The Executive Director and Founder of The Africa International Film Festival, Chioma Ude, has announced the appointment of Rita Dominic and Lynn Whitfield as AFRIFF Goodwill Ambassadors. The announcement was made today during a media parley at the AFRIFF offices in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Remarking on the choice of the two star actresses, Chioma said, “Rita Dominic is a consummate actress and indeed an African screen Icon, having won several awards and nominations throughout her career, most recently she became Africa’s Best Actress by winning The 2012 Africa Movies Academy Award (AMAA) for her role in the Kenyan film Shattered. She also has won The Nollywood Movies Award, The Nigeria
Entertainment Award and City People’s Face of Nollywood Award. With over one hundred films to her credit, she has played a pivotal role in showcasing Nigerian cinema popularly known as Nollywood.” She further disclosed that it was not a difficult decision to make considering Rita’s accomplishments in the industry and the fact that she has been a regular face at, and contributor to, the AFRIFF dream from its
inaugural edition.

As for the Emmy Award winning Hollywood actress, Lynn Whitfield, Chioma said, “Lynn is a natural choice as AFRIFF Goodwill Ambassador not just for her accomplishments in Hollywood, but also because of her passionate support for the AFRIFF project since its inception.” Whitfield began her acting career in television and theatre, before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special and a NAACP Image Award for her performance as Josephine Baker in the HBO movie The Josephine Baker Story (1991). She also won NAACP Image awards for her work in Touched by an Angel (1998), The Planet of Junior Brown (2000) and Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story (2004).



On her expectations from the newly appointed Goodwill Ambassadors, Chioma said, “We believe that these two talented, beautiful and popular stars will deliver maximum value to all stakeholders and participating communities, as the AFRIFF brand grows and continues to positively impact Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

In her response Rita said, “I love that AFRIFF’s focus is youth empowerment and opening doors for the development of the African film industry which is my primary constituency. I am delighted to have been appointed an AFRIFF Goodwill Ambassador. It’s an organization that I cherish and respect and I look forward to working with stakeholders in the industry, the government, the private sector and non-governmental
organisations and social enterprises to see how we can ensure that this fantastic festival achieves its objectives and full potential.”

Lady Gaga discovered the perils associated with her eccentric headgear on Tuesday night as she struggled to fit her massive headgear into a car due to a series of enormous feathers protruding from her crown thereby revealing a bit too much of her boobs....which is a normal thing for her, I suppose.



She adorned her head with huge 5ft-high feathers that swept back from her forehead in a dramatic fashion.

A few hours ago, US Weekly announced that actress Kerry Washington is four months pregnant, she is expecting her first child with Nigerian – American hubby, Nnamdi Asomugha who plays professional football with the San Francisco 49ers.

Speculation about her pregnancy started a few months ago when she started wearing loose fitting clothes on the red carpet. The actress confirmed it in this week’s issue of US Weekly. The 36 year old actress & Nnamdi got married in a very hush hush ceremony exactly 4 months ago…hmmm could this be why they tied the knot so suddenly?!

Either way huge congrats to Mr. & Mrs. Asomugha! I wonder how the Scandal scriptwriters are going to work her pregnancy into the storyline?

Mrs Idibia was all smiles showing off her growing baby bump.
Cute mama!

Terry G, Chidinma, Mercy Aigbe, Femi Adebayo and Halima Abubakar will lead other top entertainers and high-society people to the annual City Pride Achievers Awards holding on Saturday, 2 November at the Primrose Events Place, Akilo Road, Ogba, Lagos.

Joshua Uloko, media entrepreneur and multiple-award winning crime reporter, said the glamorous awards ceremony will be preceded by a red carpet reception.  “We have put all stops to make the day a memorable one for our privileged guests and media personalities expected,” Uloko said.
City Pride Achievers Award is powered by Daily Pride Communication, publishers of City Pride and City Pride Security News.

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On Saturday  October 26 2013, celebrities like M.I, Ice Prince, media personalities and fans were at Swe Bar to support Chocolate City rapper, Pryse following the release of her new single ‘Niger Delta Money’ on Friday October 23, 2013.

It turned out to be an amazing night of music, drinks and fans got to mingle with their favorite stars. Other guests included: Emma Nyra, Chopstix, Endia and Yung L, Kid Konnect, Adamu Maikori, DJ Lambo and others.

