Mercy Johnson-Okojie – Passport

Bimbo Ademoye – Selina

Albert Oluwatoyin – Visa on Arrival 

Grace Wacuka – Married to Work

BEST ACTOR IN COMEDY (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

Adokiye Horsfall – Inside Life

Charles Etubiebi – Just Friends

Charles Inojie – City Hustler

Chinedu Ikedieze – Aki and PawPaw

Kunle Idowu – Unintentional

Nedu Ani ( Nedu Wazobia) – Inside Life 

Nkem Owoh – Battle on Buka Street

Nosa Afolabi (Lasisi Elenu) – The Razz Guy 

Samuel Perry (Brother Shaggi) – Inside Life (WINNER)

Samuel Perry (Brother Shaggi) – Survivors 

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA (MOVIE OR TV SERIES)

Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo

Ini Dima-Okojie – Flawsome 

Immaculata Oko Kasum – Ile Owo

Osas Ighodaro – Man of God (WINNER)

Enado Odigie – Flawsome 

Nimo Loveline – The Planters Plantation

Queen Nwokoye – Strained

Nse Ikpe-Etim – Shanty Town

Ini Edo – Shanty Town

Scarlet Gomez – Wura 

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA (MOVIE OR TV SERIES)

Chidi Mokeme – Shanty Town

Blossom Chukwujekwu – The Trade

Tope Tedela – All The Colours Of The World Are Between Black and White

Femi Adebayo – King of Thieves (Agesinkole)

O.C. Ukeje – Black Mail

NKakalukanyi Patriq – Tembele

Daniel Etim-Effiong – Kofa

Chimezie Imo – Choke

Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood (WINNER)

Richard Mofe Damijo – Four Four Forty Four 

MULTICHOICE TALENT FACTORY FILM

A Quiet Intruder

Cheza

Leaked (WINNER)

Revisit

Stinger

Strings

BEST ORIGINAL DRAMA SERIES (MNET)

A Infiltrada

Accra Medics

Dirty Laundry

Junior Drama Club

Njila

Pazia

Pete

Ricordi (WINNER)

The Rishantes

To Have and To Hold

Unmarried

BEST ORIGINAL COMEDY SERIES (MNET)

Co-Habits

Flatmates

Mussulando

My Siblings and I

Njoro Wa Uba (WINNER)

Popi

RSM

The Johnsons

The Return of Original Comedy

Uncle Limbani

BEST AFRICA MAGIC ORIGINAL TELENOVELA

Covenant

Dede

Huba

Itura

Mahinga

Maida

Mpali (WINNER)

Prestige

Salem

BEST UNSCRIPTED ORIGINAL 

Come Play Naija

Judging Matters

Kan-See-Me

King Bugar (WINNER)

Off Air with Gbemi & Toolz

Rock that Aisle Again

Sakofa

BEST DIRECTOR

Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo – King of Thieves (Agesinkole)

Babatunde Apalowo – All The Colours of the World are between Black and White

Bolanle Austen – Peters Man of God

Dimeji Ajibola – Shanty Town

Jade Osiberu – The Trade

Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo

Loukman Ali – Brotherhoods (WINNER)

Mugisha Herbert Morris – Tembele

Obi Emelonye – Black Mail

Tolu Ajayi, Fiyin Gambo, Ifeoma Chukwuogo, James Omokwe – Diiche

BEST OVERALL MOVIE 

Femi Adebayo – King of Thieves (Agesinkole)

Funke Akindele – Battle on Buka Street

Jade Osiberu – Brotherhood

Kayode Kasum – Ile Owo

Kunle Afolayan – Aníkúlápó (WINNER)

Mugisha Herbert Morris – Tembele

Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi – Four Four Forty Four

TRAILBLAZER AWARD

Angel Unigwe

INDUSTRY MERIT AWARD 2023

Patience Ozokwor

BEST DRESSED AWARD

Enioluwa (Male)

Beauty Tukura (Female)

We spoke with a few Nigerian men about the same issue. Here’s what they had to say.

1. Zayn

I didn’t envisage that getting married would have me spending this much money. I’ve been married for over four years now, and from my ₦720k salary, I spend over ₦100k every single week taking care of both my nuclear family and my wife’s nuclear family. I can’t even begin to tell you how unhappy all of that makes me.

2. David

I’ve been married for less than two years, but I’m constantly looking for ways out of this marriage. My wife is never happy with me. We never even have any meaningful conversations unless I’m about to do something for her.

I’ve tried coping with the lack of affection for almost two years now, but it doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon. It also doesn’t help that she exhibits extremely poor physical hygiene; that makes it two things I’m struggling to cope with. If I had my way out of the marriage this minute, I’d take that chance.

3. Korede

I hate my wife. She makes me want to throw up. I hate how her vagina feels and I hate that she even looks at me. The only thing I like about our union is the kids. They look like me. Before we got married, she used to treat me like shit, but I assumed that after we got married, everything would change.

She was beautiful, so I just thought it’s that thing beautiful women do. The biggest mistake of my life was marrying her because she perceived the fact that I stuck with her, even when she treated me like shit, as desperation. Now, I want to step out one day and just disappear forever and start a new life, but I can’t do it because I don’t want to lose my kids. So, I guess I’m staying.

4. Chinedu

I got married at 27, but I feel like I was not thinking about myself and my future when I did it. I got married because it seemed like the right thing to do after being with my high school sweetheart for almost 10 years.

Now that we live together, everything appears normal but deep down there are so many character traits she has that I wish I could change. Maybe those character traits are not enough ground for a divorce, but they’re enough to reassess the whole essence of our marriage.

Another thing that makes me regret getting married is money. I’d totally be a baller if I had all my income to myself. But I have to share. At the end of the day though, my kids make it all worth it.

