Shirley Frimpong Manso's Love or Something Like that as a headline film of Nollywodweek 2015

Shirley Frimpong Manso's Love or Something Like that as a headline film of Nollywodweek 2015
Message sponsored by www.nollywood-our-nollywood.com

Tuesday 19 July 2016


Esther Ene Audu: The Actress who would soon be married to a Movie Director steps out Big

We mentioned here days back that popular Kogi born actress Esther Ene Audu is well taken and in a matter of days she will drop her maiden name for that of her huzzy. Well, the couple are ready and they will be walking down the aisles on July 30 in Abuja. We gathered that the traditional engagement and the 'white wedding' will precede a grand wedding ball that will hold same day in Abuja.

Esther and Phil

Esther is a Nollywood actress with some movies to her credit while Phil as we gathered is a movie director. You will be stating the obvious if you say that they have decided to keep the business in the family. We say congrats in advance from here as we serve you their big step out ahead of the wedding.....


Sunday 17 July 2016

Silverbird Distribution releases Nationwide Screening Schedule for Kunle Afolayan's 'THE CEO' 



Silverbird Distribution has released the screening schedule of 'The CEO' the new movie by Kunle Afolayan starring Wale Ojo, Peter King and grammy award winner Angelique Kidjo. The movie premiered on july 1st on board an Airfrance flight to Paris and on July 10th at an all glam premiere held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. It was also the opening film of the Nollywoodweek Festival in Paris which held between July 2nd and 5th. Below is the screening schedule: 




SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, VICTORIA ISLAND
THE CEO : 10:40pm12:20pm3:10pm5:15pm7:20pm9:20pm
 
SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, IKEJA
THE CEO : 12:50pm4:55pm6:30pm7:25pm
 
SILVERBIRD CINEMAS FESTAC
THE CEO : 1:05pm3:10pm5:15pm7:20pm, 9:25pm
 
SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, SEC ABUJA
THE CEO : 12:20pm2:20pm4:30pm6:40pm8:50pm

SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, UYO

THE CEO : 11:00am1:00pm3:00pm5:05pm6:30pm

 
GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, LAGOS
THE CEO : 3:00pm5:15pm7:30pm9:45pm
 
GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, MARYLAND
THE CEO : 1:25pm6:00pm
 
GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT
THE CEO : 3:05pm4:45pm6:55pm
 
GENESIS CINEMAS, WARRI
THE CEO : 4:45pm6:55pm
 
GENESIS CINEMAS, CEDDI
THE CEO : 12:00pm2:05pm6:10pm


FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, LAGOS
10:00am,12:10pm, 6:25pm, 8:30pm
 
FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, KANO
12:10pm, 4:20pm, 6:20pm
 
FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, APAPA
12:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm
 
FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT
2:15pm, 4:05pm, 6:10pm, 8:15pm
 
FILM HOUSE CINEMAS SAMONDA
4:00pm, 8:45pm
 
FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, CALABAR
12:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm
 
FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, AKURE
10:00am, 2:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm
 
FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, DUGBE
12:00pm, 5:45pm, 7:50pm
 
FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, ASABA
10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm
LIGHTHOUSE CINEMAS,  WARRI
10:00am, 2:15pm, 4:30pm, 8:45pm

VIVA CINEMAS, ILORIN

(Friday,Tuesday and Thursday)
11:00am, 2:55pm, 6:35pm, 9:15pm

(Saturday, Monday and Wednesday)
2:50pm. 6:45pm

(Sunday)
12;40pm, 2:35pm, 6:30pm, 8:30pm

VIVA CINEMAS, IBADAN
2:20pm, 4:25pm, 8:45pm

KADA CINEMAS, BENIN
1:00pm, 3:15pm, 5:30pm, 8:00pm

OZONE CINEMAS
2:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:10pm

Visit the following links for more info 
on #TheCEOMovie





Friday 15 July 2016

 Oc Ukeje is a year older

By Igalaman

 Fans invaded the social media space of popular actor from the early hours of today to wish him a happy birthday. Messages came from far and near and from amongst Oc Ukeje's colleagues. Founder of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) Peace Anyiam Osigwe was among the first industry personality to wish the handsome dude a happy birthday.

