THE guArDIAN, Saturday, July 6, 2013
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ENTErTAINMENT world, especially the ‘Delta Beyond oil’ drive, just as the team of coordinators is bent on attracting foreign investors into the Nigerian entertainment industry. There will be a grand cultural gala nite on the evening of Day Two where Nigeria’s entertainment exports will be showcased. Already, DJ Jimmy Jatt and two other top artistes that are yet to be unveiled will provide music at the event. In an exclusive interview with The Guardian on Wednesday, Mrs. Kemi otegbade, CEo, Heartlink Ventures ltd, lagos, said: “The whole idea about the annual event is to take advantage of Nigeria’s high population to increase per capital income. It’s a roundtable forum for Nigerians and the rest of the world. We had a pre-event visit to the uS by some members of our team driving this project.” The six-man team include Dr. Ayodeji Afikuyomi, MD, unicorn Holdings, ltd; Yinka ogundimu of globalcare Environmental Needs; olatunbosun okpeseyi of Dikpo okpeseyi & Co and Tope Idowu of Teewai gold Media llC, as well as Mayor Akinpelu, our Consultant on Strategy & Publicity. “We realized that a lot of Nigerians want to come back home and invest, but they don’t know how to go about it. They are tired of the system; they want to imbibe our virtue as Nigerians and impart our cultures to their children... And lots of HE Embassies of Nigeria in Washington and New York in partnership them want to invest, have a partnership and help in contributing to our economic growth. They just can’t come to Nigeria if with top Professional bodies are hostthey don’t have somebody to entrust their investments on. “ ing the maiden Corporate Nigeria The objectives of the Corporate Nigeria Stakeholders & InStakeholders & Investors’ Forum – a world market roundtable in New York, vestors’ Forum, she said, “are to take advantage of Nigeria’s high population to increase per capital income. Entertainment from 29 30 July, 2013. According to the event promoters, the industry ranks as number one, followed by fashion as we have very many Nigerians based in states, especially in georgia. high level international event which They believe and I also agree that we are the most fashionable will take place at Hotel Marriot, Manin the world. our Ankara designs sell well and more businesses hattan, New York, would bring tocan be recorded from that sector. Forget Paris. We are very cregether world investors, organized ative and fashionable so we can export what we wear. Then private sector and representatives of Nigeria’s government decision makers take a look at what our artistes are doing in music, movie and other aspects. These are areas government must not ignore. particularly the Ministry of Trade and There must be an agency that should harness the opportuniInvestment and some State governties of exporting entertainment, fashion and movie, as well as ments. The guardian gathered that governor all that we gave not been focusing on. She said the idea was mooted years ago and culminated in the of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel uduNigerian version that held in Ikeja Sheraton Hotel & Towers, aghan, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Presilagos, and met our objectives.” dent of Institute of Directors, Arc. T.C. Participants from Nigeria are required to pay a registration Awagu; A.I.g Tunji Alapini, Engr. Didefee of $1,000 per head, excluding cost of ticket and accommoolu Falobi, FNSE, top bankers, industry leaders are among the guest speakers. dation. Administrative fee, she said, is $200 as registration is The best of Nigerian culture will be on prepaid while tickets and accommodation can be done individually or through the group. parade as Delta State who are major For further enquiries, participation and enquiries, contact sponsors are expected to storm the info@heartlinkgroup.com; heartlinkgroup@gmail.com . venue to sell its potentials to the
Best of Nigerian Arts And Culture To light up New York T
Kemi