5. Mo

My wife and I have been separated for almost two years now. We dated for about five years before we got married, and at the beginning of our marriage, things went pretty well. When we started having our normal couple fights, I thought things were going to blow over, but they only got worse. The major source of my wife’s issues is her mum. My wife doesn’t have friends; the only person she’s close with is her mum. Her mum started giving her all sorts of terrible advice that only made things worse. The quarrels continued and then she started sleeping around.

Recently, she made me pay for couple’s counselling just so we can get things working for our child. Shortly before we were meant to have our first counselling session, I found out she was hopping around hotels in Lagos with a man married with three kids. I even foolishly called the guy and told him to back off my family. On the morning of our counselling session, I was at her house as early as 6:50 a.m. to pick her up. The other guy was there too. I lost my cool, and we somehow ended up at a police station where I had to sign an undertaking not to move near her or our child again — a restraining order. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that I can’t see my child. In all of this, her mum champions her on and fully and openly supports everything she does, even the sleeping around.

Before all of this, I tried to get her a car. We went to a car dealership together and I told her to pick a car but she said she wanted the cash equivalent of whatever car she picked. But it’s not as if she had any plans to stay. She was just trying to extort me.

The only thing that keeps me going is the fact that I have a child with her.

6. T

I’m 33 now. I got married at 27 and I regret getting married so young. If I could go back, I would hold off getting married till I turn 40. When I see my friends linking up with babes, but I’m here stuck with the Mrs, it can be quite depressing. If your wife genuinely loves you, it’s nice having someone waiting for you at home. But the major thing that makes marriage tolerable is feeling the unconditional love your children have for you. Nothing beats that.

Other than that, maintaining a home and doing stuff like paying kids’ school fees are very expensive. I can’t put myself first or buy stuff for myself.

7. James

I got married to the spawn of Satan in my late 20’s. I’m in my late 40’s now. At the beginning of our marriage, she was good. The first time she ever abused me, it was with a wooden eba turner on my balls while I was asleep. I could not hit her back because I didn’t want to lose the job her father got for me. He was an influential man. I remember when I pushed her back one day and she cut her face with a knife and lied to everyone that I did it. No one believed my side of the story The physical abuse got worse over time.  I used to go to work with scars under my shirt, and I remember that one day, my shirt showed that I was bleeding under.

Long story short, I left her and ran away to Cyprus. Nobody knew I was leaving except my brother — I’m an orphan — so it was easy to leave without anyone worrying. I’m still single and although I’m seeing someone, things are not that serious, and I don’t think I’ll ever get married again. I’m just lucky she didn’t kill me.

8. Sammy

My wife has a hard time with intimacy. It’s easier to masturbate in the shower than to cuddle with her. I have found myself thinking about having an affair, so that I will be less of a burden of intimacy to her. I think it’s her self-image; she’s overweight. I have dated women with all sorts of bodies and a woman’s body type doesn’t really matter to me. It matters to her. She tried to work on her weight but stopped since she developed some life-threatening health problems. I feel like she’s more of an observer than a participant in our lives. She doesn’t like to talk, but her body language is loud to me. I don’t think she realizes that. I thought she was passive aggressive, but now I realize that she is just afraid of making mistakes.

I really like sex, and it was nice with her in the past but when her weight-related problems- like joint issues- started, it became boring. I had to start thinking of experiences with past lovers or porn scenes when we had sex just so I could finish. In my past relationships, I’ve enjoyed role-playing, Japanese bondage, laughter, and interesting conversations, so this one is very anticlimatic for me.

With my wife, she always has something else to do, or she thinks I’m wasting her time. I’ve gone from making love for three hours straight to being with someone that doesn’t even want to try different things. And it’s not about me, she’s the one that’s not opening up. She’s the one being passive and uninterested. Sometimes, I even wonder if she’s considering having an affair too because she’s not enjoying our sex life. If we get a divorce, it will destroy me.

9. Dayo

I got married in my mid-20s primarily because I had a number of very problematic ideas in my head — ideas that were basically implanted by my dad, who was my biggest model for what being a successful man looked like. Idea 1 – A “good,” “responsible” man has no need to be single once he is financially stable, and the next logical step after achieving career stability is to get married and start a family. This idea worked well in the 1970s when he was a young professional living through Nigeria’s oil boom. In the 21st century? Not so much, as I found out.

Idea 2: When you find a “good” girl, don’t let her go. This idea was further complicated by the Umar Johnson/Hotep ideology I used to subscribe to, which basically held that the best and most important thing a black man can do in an anti-Black world is take care of a Black woman and be part of a cohesive Black family unit. In reality, as I found out, that ideology works for societies where being “Black” means something. In Nigeria/Africa where everyone is Black, there’s a good chance the person you’re marrying has no clue that they are “Black” or why you place a premium on these fancy IJGB ideologies of yours. And of course, there is no such thing as a “good” girl as I found out when I stumbled across a text from some guy telling her she forgot her panties and bra at his place.

Idea 3 – Cinderella stories are a real thing. This was not an idea I held consciously but based on observing my dad, whose marriage was the ultimate Cinderella fairytale, elevating an 18-year-old woman from Surulere into a mistress of the manor almost overnight, I subconsciously believed in the sheer romance of it all. In reality, as I discovered, dating outside of your socioeconomic neighbourhood is A LOT OF WORK. No matter how much money and effort went into convincing her that I was crazy about her before and during the marriage, she was never able to let go of the nagging suspicion that I secretly looked down on her and on her family, whose lives were quite literally transformed through my involvement. It also didn’t help that my mom was openly nasty to her in a very Patience Ozokwor type of way. In the end, she was never able to get over that basic insecurity and she ended up using things like sex as her leverage to fight the imaginary power tussle happening inside her head. When it came to an end and I got to hear what her mom really thought about me, I learned that the biggest omission in the Cinderella tale is that people will literally resent you for changing their lives because humans hate feeling indebted, and your presence in their life is a reminder of bad times. Cinderella is a lie.