Humble and likeable, Oc as the actor is simply called is a multi, award-winning actor, of stage and screen. He won the 2006 Amstel Malta Box Office reality TV show for actors, the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for the Best Upcoming Actor (2008), and the City People’s Award for Best New Act (2010). 
Oc starred in ‘Wetin Dey’, the 2007 TV series presented at the International Emmy World Television Festival, and also in films like ‘Confusion Na Wa’ and ‘The Awakening’. His first screen appearance was in ‘White Waters’ (2008) and in 2012 he featured in the film ‘Black November’ along with Mickey Rourke, and Kim Basinger, and in Bola Agbaje’s award winning play, ‘Gone Too Far’, sponsored by the British Film Institute and premiered at the 2013 London International Film Festival. 

He also featured in the screen adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun (2013) with Oscar nominated Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Thandie Newton, in the highly-rated TV series Gidi Up and Dowry, and played the lead in the South African film Ayanda and The Mechanic (2015).

Sunday 10 July 2016


Afolayan's 'The CEO' in cinema across the country from July 15
By Waka Pass

With the successful premiere of Kunle Afolayan's well made film 'The CEO' at the Eko Hotel and Suites this Sunday, moviegoers can now troop to the cinema as from July 15 to enjoy the gripping thriller which features to actors like Wale Ojo, Lala Akindoju, Grammy Award Winner Angelique Kidjo, Hilda Dokubo, Peter King, Jimmy Jean Louis among others. 
Bose and Tope Oshin at the July 10 premiere at Eko Hotel

Enyinna Nwigwe takes his turn on the red carpet at the Eko Hotel premiere

Actress Lala Akindoju before the red carpet session
It will be recalled that the film, Afolayan's fifth feature length film (Irapada, Figurine, Phone Swap, October 1) premiered aboard an Air France flight from Lagos to Paris on July 1st. It was also the official opening film of the Nollywoodweek Film Festival which held in Paris from July 2nd to 5th. 

'The CEO' lenses the mystery surrounding the death of three top executives, who are part of a leadership retreat organised by a multinational telecommunications firm to choose a new CEO. Sponsored by Airfrance with support from many institutions and corporate bodies including the Bank of Industry (BOI) which provided the initial N50 million naira loan for the production, 'The CEO' is distributed in Nigeria by Silverbird Distributions. see www.ceothemovie.com for greater details
Nollywood Actress Esther Ene Audu is Taken!

By Waka Pass

By this time next month (August) Beautiful Nollywood actress Esther Ene Audu would have spent about 14 days as the wife of a dashing young man who has aimed so well that he plucked down the charming flower in Mr. Audu's garden.



The long and short of this 'Eze goes to school' story is that the Kogi state born actress has been well taken.  The Trad and white wedding will take place in a matter of days in Abuja and her family and friends 'are seriously mobilizing to make it a show stopper'. The lucky chap?
Watch this space........
Star Actress Clarion Chukwurah now a 'Witness for Jehovah'

By Waka Pass


Clarion and Huzzy
Notable stage and screen actress Clarion Chukwurah has dumped pentecostalism for full membership of the Jehovah Witness movement. The award winning actress and mother of top video music director Clarence Peters who recently remarried in the US today confirmed that she will henceforth 'no longer pray in tongue' or 'cast and bind' which pentecostalism that she had hitherto practiced permits, as she has decided to take up full membership of JW alongside her husband. The actress of vast screen and stage credits made the confirmation in a post on her Facebook page and twitter handle. In fact she shared a pix of her husband and herself after a meeting at JW Kingdom hall.
Clarion said: ' Instructive Meeting Sunday at the Kingdom Hall towards Baptism and Evangelization Ministry as Jehovah's Witnesses'. Waka Pass wish Clarion and huzzy well. 