‘I Am More An Artiste Than A Producer,’ Says Samklef and hope to humanity. “My evolution in the music scene has been mind- blowing and what I did recently can be HougH not many people know that termed as spiritual. I am very spiritual; I believe Samuel oguachuba, popularly known as everything that controls the physical is spiriSamklef entered into the music scene as a tual. I also believe in energy and frequency,” he music producer, his artistic prowess has alnoted. ways overshadowed his producing skills. Though an indigene of Imo State, he was born Samklef is perhaps one of the busiest music and bred in lagos. As a producer, he has producers at the moment, but he has decided worked with names like Sunny Neji, ruggedto focus more on his musical career. man, Durella, Wizkid, Skales, D’Prince (Mo’ The prolific producer who, before now, has been selling himself as a producer now wants Hits), Simisola, J Bryte, Emmsong, o’cube, Jahdiel, Vector, Mudina, to mention a few. to concentrate more on selling himself more In recent times, it has been like a rebirth for as an artiste. him because of his collaboration with Terry g. “I started as an artiste; I just did the video for the song Suwe and people are surprised I could “A whole lot of people do not know that the first group I was part of was formed by Terry g. do that. But first I did ‘The rain’ where I We used to do gospel music then; he later left showed my other skills. I have been showcasthe group to forge his own future while I was ing my stuff because as a businessman, you taking out time to discover myself at the time. need to sell your brand. I have come to discover that most producers don’t make money It all started for me when I produced the hit song titled My Life for Durella. Skales heard because there are no structures.” about my expertise and he introduced me to Samklef has successfully established himself EME where I did two songs for Wizkid titled as one of the best producers from this part of Tease Me and Don’t Dull. I also organised the the continent. Not resting on his oars, he deteam that shot the video Holla at you Boy. So it is cided to explore and unveil yet another side of now a rebirth for me, I did a song titled Display himself – an inspirational singer with a very with Terry g with whom I’ve surprisingly not strong passion for communicating god’s love been in a studio until recently.
BY TONY NWANNE
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KCEE Joins other Entertainers For london Crack Ya Ribs gust 25. Julius said the move was fuelled by his decision to satisfy that rave of the moment and london fans already yearning for Kcee’s limpopo song. The the limpopo master, Kcee, deal was signed about 48 will be joining other tophours ago in lagos between rated entertainers already Kcee and reel laif Entertainconfirmed for this year’s Crack Ya Ribs show in london ment, the organizers of the show. and Manchester. As already Entertainers already conannounced, the london edifirmed for the show before tion will take place at 02 Arena on August 23 while that now are Bovi, Senator, Funny of Manchester will take place Bone, Eddie Kadi, Dan D Humorous and Akpororo . at the Methodist Hall on AuNE of Nigeria’s most reo sourceful entertainers, Julius Agwu, has announced
KCEE
AfricaMagic’s, Tinsel, Auditions For New Stars oPulAr Pan-African TV series, Tinsel, celeP brated its 1000 episode in a grand event in lagos in the month of May; as part of the th
celebration, the AfricaMagic & Tinsel team gave recognition to the many people behind the scenes who in the last five years help to create the spectacular magic that viewers and fans have now come to know and love. As part of its contribution to the development of local initiatives and productions in Nigeria, AfricaMagic, Africa’s leading television content provider is once more throwing its doors open to aspiring actors and actresses in the city of lagos to audition for roles in the popular multi-camera soap opera. The audition which is scheduled to hold in the cosmopolitan city of lagos on 12th, 13th & 15th July 2013, from 7am to 5pm at the Protea Hotel, leadway; 1, Mogambo Close, Maryland Estate; is seeking to cast several new roles. The open audition aims to provide opportunities for talented Nigerians to live their dreams of starring in the popular soap opera and launch their acting careers to a continental audience. To audition, interested persons are required to come along with an individual and a recent studio 5 by 7 ‘clear’ photograph colour portrait photograph. Since its debut to a continental audience in 2008 when the first season was launched, Tinsel, a thirty minutes series, has won the heart of many DStv viewers both in the country and on the continent. The widely watched TV drama series which airs five days a week with an omnibus every Sunday on AfricaMagic Entertainment with a repeat broadcast on AfricaMagic entertainment With a 1000th episode under its belt and currently in its sixth season, Tinsel has become a must watch for millions of DStv audiences on the African continent; a development that
Biola Alabi, MD MNET West Africa prompted AfricaMagic to air previous seasons of the show on some of the AfricaMagic channels and Silverbird TV to the delight of many television viewers. The very popular soap opera airs five times a week on AfricaMagic Entertainment, channel 151.