It wasn’t until 3 years in that I finally summoned the courage to admit to myself that I was miserable and I didn’t want to be there anymore. From that point until when I informed her and both families about my decision was only a short hop and skip. The biggest roadblock was always in my head because of Idea 4: The idea that marriage is a lifelong unbreakable contract. Again a legacy of my dad’s ghost living rent-free in my head. My parents were excellent providers and by Nigerian standards, a low drama couple. Their relationship, however, to those in the know, was utterly dreadful. They didn’t even sleep in the same room, and yet the question of splitting up never arose. I admired the sheer commitment and iron will I saw in my dad for refusing to choose himself day after day, for over 3 decades. Thus I had also unwittingly convinced myself that no matter what, I had to stick it out. It also didn’t help that the decision to marry her was not at all received well by my parents who considered her to be a social-climbing interloper. So I was getting grief from them and from her at the same time, but I figured it was a “man” thing to suck it up and keep it moving. This changed when I watched my dad die and saw his casket being lowered into the ground. I suddenly realised that at the end of everything, his corpse didn’t get a medal for wasting most of his life in a joyless and destructive relationship. His death was my vaccine.

Overall, what I would tell young men looking to get married is that there is no medal for being married — whatever joy or misery awaits you in there is nobody’s business but yours alone. Even your family doesn’t really care. So never get married for any other reason other than because you genuinely want to. And just as important, make sure you marry someone who LIKES you. Not someone who likes how you make them feel or the things you do for them and their family. Marry your FRIEND — someone who enjoys the simple fact of your existence on this planet, and not someone who merely loves the ‘idea’ of being with you. Also, delay having kids as I did! Don’t rush into making a baby with someone you’ve been married to for 3 months. Give it at least 18 months to decide if this is what you actually want. The past three years since the split have been by far the happiest and most productive of my life so far.

Mama G said her children pleaded with her not to remarry.

As someone who married at an early age and would have loved to enjoy it to the fullest, she said it was a huge sacrifice she had to make for her children.

“I actually wanted to remarry but it was too late because my children were already grown and they pleaded with me and said ‘stay with us and we will be the husband you want and take care of you.

‘Because our friends will laugh at us and say at our age our mother wants to remarry’ but I understood and stayed,” she recounted.

The veteran actress made this revelation during a popular cooking show, ‘Mercy’s Menu’, hosted by her colleague, Mercy Johnson Okojie.

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Admitting her children might have been selfish at the time, the actress said the decision worked perfectly for her.

When Mercy asked that might have been a huge sacrifice, Patience replied, “there is no sacrifice too huge for the family.”

The film star who reportedly married at the age of 19 is said to have lost her husband to a terminal ailment.

According to her,vshe would not allow anyone to leave their marriage for a “Visitor”.

The veteran actress made this assertion during a popular cooking show, “Mercy’s Menu”, hosted by her colleague, Mercy Johnson Okojie.

“Would you advise anyone to leave if there’s infidelity?” Mercy asked.

“Me, I’m not going to leave my house for anybody, you are the visitor that came in. Find your way out”, Mama G replied.

“I will so hold my family, so polish it, and sweep out all the debts, and then had a peaceful home again.”

Mercy further asked; “even when the infidelity is constant?”

“If infidelity is constant, it is the one that is an infidel that should go out. I’m not leaving my house for anybody,” Mama G replied again.

The film star also spoke on why she wouldn’t advise divorce in marriages but separation instead, adding that God is not against separation but he despises divorce.

“God is not against separation. What God doesn’t want is divorce. God is not saying we should not divorce because sometimes he does not know that we have violated – No,” she said.

“Coming from a Christian background, we are not allowed to divorce.

“If you pray and the man turns around to become something else, escape for dear life because it is only those who are alive that can tell the story. When you are dead, nobody can tell your story for you.

“For me, marriage is forever till death do us part. That is the way I brought up my children. What we have today baffles me.

“I feel for the children that they’re giving birth to because I don’t know how they would learn something better from their parents.”

Actress and mum of four, Mercy Johnson, has disclosed how veteran actress, Patience Ozokwor, advised her years ago to stop indecent dressing.

While reflecting on the past during her chat with the thespian on this week’s edition of her weekly cook show, Mercy’s Menu, the actress said “Do you remember when you were younger before you got married when I told you that the photos you take today, your children will see them tomorrow and immediately the kind of lifestyle you lived?”

And Mercy Johnson acknowledged the statement saying “Yes you did, you told me Mercy dress properly, you will have kids and when they grow up, they will ask you, why are you looking this way? yes I remember, I’m lucky but i still learned the hard way really.”

Also during their conversation, Patience Ozokwor revealed why she didn’t marry after she lost her husband years ago

“I wanted to remarry but my kids had already come of age and they pleaded with me not to marry another man and they promised they will be my husband. They asked me to stay single for them so their friends will not laugh at them that at their age their mum remarried and I understood them, though it was selfish of them but I paid the huge sacrifice for them, no sacrifice is too huge for family.”

Patience Ozokwor further spilled why she stopped wearing jewelry and makeup.

“It was my son God used for me, he had a dream twice of me with my natural face and hair on and God told him, he preferred me looking that way than when I use make up and accessories, by the third time he had the dream, I just knew this is it, I had to stop.”

The veteran, who clocked 80 on Monday, July 11, has been given a befitting birthday party deserving of an icon like him.

Mr Jacob’s birthday was held in Lagos with lots of celebrities in attendance.