Nollywood actress and producer, Uche Elendu-Igweanyimba, as you're reading this is rocking London.

The mother of one left for London early today, Tuesday, with her daughter.



We also learnt that the pretty actress just got a 24 Carat Gold-Plated Blackberry Porche from her hubby, Walter Igweanyimba who recently returned from his base abroad.



Well, Prince is living up to the standard as a caring hubby.

The Catholic Pontiff,  Pope Francis, has appointed the Catholic Bishop of Osogbo Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Gabriel Ojeleke Abegunrin, as the new Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese.

Abegunrin, from Iwere-Ile in Oyo state, who was ordained a priest in 1979 and consecrated a bishop in 1995 in Osogbo, replaces Archbishop Felix Alaba Job, who has just retired after attaining the mandatory Canonical age of 75.

Abegunrin, a doctorate degree holder of the Canon Law, attended the Our Lady and St. Kizito’s Catholic Minor Seminary, Ede in Osun State, from 1967 to 1971 before he proceeded to the SS Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan.

While in the seminary, he played football and volleyball as well as engaged in athletics and boxing.

He speaks Yoruba, English, French, German and Italian languages.

As the archbishop of the Metropolitan Province of Ibadan, Abegunrin, in his mid-sixties, presides over affairs of five other dioceses of Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Osogbo and Ilorin.

The Pope will announce a new bishop for Osogbo Diocese, a position being vacated by Abegunrin.

The actresses gave birth few months ago. They were spotted at Dayo Amusa's 'Unforgiveable' movie premiere on Sunday.

Toni Payne who’s still very supportive of ex husband 9ice’s career seemed to have moved on with hers and looks to be in a happy place. Photo: Instagram

It seems like Toni Payne is toying with the idea of getting married again…

Well according to her tweets, Toni Payne is hoping to get married someday. The showbiz personality/manager/spoken word artiste who’s quite vocal about relationships on Twitter nowadays has talked about certain conditions she’ll want to be in before she gets married (again).

‘Bet why wud u marry someone u r not attracted to? N use dat as an xcuse? Ma hubby gotta be my everything so d attraction gatz b dere‘, she tweeted recently.

And earlier, she had stated, ‘I think I wanna marry a French dude that speaks little English. We would always sort our arguments out *coughs* doin peaceful tinz. Hehehe‘.

In 2010, Toni Payne and hubby singer 9ice separated in what can be described as one of the most controversial breakups in modern Nigerian entertainment.

Bet why wud u marry someone u r not attracted to? N use dat as an xcuse? Ma hubby gotta be my everything so d attraction gatz b dere
— Osha B – Toni Payne (@tonipayne) October 29, 2013

I think I wanna marry a French dude that speaks little English. We would always sort our arguments out *coughs* doin peaceful tinz. Hehehe
— Osha B – Toni Payne (@tonipayne) October 24, 2013

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Banky W has teamed up with Sesan Ogunro for the filming of his new music video titled ‘Jasi‘.

The video was shot last weekend in the UK and features a solo cameo from rapper Lynxxx.

Lionel Messi, Franck Ribery, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Neymar are among 23 candidates on the short list for the Ballon d’Or announced by FIFA early today.

Ribery, who won UEFA’s best player in Europe award for the 2012-13 season, helped Bayern Munich win the Champions League and Bundesliga and German Cup titles.



Messi, winner of the last four Ballon d’Or awards in voting by coaches, team captains and media, was injured late in the season and could not prevent Barcelona from being beaten by Bayern in the Champions League semifinals.

Neymar joined Messi at Barcelona this season after a move from Santos in his native Brazil, while Welshman Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham in September for 100 million euros, the richest transfer in football history.

Another nominee was Liverpool forward Luis Suarez, who missed the start of the 2013-14 Premier League season while serving a 10-game suspension for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during a Premier League game in April.



he Ballon d’Or, or world player of the year, winner will be announced January 13 in Zurich. Two now-retired managers – Alex Ferguson of Manchester United and Bayern’s Jupp Heynckes – are among 10 nominees for FIFA’s coach of the year award.

Ballon d’Or nominees: Gareth Bale (Wales), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay), Radamel Falcao (Colombia), Eden Hazard (Belgium), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Mueller (Germany), Manuel Neuer (Germany), Neymar (Brazil), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Franck Ribery (France), Arjen Robben (Netherlands), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal).