CALL FOR SUBMISSION FOR NOLLYWOOD FILM FESTIVAL IN GERMANY
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By Husseini Shaibu

Ambassador Isaac Izoya
Organizers of the annual Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG) and Nollywood Europe Golden Awards (NEGA) say they are receiving entries for the fourth edition of the festival, which will take place in Frankfurt, Germany in September.
Culture Ambassador Isaac Izoya who is founder and President of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment, organizers of the event say the deadline for registration ends by July 21 while submission of films ends by July 31, 2016. ‘’While the NFFG offers Nollywood filmmakers a viable platform to showcase their movies to Europeans and Nollywood fans in the Diaspora, NEGA honours Nollywood stake-holders, Nollywood stars, comedians, musicians both in Africa and in the Diaspora’’ Izoya said.
Also he added ‘’others that will also be honoured include outstanding statesmen and captains of industry who have done well to the admiration of the world. Not left out in the honours list are successful Africans, whose impact have been profound in the culture and tourism sector’’.

Izoya and Mama Gee at the 2014 edition

Izoya and Dr. Peterson at the 2014 edition
Giving details of the submission guidelines, Izoya explained that ‘unless a special waiver is granted, films must have been made during the last 24 months preceding the Festival and must not have been shown on internet or TV’’.  Also, Izoya clarified that the Selection Committee will only screen films in DVD (PAL), which must not be less than of 90 minutes or more than 120 minutes duration. ‘’The movies must also be subtitled in English if the original version of the film is not in English’’ he surmised.
Details of the festival and awards can be sourced at www.nollywoodawards.com or at www.ehizoyafilms.com

More tribute from home and abroad for Veteran stage and screen actress Bukky Ajayi