Few of the celebrities spotted were Hilda Dokubo, Ali Baba, Richard Mofe Damijo, Taiwo Ajayi Lycett, Sola Sobowale, Victor Osuagwu, Ego Boyo, Patience Ozokwor, Ireti Doyle, Ini Edo, Kate Henshaw, Kunle Afolayan, Ngozi Nwosu, Chioma Ude and Debola Lagos.

A video has emerged of the moment he cut his enormous birthday cake.

The octogenarian was bursting with joy as the audiences cheered him on while the spotlight was on him.

As part of the year-long celebrations, Mr Jacobs, who has been off the movie scene for years now, will feature in a stage play come December.

The announcement was made by his wife who revealed the film was written by Mr Jacobs and featured them as a couple. It was first performed in 1986 and also in 1987 and 1993.

Watch video below:

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In what was their very first encounter, the legendary actresses clashed in an interesting local movie shot in Ghana.

Patience Ozokwor’s mission in the garden city of Kumasi was to settle the long-standing debate of who was the most dangerous on-screen ‘witch’.

If there’s anything the duo have in common, it is their ability to play villain roles that can make you attempt to drag them off your screens.

It was for same purpose they were paired in Mama Africa movie.

The video in circulation captured the scene where they were happily singing legendary K. Frimpong and his Cubano Fiestas’ Kyenkyen Bi Adi M’awu after they had plotted how to eliminate their common enemy.

Though unable to speak the Twi language, the Igbo tribeswoman sang word-for-word the chorus of the song.

Their interaction on set is one Kyeiwaa later said in an interview was very memorable, even bragging that she beat the famous Mama G to her game.

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Watch video below:

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The actor is married to Ngozi Nkem Owoh and they are blessed with two children.

Nkem Owoh is a Nigerian actor and comedian. A native of Amagu village in Udi in Enugu State. He is a graduate of engineering from the University of Ilorin.

He started acting films from his University days when he participated in a popular TV series.

In 2008, he won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Owoh has featured in many films such as Things Fall Apart with Pete Edochie, Ukwa with Patience Ozokwor, Sawam with Francis Agu, Conspiracy with Onyeka Onwenu, Spanner with Chinedu Ikedieze, Mr trouble and Osuofia in London with Patience Ozokwor.

Nkem Owoh is called Osuofia and Ukwa because of the roles he played in some of his movies.

Mzbel and her adopted daughter took the positions of vocalists aiding her son, Nana Adepa, to make magic with his little piano.

The family gave a Christmas rendition of the popular 1772 Christian hymn; Amazing Grace.

Nana Adepa’s piano skills impressed his mother who rewarded him with a cedi note, causing smile to escape from her son’s lips.

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This is to set a mood ahead of the Christmas festive period. The family has also decorated their home to that effect.

Watch video below:

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Celebrating Chioma with striking resembling photos, madam Ozokwor accompanied them with a caption that showered sweet words and prayers on her.

The thespian wrote: Patienceozokwo Chiom Chiom, Nneude Nwaokwor, Oyiri nne nye, Omauma asa ahu. My blessing from God. I am grateful to God for you. It’s an honour to be your mother.

Happy birthday to you my darling. I have prayed my prayers for you in secret. God will answer us in the public. Continue to be a wonder my dear.

She once revealed that her daughter is very dear to her heart as she almost lost her when she was just 10 years old.

The actress, in an interview on Channels Television, said she got married at a young age after being told by her parents that she could not wait for the person she loved. 

The actress described the experience as horrible, adding that, she had to endure because she didn’t want to disappoint her father, who loved her beyond words.

The actress noted that she comes from a polygamous family in which one does not leave their marriage, and from a Christian background in which divorce is not an option.

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The movie veteran also disclosed how she looked for alternatives to take care of her children after discovering that her husband had a rare terminal disease.

In the interview, she also recounted how her husband, who woke up from coma, was surprised that she was still taking care of him amid the sickness.

Watch the video below:

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The award-winning artiste rose to fame with ‘Total Cheat’ which made waves in the country and has been praised for his uniqueness, especially doing songs in his local dialect, Dagbani.

But Fancy Gadam believes his songs are not getting enough airplay in the mainstream media mainly because of the language but said music knows no language and was happy that his genre had found its foothold in the Northern Region.

In an interview with the GNA Entertainment, Fancy Gadam said, “after my ‘Total Cheat’ hit single, many people thought I could not deliver another hit song but I have done other equally good songs which featured top artistes including Patoranking, Mugeez, Kuami Eugene, among others.

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“In the music industry nowadays some people think I have become irrelevant mainly because I don’t do songs in dialects that are understood and widespread across the country.

“I mostly do my music in Dagbani, and the Dangbani speaking population is not that much as compared to Twi and other dialects but for me, music doesn’t know no language.”

Fancy Gadam added that satisfying his fanbase in the Northern Region remains his priority as he continues to work hard to get the needed attention in the larger music markets.

“For me, I believe I have the largest fan base in Ghana because whenever I put on an event, the venues are always filled and fans appreciate whatever I do for them.

“The problem is that my songs don’t get enough airplay because I do good songs, I don’t know whether it is because of the dialect but the music goes beyond language as I said earlier,” he said

Fancy Gadam is currently promoting his latest single titled ‘Formula’ which is making waves in the country.

A 40-year-old driver is among the candidates in the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at Nkoranza in the Bono East region.

Sampson Konadu is hoping to enroll in a Senior High School (SHS) and become an engineer in future.

The 40-year-old, who is President of Nkoranza Youth Association, said he was inspired by the Free SHS policy by the Akufo-Addo government.

He revealed that he dropped out of school in 1999 as a very brilliant student due to financial difficulties.

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“I passed my exam but my parents did not have money to further my education at the time so I see this as a huge opportunity to fulfill my dream,” he said in an interview on Adom News.

Mr Konadu said in spite of his educational background, he is the second in command for the Nkoranza City Guard and the Public Relations Officer for Nkoranza Water Board.