An investigation by SaharaReporters has exposed a simmering confusion as to who is in political control in Kaduna State with both Governor Mukhtar Yero and Deputy Governor Nuhu Bajoga out of the country. “It is an act of irresponsibility that the governor and his deputy are undertaking foreign trips at the same time,” said a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly who confirmed the development. He added, “If something happens today in the state, there is nobody on ground to take charge of controlling the situation.”

The deputy governor, SaharaReporters confirmed, is Israel as part of a large entourage of governors, legislators, aides, and political friends who traveled out with President Goodluck Jonathan. Our correspondent learned that Governor Yero traveled to Germany.

The Kaduna lawmaker, who asked for anonymity, said he was not aware that the governor officially wrote to the leaders and members of the state legislature about his foreign trip. “But no matter what the case may be, it is totally wrong for both the governor and deputy to be outside the state without cogent reasons bordering on health or incapacitation,” he said.

The legislator’s sentiments were echoed by a statement sent to SaharaReporters by the Kaduna Salvation Movement (KASMO), a civic pressure group. Condemning the absence of the state’s two top officials, the group’s leader, Mohammed Soba, stated that his group “views the absence of both Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and his Deputy Nuhu Bajoga from the state as a sign of ignorance of the ethics of governance.” The statement added, “It is unfortunate that while the Deputy Governor Bajoga is away in Israel, Governor Yero also decided to embark on a jamboree tour to Germany leaving Kaduna State without any form of leadership against the letters and spirit of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This singular action has exposed the ineptitude and incompetence of Governor Yero who has never demonstrated even elementary knowledge of what governance is all about.”

Mr. Soba continued: “Never in the political history of Kaduna State has governance been treated with so much contempt, impunity and unseriousness than under Governor Yero who has a penchant for executive truancy and absenteeism to cover his complex and incompetence. No serious Governor that understands the functions of a government would leave his State at a time when the Deputy Governor is not on seat and out of the country to take charge.”

The group called on the Kaduna State House of Assembly to probe the absence of both the Governor and his Deputy “with a view to finding out the circumstances surrounding their absence from the state at the same time when there is no cogent reason to justify their conspired absence and to invoke the provisions of the constitution by applying the appropriate sanctions including impeachment. Kaduna State has had enough share of executive impunity and therefore, Governor Yero must be made to account for his unofficial absence from the State at a time the Deputy Governor is not also on seat in the face of multiple problems bedeviling Kaduna State.”

SaharaReporters was unable to get an official reaction to the disturbing absence of the state’s two top officials.

Ciara showed off her ridiculously huge engagement ring from her future hubby Future.

Beautiful TV personality Dolapo Oni is on the cover for WOW! Magazine‘s new issue

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde will be speaking at this year’s World Innovation Summit For Education (WISE) holding in Doha, Qatar from October 29, 2013 to October 31, 2013.

The top Nollywood actress is expected to speak, discuss and deliberate on the topic ‘Reinventing Education For Life‘.

It should be recalled, Omotola had recently voiced her thoughts on the on-going Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) four-month strike on social network Twitter.

‘Why are Students of the Most Populous Black Nation in the World, “Giant”of Africa NOT in school?where are all the educational funds?
#Nigeria‘, she wrote.



Arise and shine Osexynation! Greetings from Doha, Qatar.

— Omotola. j .Ekeinde (@Realomosexy) October 28, 2013

Barely a month after the Associated Airlines plane crash, another air disaster was averted at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja on Monday as a Med-View Airlines aircraft from Lagos suddenly took to the air again at the point of landing in Abuja.

Puch reports that the airline Flight VL2104 which had about 150 passengers on board took off from the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos at noon and was scheduled to land in Abuja at about 1.05pm.

The pilot had already announced final descent into Abuja and asked all passengers and cabin crew to fasten their seat belts only for him to suddenly take off to the air again with barely 30 seconds to touch ground.
Definitely, his action caused big panic, commotion among the passengers who bursted into prayers, yells to know what was happening, especially when the plane entered into turbulent weather on air.