By Husseini Shaibu

Bukky Ajayi on the AMVCA stage
The grounds of Atan Cemetery in the Yaba area of Lagos couldn’t contain the large crowd of family members, close relations and members of the creative industry who turned up on Wednesday to witness the interment ceremony of popular octogenarian stage and screen actress Zainab Bukky Ajayi. The actress who is popular as ‘Auntie Bukky’ reportedly died in her family home in Surulere area of Lagos and was laid to rest same day at Atan Cemetary, Yaba, Lagos in accordance with Islamic injunction. She was aged 82. 
Close family members say it was ‘Auntie Bukky’s wish to be buried as soon as possible’’ at a nearby cemetery. ‘’So we merely kept to her wish and Atan was the closest cemetery to where she resides’’ a close relation said at her Aguda, Surulere home that has playing host to hordes of mourners.
A devout Muslim and thespian who is roundly regarded as a core professional, Auntie Bukky as younger colleagues call her is a veteran actress of vast credit. She has hugged both the stage and screen and she is best known for her inimitable performance in the Andrew Dosumu’s well travelled film ‘Mother of George’ and in some Nollywood movies including the 2004 feature ‘Indecent Girl’ and the 1998 movie ‘Witches’. Her last major television appearance would be playing a leading role in the soap Hotel Majestic.
Mama Bukky Ajayi
Clearly, a living legend of the stage and screen, Auntie Bukky began her career on screen as an announcer, presenter and newscaster with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). While at that, Auntie Bukky who studied drama at the prestigious Stanislavsky Institute of Drama, London found time to feature in some soaps and series produced on NTA. The now rested Village Headmaster series is one programme that benefitted from her expert portrayal.
A mother, grandmother, great grandmother and acting auntie to a lot of young people, the iconoclastic actress had what is perhaps her last public outing as a celebrity when she honoured the invitation of the organizers of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) to receive a life time achievement award. The actress who attended the event on a wheel chair made a moving speech that is now termed her farewell speech to the industry. She had said shortly after receiving the award ‘’all these people (referring to the audience that all stood to also honour her). You mean you are all standing for me? Oh..oh..Please, if I have done anything wrong to you in the past, please forgive me…and I too have forgiven those who wronged me in the course of life and on this job’’.
photos from Mama Bukky Ajayi 82nd Birthday
Condolence messages has continued to pour in from home and abroad for the actors’ actor who will be remembered for her total commitment to the acting vocation. Popular stage and screen actress and a long time associate of the deceased actress Joke Silva struggled to describe the late actress in the past. She said in a tribute to the theatre Amazon ‘’we started working together in the early 90’s. Her sense of humour was beautiful. She will look like she is really mad at you then she will break out with an infectious smile. Auntie Bukky was your typical jobbing actor. What that means is that she was not ‘star status’ conscious. She just loved to work. Lufudo productions performed Ahmed Yerima’s ‘The Sisters’ five times and she was in all of them including the one at Hackney Empire Stratford East London, which we produced in partnership with ZMirage. Auntie Bukky had really bad arthritis at the time but she would insist on going round with us to publicize the play and we played to a full house each time.  She loved the experience. I am glad that The Theatre Advocates visited her before she died and spent quality time with her. One thing she harped on was that it was important to set up a pension and insurance scheme for the industry. She has gone to a well-deserved rest’’ she said.
The National President of actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Ibinabo Fiberisima has commiserated with the family of the late actress. The actors President says the actress will be fondly remembered for her numerous contributions to the guild and the society in general.
Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed has also condoled the family of the actor whom he described as an Amazon and worthy thespian. Speaking through his Special Assistant on Media Segun Adeyemi, the Minister said the elder artiste lived an exemplary life and exhibited sterling qualities through out her lifetime. In condolence message, which Adeyemi later issued on behalf of the Minister Alhaji Mohammed said despite her advance age, it was still with a sense of sadness and great loss that he received the news of the death of the veteran actress and broadcaster. ‘’Her journey in the Nigerian Creative industry spans decades of amazing performances in classic productions such as the unforgettable Village Headmaster and a number of critically acclaimed stage and screen productions like Thunderbolt, Oduduwa, Women’s Cot, Mother of George and The Sisters. Her name will be etched in the minds of her colleagues and fans in Nollywood because of the memories she gave all of us to cherish. There is no doubt that she will forever be an inspiration to generations of people in the creative industry’’ Alhaji Mohammed said.
Also, President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) Fred Amata in a condolence message described the late Bukky Ajayi as ‘a core and total professional of theatre and screen whose exemplary lifestyle both on and off set is worthy of emulation by younger actors’. Amata also said ‘’Bukky Ajayi’s death has left a huge gap difficult to fill in acting, yet her life and work is a huge contribution to resource and annals of Nollywood’’.
In a tribute too, popular actor Bimbo Manuel described her as an Amazon who enjoyed her craft. ‘She enjoyed her craft, delivered every time she was on call. She was an icon’’ he said.
The last time Auntie Bukky Ajayi spoke to the Guardian was the week after she received the AMVCA award. She spoke of her career and one of the best decisions that she took in life. She said ‘’I would say it is the day I decided that I was going to become a Muslim. From that moment, I experienced peace and everything started running smoothly for me…I must say that I am fulfilled. I am have seen the good, the bad and the ugly but I have mostly experienced the good. I am celebrated everywhere I go.  Acting has made me a celebrity even though I don’t feel like one. I just see myself as an instrument in the hands of almighty to change lives through my work as an actor. And I hope I have been able to touch and affect lives. If I haven’t done much, I will try and do more when next I come around (loud chuckle). Of course I am no longer as strong as I used to be…I hardly can stand unaided so I cant promise that I will do much now again. But I thank my fans for standing by me and my colleagues too and family for being so caring and accommodating. They have been coming here to see me and it keeps me going and makes me feel loved and appreciated. I pray for them to achieve more than I have achieved. I also pray for the right structures to be put in place for the industry. We should be more organized and we should have a pension plan for retirees like us (chuckles) and insurance in case of eventualities. But things will get better. I am hopeful’’