He is convinced if he is able to further his education, his dream of becoming an engineer will be realised.

Watch attached video for more:

The car, a black Nissan SUV, was presented to her by her children on her 62nd birthday.

She broke down in tears when the car, decorated with balloons, was presented to her in the presence of guests.

After wiping off her tears of joy, she proceeded to do her favourite igbo traditional dance amid songs of thanksgiving.

Taking to her Instagram page, she wrote: I am still recovering from yesterday’s surprise. There is something so special about this birthday. Thank you to everyone who reached out and who said a prayer for me. I am grateful and blessed indeed.

The dramatic face-off with the regulators – the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) – is worthy of a film itself.

Producer Pamela Adie and director Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim are determined that Ife (meaning “love” in the Yoruba language) reaches a Nigerian audience, but the NFVCB says it will not be approved as it violates the country’s strict laws on homosexuality.

International premiere

To get around this, the filmmakers are planning a surprise online release to catch the regulators off-guard. The NFVCB, however, is diligently monitoring all digital platforms to prevent the movie from getting out.

According to NFVCB boss Adebayo Thomas, Adie and Ikpe-Etim could be jailed for promoting homosexuality in a country where same-sex relationships are forbidden and can carry a 14-year sentence.

They are organising a private screening in the commercial capital, Lagos, at the end of the month, for which they believe they do not need to get permission.

Ife will also get an international premiere in Canada in October.

Adie said the aim of the film was to show an accurate picture of lesbian and bisexual women in Nigerian movies.

If a lesbian woman does appear in a standard Nollywood movie they are often portrayed as being possessed, influenced by bad friends or forced into homosexuality and always needing “saving”, she told the BBC.

“You rarely see stories about LGBT people, especially about queer women that speak to the realities of our lives.

“Ife was made to bridge the gap and to get the conversation going in Nigeria.”

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Coming out to a Nigerian mother

Ife is a story about two women falling in love as they spend three days together. They “then have their love tested by the realities of being in a same-sex relationship in a country like Nigeria”, according to the publicity for the film.

If July’s trailer, where sex is hinted at but not actually shown, is anything to go by, then Ife certainly pushes the boundaries of telling the LGBT story by Nigerian movie standards.

In one shot, the two protagonists, Ife and Adaora are in bed talking about love and the challenges faced by LGBT people especially within their families.

Their conversation forms the spine of the teaser for the film.

“I told my mum first, took her about a week to come to terms with it,” Ife, played by Uzoamaka Aniunoh, says talking about revealing that she was a lesbian.

“Which is short for a Nigerian mother,” interjects Adaora, played by Cindy Amadi.

“Is it too soon to say I might be in love with you?” asks Adaora as they cuddle.

“We are lesbians, this is the perfect time,” answers Ife.

‘It has to be censored’

Homosexuality is an extremely contentious issue in many parts of Africa and Nigeria is no different.

It is a highly religious and traditional society and its influential Christian and Muslim organisations oppose homosexuality.

As a consequence, Nigeria is one of 30 countries on the continent where it is criminalised.

The legislation outlawing same-sex relationships was passed in 2014 and built on the colonial-era prohibition of sodomy. Police in Nigeria have cracked down on people suspected of homosexuality, forcing most into hiding.

The feeling of being sidelined and the need to challenge beliefs that homosexuality is immoral is what inspired director Ikpe-Etim to take on the project.

“Before now, we have been told one-sided stories. What we are doing with this film is normalising the queer experience, we are normalising the LGBT romance.

“It will begin to erase that shame that LBQ [lesbian, bisexual and queer] women face,” she told the BBC.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community in Africa is becoming increasingly vocal and visible, thanks to the internet providing a space for films, talk shows and websites.

But there is no plan for large-scale screenings of Ife in Nigerian cinemas or selling the DVD, as the producers want to make it available online as pay-on-demand.

But even that will get them into trouble with the regulators.

Increasing acceptance of LGBTQ people

“If it did not pass through NFVCB and it is released, the filmmakers will be prosecuted according to the law,” Mr Thomas said.

“As long as it’s Nigerian content, we will pull it down because we have collaborations with Google, YouTube and other key players.”

But that has not deterred the producers and Adie says her team will continue as planned, as they believe they have done nothing wrong and do not plan to seek permission for an online release.

This is not the first time an LGBTQ-themed movie has fallen foul of regulators on the continent.

Stories of Our Lives, a collection of five short films based on stories of LGBTQ life in Kenya was banned in 2014 for being “contrary to national norms”

She wrote in one post: But the Godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, ‘The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!’ Psalm 92:12-14 #BirthdayThanksgiving#MamaGLovers#PatienceOzokwo.

Happy birthday to her; photos below:

In an Instagram post where she was captured showing off her adorable girl, the actress praised God, saying:

Thank you God for the best birthday gift ever. Only you dear God could have planned it so perfectly. Birthday Mate Granddaughter Blessing From God [SIC].

The actress, whose birthday is on September 14, also prayed for every woman who desires to have a child.

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I pray for everyone desiring children. Thank you God that you will answer them speedily and bless them in Jesus name.

Check out her post below:

The actress, widely known as Mama G, has proved this with an adorable family photo of her children and grandchildren.

Miss Ozokwor has taken to her Instagram page to celebrate the large family with the photos they took some time ago.

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She noted it was the first time in seven years they had been together as a family.

The photo captured 10 adorable adults and 14 grandchildren.

Watch the photos below:

According to her, the decision comes after the President eased some of the restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

She said on Beyond the Lockdown on Joy News that her team is re-strategising to bring the best of entertainment to viewers in August regardless of the problems they may face.

“The challenges of putting together logistics and not being sure of expected revenue is a real issue. In normal times, we will have been able to sell up to 4,000 tickets in VGMA-related events, but it is not so now,” Mrs Ayoade told Emefa Apawu, host of the show.