The PUNCH correspondent who was among the passengers while telling his story, said that among the passengers were five different complete families.
One of the passengers, a nursing mother, who was Bosom feeding her son at the time the pilot took off again withdrew the Bosom  from the boy’s mouth and started praying profusely while the baby’s cry rented the air.

It wasn't until after about three minutes of gaining altitude, the pilot announced that he had decided to take off again to avoid colliding with an aircraft that was on ground.
According to the pilot, after he had been granted clearance to land, it was later discovered that the other aircraft was not fast enough, hence his decision to take off.

The aircraft hovered for another 20 minutes in the air before finally landing at about 1:30pm.

When the plane finally landed, the passengers struggled to disembark.
“Are you still sitting down? Let me rush down in case it will suddenly take off again,” a middle-aged man was heard asking one of his co-passengers.

First Lady of Enugu State, Clara Chime says her husband, Govr Sullivan Chime, has placed her under house arrest, and has cried out for assistance to reach human rights bodies to rescue her.

According to SaharaReporters, in a letter dripping with pain and suffering, Mrs. Chime disclosed that she married Mr. Chime in October 2008 but that she has been unable to share the matrimonial bed with him for over four years.

Describing her desperate situation, she said that even President Goodluck Jonathan and First Lady Patience Jonathan have intervened with her husband without success.

My father is late, my mum and few of my siblings are confused and have done all kinds of prayers they know of, 3 of my siblings prefer me dead than to see me leave the Government house.  He treats my mum and my siblings bad,” she wrote.

The Enugu State First Lady said she has been introduced to two psychiatrists whose names she gave as Dr. Onwukwe and Dr. Agumo, who have prescribed “all kinds of drugs that ends up keeping me acute depressed and also drives me into hallucinations.”
The doctors, she noted, are scared of her husband the Governor, to whom nobody can tell the truth.  

According to the letter, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu state (Callistus Onaga), and top priests have come to intervene, as have the President and the First Lady of the nation, without success.  

Mrs. Chime further complains that Governor Chime has ordered her to leave with her four-year old son whom she conceived before their wedding.  However, the governor, according to her, later threatened to disown the boy should she leave with him.

He has told everyone he can reach that there is no marriage between us that I can leave if I wish to but whenever I plan to leave he instructs them to lock me in.  I have told him through sms that I will leave my son behind and leave alone but still he instructed
his securities to lock me inside the house.”

Mrs. Chime further complains she has lost touch with the real world and all that makes her beautiful because of the side effects of the drugs she is taking, stressing that she is under house arrest for committing no crime.

Of the situation in Government House, she said:
“He does not take care of me personally, the government gives me allowance to run the house and that's where I save little from to take care of my elf, my Mum and few of my siblings,” she said in the letter.  He shut me out of his life years ago; I don't have access to his apartment. The problem is enormous; I don't know where to start to explain from.”

She said that even the security detail in the lodge has resorted to praying for her, while the few that can be bought with money are taking advantage of the situation.
Police and SS men have been instructed by Br Sullivan Chime to confine me in a place for a long time now against my wish [but] it is my wish to leave these premises,” she said, begging, Please assist me to reach to the human rights and say to them to please come hastily and release me.”

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Europe felt the heat from the one and only street king TERRY G, here is some of the exclusive pictures of his just concluded show that was held in Amsterdam (Holland) during his European Tour

The organizers of the tour (Bigjamz World Entertainment) named this as one of the biggest European tour ever in the history of African artist as Terry G was billed to perform in more than 13 countries in 5weeks, making it the busiest tour ever, not forgetting the fans who were thrilled by his (Terry G) amazing performances and could not help but tweeting and updating their status of how great the artist was on stage.

Making this tour the 2nd successful tour been organized by the company (Davido European Tour & Terry G European Tour) in Europe, the CEO of the company (Barbara Kotsoni) said they are not limited to only European entertainment market as they intend to expand its market all over as their name implies (Bigjamz World Entertainment) and also stated that despite all the challenges they had during these particular tour both in Nigeria and Europe, the tour was still successful.

The company will also like to use these medium to say a BIG thank you to TGP Entertainment, La Cave Musik (Paris), Sisi Models (International), Afriktainment Media, K Square Entertainment (Paris), All Promoters (Europe), all media houses, bloggers, IblazeTV, 9jaTV and most especially the fans for making the tour a memorable one.