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She explained that, as organisers, Charterhouse is looking into utilising the digital space as well as new guidelines for events put forth by the Tourism Ministry.

Unlike the 3Music Awards, the 2020 VGMA will have a live audience but with the needed social distancing and health protocols, she said.

Mrs Ayoade explained that the live audience is the essence of the award show, hence, the need to follow through with the Tourism Ministry’s guidelines.

Preparations have gone into making sure that Ghanaian artistes in other countries and audiences, who cannot come to the show, can join virtually, she added.

Mrs Ayoade stated that she is confident that her team, by August, can put together a spectacular show for their audience.

“It may not be exactly as it used to be in the past but obviously, with what is happening now, it’s going to be a downscale version,” she said.

According to Abdul Rahman Abubakar, popularly known in his circles as Abodi3, pharmaceutical drugs are destroying lives of young people on the streets of Ghana more than marijuana and other known drugs purported to be harmful.

In an interview on SVTV Africa, Abodi3 said the latest drug that is making waves away from the social market is ‘Dede Ayew’ also known as ‘Akufo-Addo’, which is originally called Valium in the medicine world.

He explained that, the side effect of the generic drug includes excessive drowsiness, dizziness, spinning sensation, fatigue, constipation, ataxia (loss of balance) among others that can distort logical reasoning.

The ghetto leader, who has smoked marijuana for close to 20 years, said he hardly allows people who engage in such drugs to enter his territory.

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Abodi3 added that, since the government has enforced measures for people to grow cannabis for medical purposes, they should also revise strategies to legalise the herb for recreational purposes.

Marijuana won’t force you to go and steal. It is their decisions… even if witches are after you, you can take decision to pray and ward them off.

I’ve been smoking for about close to 20 years, I started in 2001… I haven’t seen any infection or anything. People say its tramadol but that is just the surface. If someone curses you through marijuana that is your case because you have wronged the person.

Right now, codeine is expensive so boys don’t buy again. Now they buy the D10.  They also call it Valium 5 and Valium 10, what many people call blue blue.

If you don’t know you will say its tramadol or marijuana destroying lives but they add many things to it. Tramadol is the least poison even though it has the same tendency.

He said most of the drug peddlers and those who patronise the abusive products give them other names so people outside that circle cannot easily decipher what the conversation is about.

If you are someone who likes taking anything you come across, the behavior can mess you up. The D10 is the main case, they don’t call it D10, they call it Dede Ayew or Akufo-Addo because of how ‘small’ the drug is.

If they mention the name, you wouldn’t know. They can chew or put in drinks. I don’t allow such people to come close to me. It messes up with your emotions. It can give you anger or pressure.

Watch the interview below:

The Ghana Health Service announced the latest figures on its website.

The report said 89 more people have recovered from the virus, increasing the tally for recoveries to 3,636.

Three people are currently in critical condition while 17 persons are also in severe condition.

ALSO READ:

• Managing Director of Nyaho Medical Centre tests positive for Covid-19
• Actors found guilty of rape must be banned – Patience Ozokwor
• Economic Fighters League leader granted bail

Checkout the Regional breakdown

The Greater Accra Region is still leading the chart with 6,309 cases, followed by the Ashanti and Western Regions with 1,645 and 624 cases respectively.

Greater Accra Region – 6,309
Ashanti Region – 1,645
Western Region – 624
Central Region – 489
Eastern Region – 166
Volta Region – 102
Western North Region – 74
Upper East Region – 42
Northern Region – 37
Oti Region – 28
Upper West Region – 22
Bono East Region – 7
North East Region – 2
Savannah Region – 1
Bono Region – 1
Ahafo Region – 0

Kemi Filani News recalls that Actress Sylvia Oluchi hours ago, accused veteran movie director, Lancelot Imasuen, of sexually assaulting her, during a film shoot in 2008.

Reacting, Patience Ozokwor in a chat with Sunday scoop said those involved in such acts should be banned from the industry.

“Yes (they should be banned) because they cannot represent us as an industry. The guilds in the industry have disciplinary committees and they won’t allow such people to stay. There is a standard punishment that is to be meted out to anyone found guilty of such act.

“It is heartbreaking whenever I hear that things like that happen in the entertainment industry because they (entertainers) have access to whatever they want. There is no girl they desire and approach that would not follow them, even when they (girls) know that some of them are married. Forcing a girl into (the act) is just stupid. My heart is breaking as you are telling me that it happens in the industry because I don’t go on social media anymore.” she stated.

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• Economic Fighters League leader granted bail

Handing down advice for the womenfolk, she said, “Girls should stop dressing provocatively. It seems like they can’t do without skimpy wear. That was one of the reasons I shut down my boutique because if one doesn’t sell skimpy clothes, people would not buy.

However, people with good background would not do that because they know it would bring shame to their families. Some actresses think that when they dress that way, they would get roles but it is not true. Talent comes first. It is on set that one would be given the kind of dress one is to wear, so that one can properly portray the character one is playing.

Many girls come in (the industry) and they want to make it by all means, so they fall into the wrong hands. Even some of the people they think are directors may not be professional directors. Real directors don’t have time to mess around like that.

“Ladies should take it easy. Becoming a star is not the ultimate. When I started my career, I didn’t know that there was anything like stardom. I was just doing what I enjoyed and it has turned out to be what it is today.

“Some parents even dress their children in skimpy clothes, saying they want to prepare them to be stars. Whenever they meet any one that promises to turn their children to stars, they would quickly hand them over to the person.

The boxer was having a session with the media pertaining to his next bout. When the question of how many spouses he has popped up he got angry.

“That question, don’t ask me again, everyday how many wives, don’t ask me that question again. This is my new wife,” he fumed.

SEE THIS:

• Video: Kumawood actor turned pastor delivers girl from the devil

• Actress Patience Ozokwor celebrates lookalike daughter on her birthday [Photos]

• ‘Hon. Aponkye’s branded goodies pop up hours after his defeat [Photos]

In the video, Bukom Banku was also seen presenting a young lady with blonde hair as his new wife.

He even asked her to get up when the journalist asked about details and preparations he has made for his upcoming bout.

According to him, although he doesn’t know the fighter he is yet to face, he has prepared in his full capacity whoever it may be.

“I have been training more than three months, ask my wife, I have been training so much for this bout so by the grace of God I will win the fight,” he revealed.

Watch the video below:

In an interview with Da Don on ‘You Sey Weytin’ on Hitz FM’s Cruise Control on Tuesday, the artiste has promised to doll out at least 20 cars to his fans in 2020. 

“Next year, I can do more; maybe not two cars but at least 20 cars – make people feel good and make people work hard. I just want to say thanks to my fans,” the artiste announced. 

The promise to give 20 cars comes on the back of another pledge to give two cars to two lucky winners with a gift of ten mobile phones to his female fans. 

A close source has revealed that Shatta Wale is giving out gifts to strengthen his fan base and recruit new team members after parting ways with some of his very close friends. 

He is said to have dissolved the popular music group, Militants, which he formed. The trio included Addi Self, Captan and Joint 77.

READ MORE

• Shatta Wale sacks Militants?

• Actress Patience Ozokwor celebrates lookalike daughter on her birthday [Photos]

The source said the Melissa hitmaker sacked his Militants because they had constantly meddled in his personal affairs. 

Shatta Wale tacitly confirmed this claim in an interview with Da Don on Hitz FM while revealing the purpose for sharing the cars and mobile phones. 

“I just decided to show appreciation to the ones who are constantly doing the work….they can stay loyal to the movement. If you are a fan, all you care about is the music and how we can push the brand to the next level is what is important.”

“Some of the fans, sometimes they want to come into your personal life and things. It is an example to just show other fans that when you are supporting an artiste, his personal life is different from his professional life,” he said.

Shatta Wale is expected to give out the two cars and 10 mobile phones to his fans this year at an event dubbed ‘Shatta Movement Awards’.

The veteran actress is no doubt a loving mother who cares a great deal for her children.

Just recently, Ozokwor took to her Instagram page to celebrate the occasion of her daughter’s birthday.

The filmmaker shared lovely photos of her lookalike daughter, Chioma, as she penned down a sweet note to celebrate her birthday.

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Ozokwor’s daughter clocked a year older on December 17, 2019.

Her post read in part: “Happy birthday to my baby girl. My beautiful daughter Chioma. Ada na eri ukwu anu, Nneude Nwa Okwor, Nnenna Ya, Wendisco, my personal antenna, chief strategist and closest friend ❤.”

She said there were so many reasons to be grateful to God for her daughter’s life.

She recalled how her daughter almost died at 10 but God showed up.

Ozokwor prayed for God to keep blessing her daughter and to lead her in the right path.

Veteran Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwor in a new interview has
opened up on the only regret she has in life, how her kids prevented her
from getting married again and the role her mum played in her first
marriage.

See excerpts from her interview with Punchng below…

Since the death of your husband, have you ever considered remarrying?

Yes. There was a time I wanted to remarry but my children said no.
They are all grown now. They said if they were young, they wouldn’t have
objected. Now that they are grown, they say they will be my husband and
they have been trying. The only thing they don’t do is go to bed with
me (laughs). They said that their friends would laugh at them that their
mother abandoned them, but I didn’t see it that way. It really brought
problems. I wanted to remarry but my sister and other relations came and
said that I should concede to them and I accepted but with the
condition that they would also listen to me anytime I tell them to stop
being friends with any of their friends that I don’t like and they
agreed. So we have been managing one another.

Do you have any regrets in life?

The only regret I have in life is that I wasn’t allowed to marry the
man of my choice. That is it but I was able to cope. I had suitors, I
was going to choose one among them but my parents said that I would
marry their choice. If they had allowed me, I would have loved to make
my choice.

You got married early in life following your parents’ bidding. Was it that you were betrothed to him?

No, I wasn’t betrothed to him, but my mother was a kind of woman that
always liked to punish any child that misbehaved publicly. You know all
those Christian mothers that would be in the disciplinary section to
punish children. So, she didn’t want her child to come out of secondary
school and not get married because she was afraid you could bring her to
where she had been punishing people. So she insisted I must get
married. I said okay but I had a suitor. But she said no. I didn’t know
what to do because I had put all my eggs in one basket; he was in the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I was waiting to go to school so that I
would marry him but my mother wouldn’t wait. So I had to obey her. There
was a big fight but in our days, you would not be the one to say I will
marry this person; it was your parents that would have the final say in
your marriage, so I had to give up.

How would you describe your childhood? Were you stubborn?

I was not stubborn and I was not quiet. It was all play, play, play. But I was loved by so many people around.

At the time you ventured into acting, what were your parents’ reactions?

Only my father was still around and he was excited seeing me in a
movie. Like my husband too, he would say (to our children), come and
play your mother’s film for us to watch. They enjoy my movies. My
immediate younger brother, who is in the US, will say that I have found
my talent and that is why it has swallowed me.

If you were not an actor, what else would you have been in life?

I would be cooking. I still cook till today.

Adomonline.com reported earlier that Gospel musician, Joyce Blessing had left Zylofon Media with the excuse that the label stopped supporting her since the Menzgold brouhaha started in September 2018.

READ ALSO: Why dump my flat buttocks sister – Wanlov quizzes Medikal

Joyce Blessing made this publicly known during her interview with an Accra-based Rainbow Radio and took the opportunity to name her husband, Dave Joy, as her new manager henceforth.

Following this reportage, Willie Roi in a Facebook comment has asked the ‘I Swerve’ singer to return all the monies and loans she took from the label.

ALSO SEE: I’m not a wicked person, I can’t even hurt a fly — Patience Ozokwor

He commented, “If you are not happy, return the car, mansion and money.”

See the photo below:

The actress who made an appearance on Yvonne Okoro’s “Dining with Cooks & Braggarts” show confessed that “she will have more kids and expecting twins very soon.”

Adomonline.com earlier reported Nana Ama Mcbrown’s pregnancy and this only confirms it.

READ ALSO: I’m not a wicked person, I can’t even hurt a fly — Patience Ozokwor

Check out the post above.

View this post on Instagram

Exclusive News or Confirmed News only on #DiningwithCooksandBraggarts this Saturday at 5pm on TV3..Are we expecting Twins watch this saturday @iamamamcbrown v. @kwakumanubob watch this episode by clicking the link in my bio or by searching for desamourtv on youtube

A post shared by Yvonne Okoro (@yvonneokoro) on Jan 4, 2019 at 2:28am PST

The Enugu-born movie star usually plays the role of a wicked mother-in-law or step-mother in movies she stars in.

However, the legendary actress claims that contrary to popular opinion, she is the farthest from being wicked.

READ ALSO: Shatta Wale blasts Sarkodie, Stonebwoy fans

In an interview with Punch, Mama G, as she is affectionately called, stated that she is a kind, soft-hearted soul who can’t even hurt a fly.

“I am very soft-hearted and I cry easily. However, I believe in facing whatever is at hand squarely and doing a good job,” she said.

She added that the movie roles she plays don’t portray her true personality and character in real life.

“Sometimes, I cry when I watch some of the movies I acted in. I am nothing like that and you can never see me where wicked acts are being perpetuated.

ALSO READ: Davido gives Burna Boy’s mother thumbs-up

“If anybody close to me does something wrong, I will not shield the person. Like I have said several times, I am an actress and every character I have ever played ended on the set,” she said.

Patience Ozokwor, 60, is widely recognized as one of the greatest Nollywood actors of all time. The mother-of-three debuted on the movie scene about 20 years ago and has since won multiple awards, including being honoured in 2014 with the Nigerian Centenary Award.

Actress Ella Mensah has revealed she is in love with a married man.

The Ghanaian actress who is based in Nigeria made the revelation in an interview with Joy News’ entertainment anchor, MzGee during actress Bibi Bright’s engagement ceremony.

According to Ella Mensah who has worked with the likes of Nollywood actor, Mike Ezuruonye, Patience Ozokwor and Genevieve Nnaji, she had not dated a married man before and never planned on falling in love with one

“I’m in love with someone who’s already married so I guess what I’ll say is that I’m now going to look for a single guy. It wasn’t planned, I’ve never been with a married man before so his own just happened and, he’s one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met so it just happened and he told me he was married and I was like WHAT! From the beginning, I didn’t know but after, I was already in it so it is what it is”, revealed.

 Ella who believes marriage should be the ultimate goal for every woman also stated that she wants to settle down by 2020 and is hopeful of finding a single man before the year.

“At the end of the day, every woman; no matter how big or fly you are, you will always be under a man’s roof. That’s the ultimate in terms of companionship or a union. My ultimate is not going to happen in 2018, it’s going to happen maybe before 2020. In will try and get a single guy to settle down with”, she added.

“Nearly all the movies where I played wicked roles made me cry because I remember what that character had done to somebody.
“I do these jobs to the best of ability because I want to sit down at home, watch and cry over what I’m doing to people.
“Two of the roles that caused me the most tears were: one role where I seized the feeding bottle of a month-old-baby and threw it away.
“I wept profusely after that scene that the director had to stop shooting until I was able to control myself. If someone had done it in real life, I would have exposed the fellow to the world to see.
“There was another one where I went to take my sister’s daughter from the village, what I did to the girl, if any human being can do it to a fellow human being, I don’t know what God would do to that person in turn.
“I met her in the kitchen, beat her so much that she fell down the stairs, rolled down and died from broken head and pains all over.
“I’d been playing wicked roles but those two movies are exceptionally horrible. I doubt that any human being would do that to anyone.”
On the morality of her roles, she said: “When I play the role of a bad woman, I see myself at that instance as a mirror through which I want society to see and appreciate the fact that it is not good to be bad. This is the reason I do it with so much passion that it becomes almost believable.
“I also see such roles as an opportunity to minister to lost and wicked souls that jealousy, hatred, envy and all the likes can only bring one to ruins.”
 

Ozokwor, fondly called ‘Mama G’, said she did not see any reason why her parents forced her into marriage at that age, adding that they just wanted her to get married.

She said as a child, born into a polygamous family, her mother was eager to see her get married before other children.

In an interview with RTV, the actress said, “It was not my decision [to get married at 19]. And if it’s not my decision it means I was forced into it. I was forced into it many years ago, and I did not see any reason my parents were forcing me as I was still young.

“And even at that age, I had so many suitors. You know when you come from a polygamous family and your mother is struggling for her own daughters to get married and this other one is also struggling for her own daughters to get married and when this one [suitor] came around and my mother said go and I could not make a choice. I was not allowed to make a choice. At the end, I had to obey my parents. I was not brought up to disobey them at all.”

When asked if she enjoyed the marriage after she obliged her parents push, she added, “Sincerely speaking as a Christian I did not. The marriage was not easy at all for me as a young girl, it was not easy.”

She said no matter all she went through in the marriage, she had to stay on because her parents’ eyes were on her and could not jump from one man to the other.

Patience further advised women to remain in their matrimonial homes no matter what, adding that the only reason a woman should separate from her husband is when life is involved.

Watch the video below: