Rockshock reports from "The Future Awards" 2011

A touch of green every where,a beautiful sight to behold! Cheers and smiles, pleasantries with warm embraces. That was the atmosphere at the 6th edition of the future awards which held some eighteen hours ago at the spacious Landmark events center on the shores of the popular Oniru beach.

It was simply awesome and inspiring! Well attended by most of those who believe in the strength and ideas of the Nigerian youth, all those who believe that the youth begins to lead tomorrow from today and that celebrating them is key to spurring them on and as well inspire them to do more in contributing to our dear nation's development.

A well attended occasion by children,youths and the grown ups. It all started from the entrance with the sharp contrast of the green carpet and the white beach sand leading to the beautifully decorated hall. Guest check-in started as scheduled and they all started arriving in their droves and the cameras started clicking away;from Bosworth international college to Wesley Girls college, Karen Young to Omotola Jolade-ekeinde , Pat Utomi to Dele Momodu,Joke Jaiyesimi to Kemi Adetiba, Flo Adefope to Segun Dangote,Omowunmi Akinifesi to Oyinda Osonowo, Jedi to Princess,and on goes the list.

Omowunmi Akinifesi (former most beautiful girl in Nigeria)

The award event started 7:48pm with a sensational rendition of our national anthem by Segun Obe and Ego followed by a musical performance by the all girl group; Chase (Crat,Ollah and January) which carried enough energy to usher all in attendance into what to be expected- a fun filled evening.

Omowunmi Akinifesi and Gbemi Olateru were the first to present the first category(s) of award which was won by Muyideen Salau (Best use of advocacy) and Tolulope Iruoye (Best use of technology) and that marked the beginning of the anticipation.

Aisha Augie-Kuta after winning In her category told the story of the nigerian youth as bare as it is through the lens of her camera,it was food for thought for it captured the waste of a youth due to the system's inadequacy to support the survival of its progeny. Lara George quickly brought us back into the event from our wondering of the youths sufferings with her lovely performance and then Salewa (Tinsel) gave a little drama that got everyone laughing.

Mr Segun Aganga - the minister for finance gave the keynote address with honour. He described how Obi Ezekwesili and Dora Akunyili had described what to expect to him and how the youth organizers had held him spell bound with the delivery of the event,he went on to say how the anthem's rendition gave him a youthful feel and how much he loves the zeal and pride in the Nigerian youth. He highlighted our potentials as a nation and the need to through the youths make these potentials translate into better lives for all. The minister ended his address by asking all Nigerians and the youths in particular to live the words of the national anthem.
Freez , Lolo, Salewa, Geneviev, Omotola along with Lynx,Tosin Martins,Obiwon all presented different category of awards at this time before Sound sultan gave his energetic performance with MI which got the crowd going wow! Uche Nnaji(ouch!) Told the crowd about the pains of entrepreneurs and how system breakdown in the country militate against survival.

The creative director of the awards event Chude Jideonwo gave a thought provoking speech about the state of the federation,it shook everyone listening to the very bottom of their being the speech said all the event sought to tell. Dr Sid and Dolapo Oni took over as comp ere before Banky W performed why?        (From W experience) with his band it was splendid.

The show went on and this time to its ebb, all those who deserve to be recognized has been recorgnized and those who stood out got honoured. It was an event not to be forgotten in a hurry as the thought of it is a souvenir to stay on the mind of the nations youth constantly reminding us that we are the leaders of tomorrow and tomorrow is here already it starts right now!

                                                                                             Report by Olasubomi Kukoyi
Introducing 2011 FUTURE AWARDS WINNERS

ACTOR OF THE YEAR

Mercy Johnson

BEST USE OF ADVOCACY

Muyideen Salau

BEST USE OF SCIENCE

Debo Olaosebikan

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Iruoye Tolulope

BUSINESS OWNER OF THE YEAR

Bode Pedro

COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR

Seyi Law

CORPORATE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Tokini Peterside

CREATIVE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Aisha Augie-Kuta

CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Janet Nwose

EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE

Emmanuel Etim

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

Tolu Ogunlesi

MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

FAB

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Banky W

MUSIC PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Sosick

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (RADIO)

Matse Uwatse (Wazobia FM)

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (TV)

Tana Adelana (Peak Talent Show)

SCREEN PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Clarence Peters

SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR

Enyiama Vincent

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Bridget Awosika

TEAM OF THE YEAR

The Falconets

YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR - WINNERS

Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu 28– Advocate 

Don Jazzy 29 – Entrepreneur

Genevieve Nnaji 31 – Actor

Psquare 30 – Artiste

Uche Eze 26 – Entrepreneur

Nneka (Egbuna) 29 – Artiste

Makinde Adeagbo 25 – Innovator

Ojoma Ochai 29 – Intrapreneur

Debo Olaosebikan 25 – Scientist

Blessing Okaragbe 22– Athlete

“No more excuses, let’s save Nigeria......”

The celebrity of the moment is most definitely the 26 year old young man behind the most influential youth gathering in Africa. He gave a speech at "The Future Awards" last night. It gave many people goose pimples. We at Rockshock hereby present the speech as seen below. Be ready to be inspired.

Being an Address by Chude Jideonwo, Managing Director of RedSTRAT/The Future Project at The Future Awards 2011, 30 January 2011, Lagos.

Sometimes Nigeria can confound and frustrate you. Just a few weeks ago, at a meeting our organization facilitated for the Presidency to engage them on the issues that affect young people nationwide, someone said: “people have no faith in themselves, people are pessimistic – that’s why our country is the way it is.” And I smiled.

I smiled because I used to think like that too. I was 13 when I wrote my first book, “In my father’s knickers” and the first publisher I sent it to published it, no issues whatsoever. So when I heard people complaining about the “system” not working, I wondered what on earth they were talking about, it had worked for me. Little did I know I was an exception to the disheartening general rule. Many years later I have learnt not to be so quick to judge.

So when I hear statements like that made, statements like “our country is the way it is because people are lazy and pessimistic”, It is enough to make you cry – this utter cluelessness that can sometimes pass for engagement or problem solving, not just by government, but by the generality of the people who have the task or the duty to ensure that our country is set upon that clichéd right track.

No, people are not pessimistic, people are realistic. And the reality is that our country is essentially… falling apart.

People are suffering. People are producing garri in the east and the South-South but have no one to sell it to because the transportation system has collapsed, textile and other industries are shutting down in the North, parents who earn N25000 to N30000 are expected to pay school fees of up to N250000. There is an overpowering sense of powerlessness, of hopelessness. And if anybody is saying anything different to President Jonathan and all of government, then they are lying.

Did you hear the first speaker, Aisha? People are homeless, people are jobless. People cannot afford meals; people live under the bridges – boys of 8, 7, 5. The guys that clean your windscreens, the girls you see still carrying bread and hawking it from 12pm to 1am. Suffering. Poverty. They are the generality and there are millions of them. And they are mad as hell. Let’s not even talk about Jos, or the Niger Delta. These are the people who wonder – “how do you bring back the book for people who never had books in the first place?”

It is this frustration that led me to gather friends, associates, partners and youths – on my 25th birthday last year - to say Enough-is-Enough, When we got to the National Assembly and had the Senators running through back gates and we raised our voices saying “we are not activists, we are young professionals who want to tell you how we feel”, and that is “this is not the country we want!” It wasn’t just about whether President Yar’Adua was missing or that the promised 60000 megawatts was nowhere to be found, it was because we had had enough. The people on the other side are not listening! And they have to. Government, Captains of industry, funding and International Organisations engaged in this project called Nigeria, those who should facilitate the work of change.

Let me speak candidly. Because it is in the middle of these kinds of crisis that the governments of the Niger Delta seem to have come together and decided that the solution for this problem is to organize a Miss Niger Delta competition.

These are the people we go to meet to support our work to reach young people with skills, with knowledge, to build their capacity. We don’t want contracts, we have plans – proven to work – to train young people, we want to bring mentors for them, we want to bring this award to your state, this conference, let these young people meet the kinds of mentors that can change their lives.

Many are making effort and we are grateful. I thank you Access Bank, I thank you, I thank you Virgin Atlantic, I thank the Office of the Delta State Governor, I thank you MTN, I thank you Miccom Golf Resorts, I thank you HiTV, but it is not enough. If this country collapses, there will be no banks, there will be no telecoms companies, no Twitter, no Facebook. No clubs, no bowling alleys. No aso-ebis, no weddings. Look at Tunisia and Egypt, those tall buildings are tumbling down and tumbling fast.

And no, it’s not a role for government alone. We cannot be getting funding from International organizations like the World Bank, Omidyar Network, MacArthur Foundation and others and all our own organizations want to focus on are reality shows and concerts, pageants and raves. They say that is what young people want. Are you kidding me? On the 29th of January, we had more than 2000 youths at our pre-awards conference, same as last year. We go outside Lagos for our Town Hall Meetings to engage the youth nationally on entrepreneurship, value creation and governance and people are standing like it’s a crusade. On Facebook, on Twitter, thousands of followers.
This hall,full. Are they not youths? We have a database of thousands of volunteers – we cannot even accommodate all – begging to do something, to be part of something serious and impactful; so be part of projects like ours, or those of organisations like “Rise Networks”, “Light-Up-Nigeria”, “Paradigm Initiative Nigeria”, “BLING” - just to mention a few – firms that have gained such credibility and influence and a tremendous following of young people. Why do Marketing Managers, Marketing Directors, MDs think that creatively and intelligently engaging these young people is a waste of time and money?

I ask when I see them: why is it so difficult to find the budget to support our trainings for young people in entrepreneurship, creativity – our “Young Writers Network”, our “The Future Enterprise Support Scheme”, our “Do Something” Seminars, but so easy to have money out for… you know these things.

Just last year, a member of our Board, an amazing woman, Obiageli Ezekwesili called up a bank MD and said, look man, you have to support this, I have known them for five years, I have seen the numbers, I have seen the passionate young people they lead, support them. And he said, “Oh the young people are not our demographic”. So she asked “So who is your demographic – the aging, the geriatric?” Such irony, such disconnect, such a paradox.

This project – this event - is a gift of love, of passion. It comes from blood and the hardest of work. This project is not even where the income comes from. That comes from our business arm, our PR business, our management consulting, our project management, the magazines we edit for companies, our online media businesses. Any thing but The Future Awards… some of you here think we make millions from it?

Let me tell you… for all our Town Hall Meetings across Nigeria – visiting Abia, Benin, Yola, Ile-Ife, South Africa, the UK to listen to the issues and aspirations of Nigerian youths etc – we were not able to get even up to half of our budget and subsequently ran at a great loss just because we are determined to make this happen. The amount we received for sponsorship is not up to the amount some of you spend on “Omugwo”. The only way we are able to do this is because partners like Cool FM, Wazobia FM, Miccom, Yvent Kouture, Dtalkshop, Total Consult, Silverbid Tremor Perfect, MAI clothing, Saheeto, La Bash, Mass Media Partners and others you can see in the brochure say “yes you guys have no sponsorship but this is a national project and it’s changing lives, it cannot die” – and they join their hands together and tell us “We will give you sound, we will give you stage, we will give you this and that – premium high quality, you don’t have to pay, and here we are.

It shows you the kind of generation that we belong to. Some of us, even in this crisis of nationhood, still want to do things for legacy, for posterity, for history. Not because we are so special, but because we saw what our parents did with our country and we don’t like it. And we declare… ‘We cannot continue like this!’

It’s not about government. It’s a general collapse in values. Our problems are not hard we just refuse to engage them. We refuse to join hands and repair the road where you drive your jeep in Banana Island. It’s not hard. To give a couple of millions that you spend on random parties to mentors the children of the Dustbin Estate, it’s not hard. To come to us, beyond words – beyond “oh you’re doing so well, oh I’m so proud of you guys, oh I am so impressed” – to saying, which of your projects can I fund, how many of your young people can I support, how many award winners can I structure sustainable investment for… it’s not hard. Is not hard to say one percent of my budget, as a company, will go to practically enriching the lives of young people. No, it’s not. Enough of lip service. Put your money where your mouth is.

Ladies and gentlemen, our country is not yet a great one. That’s the truth. How can you be great if your young people are so disillusioned, so angry, so tired? This nation can be great, it has its moments of greatness, but lets call this spade a spade; it is not yet even near greatness. And if we don’t acknowledge how urgent this problem is, Egypt and Tunisia are just a few hours away.

The good news is: Our revolution does not have to be bloody if we all combine the clinking of champagne glasses with the rolling up of our sleeves. Find a way to get involved. Stop sitting in your house and complaining – do something, put your hands on the plough, add your quota. If you don’t know how to do your part then ask the many people doing real work, making real impact, adding real value, who actually understand the issues, understand the youths, and own that future. Ask us. There is no longer any excuse. It is no longer cool to be disinterested.

All of us must work together and take active steps to safeguard this future in the NOW! We have no choice. We have no choice.

God bless Nigeria.

TAYO ODUEKO BATTLES KIDNEY FALIURE

Actress Tayo Odueko whom we all referred to as Sikiratu Sindodo is not in a good state now as we all are aware. Sequel to her long battle with her strange ailment which family and friends believed to be malaria typhoid, fresh facts emerged yesterday.

Sources at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital LUTH has it that the actress currently suffers from a chronic Kidney Failure and is undergoing dialyses to balance her fast failing health in the past week.

“She has been diagnosed of Kidney failure, I can't remember vividly how the doctor pronounced it but she has been taking proper steps to ensure her health is in proper shape but as it is, nobody is allowed to see her’,spilled, an insider.

Stella Damasus finds love again.....

Stella Damasus is in the news again after the demise of her husband, Jaiya Aboderin to the cold hands of death six years ago. She has dated a few dashing gentle men but has been unsuccessful with marriage. An now, she is in the news again, this time with a new man around her arms. Her new love is Mofe Duncan, the popular host of the just concluded Peak Talent Hunt Show.

The pair who started their relationship secretly a few months ago were first sighted together at Sheila Okunjos's residence, the mastermind behind the globally successful High School Musical where they were both visiting vocal lecturers house mates. It was at these occasions that Mofe Duncan was introduced as a personal assistant to Stella Damasus.

The duo have also been sighted at several events on the pretence of just been good friends after the high school musical show which produced Minjin Adewale as the winner. Our mole has it that Mr. Mofe Duncan is considering moving in with Stella Damasus, however, we cannot confirm if wedding bells are in the air with the mother of two.

Celebrities Registered to Vote.

There has been a lot of encouragement campaign that had and still is going on for every Nigerian to step out, in spite of any obstacle to register to qualify to vote.

Rockshock is happy to share with you some of our celebrities who are leading the way.

The actress you can't fail to recognise with "that" imposing stature, Bose Olufunke Osayemi, other wise known as "Lepacious Bose", as seen above is now qualified to vote in the forth coming general elections in Nigeria.

The International Award winning actress for the Fantastic film ‘Anchor Baby’, Omoni Oboli
was also snapped carrying out her civic duties. She is also qualified to vote. Yet another celebrity leading by example.

'I AM TWENTY'

He is the young charming singer that rocks our screens and airwaves often. Born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun whom we have come to know as Wizkid. The Twenty year old singer took us through his world where he spoke about how he stumbled into music, his oppositions and how he has been able to keep his relationship with the female gender.

Can you let us briefly into your background?

"My name is Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun. I am a student of Leadcity Univercity, 200 level where I currently study International Relations. I got into music when I was eleven in my church. For me, it was fun but I was doing it better until I met and featured in OJB, the popular song producers single then. We started working together then I realized music is a profession I would like to go into fully. Then on and on it went till this moment."

Did your parents agree to your music career at first, especially when you are growing up?

"My parents agreed. They were proud of me until they discovered that I was taking it to another level. It was at that point my father started going against it. He asked me if I wanted to take it as a profession, to which I said yes, that I wanted to do music. He went against it but at the end of the day he consented. My mother did not go against it at any point."

Do you intend do a Nine to Five job when your through with school?

"Time will tell but am' not sure."

And at what point of your career did you come across Banky W?

"That was about two years ago. There was a party somewhere and he was there too. He saw me performing and he liked my performance. He approched me and after some time I got signed on to Empire Mates Entertainment (EME)."

How did you come about your name Wizkid?

"I came about it through a funny situation and since then it became a teaser. It stuck and I adopted it."

You just released a new video directed by Kemi Adetiba's Dragonfly. Its a good video but it seems you took it to another direction considering your frist video 'Holla at your boy'?


"Yes, it's a different part of me. That's true, but what we intended to achive was to say Wizkid is no more that young boy we all you use to know. The video is like positioning Wizkid as a grown up chap that does what adults do now. The video is not suggestive,this is why it turned out to be a dream at the end of the video. But its just about positioning me as a grown up."

But you are not Twenty one yet?

"Yes I am not. I am Twenty."

It means when you are twenty One, that is what we should look out for?

"Not really. I am matured and I know what to do at that point of ny life. The video is a dream like I said and as it is, am' currently working on another video that will balance up both the first and second videos."

How do you cope with female advances because you are a good looking boy and am' sure you will have a lot of girls around you?

"Yes I have a lot of girls, but as friends. I just keep them as friends and I move on from there. What you see in the video is just the opposite of me. I love them all as friends."

You mean you have nothing to do with the girl in your first video 'Holla at your boy',because I understand there is a kind of pairing for the video?

"She is my girlfriend and a friend for the video. That is all, nothing less and nothing more."

How do you write your songs?

"I write when it comes. I write my songs based on what is happeniing to me. My songs are compendium of what has happened and what is happening to me. Its all about true life stories, this is what my forth coming album is all about."

What is the title of your yet to be released debut album, and how many songs should we expect?

"Well am just putting finishing touches to it. I don't have a title and the number of tracks to expect, it's still under wraps now cause am still working on it."

What comes to your mind when you hear your songs?

"I see myself because like I said its a true reflection of what has been happening to me."

Who is your biggest fan?

"I love 2face Idibia, I am a fan of his music and am also working with him on my coming album. Then of cource. Dbanj and Banky W."

Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

"I see myself doing music and travelling all over the world doing music."

Our World of Pearls....

Oh what an ornament! Is probably the first words that will jump out of one's lips at the sight of rope of beautifully collected pearl.
Like it is always said; 'the description of pearl is a hopeless task,in its simple aesthetic perfection,mystery,sensuous and seductive charm,it is simply indescribable !. History has shown in its records that no stone,jewel or metal has so entranced people more than the soft,seductive pearl especially with the knowing that it comes to us naturally without having to do anything to them,they are simply and purely what nature gives to us with no need for cutting or polishing like other gems and precious stones,they are just for the eyes to behold and the soul to appreciate and covet.

Persian mythology described pearls as the tears of gods,the Chinese believed only the moonlight made pearls grow,to the Greeks pearls are dew collected by oysters openly flaunting their inside as they float on the sea at night,and the romans attributed pearls to Venus with a flavored myth that included impregnation from a kind of celestial sperm bank of heavenly dew! The importance and luxury attached to the pearl is enormous and unmatched,less wonder they were the first gem known to prehistoric man.

Pearl has been adorned since the history of man. It has hung from the necks of aging rulers and ruthless tyrants,nestled in the cleavages of queens and fashion goddess and found prominent places in rings,buckles,necklaces and even crowns and treasure chest of millions of people since antiquity. Queen Elizabeth 1(1533-1603) is perhaps the most passionate royalty and celebrity about pearls in history. She almost aways wore seven ropes of them,some reaching her knee. She was also a proud possessor of 3,000 pearl embroided dresses
Its value is always determined by the combination of luster,color,size,lack of surface flaw and symmetry. The larger the pearl the costlier or more valuable it is but the perfectly round ones are scarce and most valued. They come basically in eight shapes;baroque,oval,round,button,semi round ,circle ,dropped and pear. And as we'll in different colour grades;pink,blue,green,champagne,black and even purple.
By Subomi Kukoyi.

PIX OF THE WEEK

Mercy Johnson during a movie shot recently

M.I BUYS NEW CAR

Few weeks ago the Oleku crooner, Iceprine bought a brand new car, his wall on twitter was filled with congratulatry messages. He wrote @iceprincezamani 'I just bought a car". And now after battling with an unauthorised leak of the video to his hit single 'Oleku'. The management says the official video is duo for release this week.

And now, label mate and popular lyricist M.I last week bought a new car and he was quick to tweet the picture with some few lines. First it was @M.I I just bought a car. Followed by the picture. While a chunk of Twitter followers congratulated the rapper, a few poked fun at him. One wrote:@MI_Abaga u have to return this car..I’m soRry …2011 Range or nutin RT @sydoxpins: Dis benz na old skul na, where @MI_Abaga de wen dem @DONJAZZYMOHITS de buy madt cars. Mo hits, u’re mouthed!!!

J.Sleek In Auto Crash

Scanty details has it that one of Nigeria’s gifted producers J Sleek was involved in an auto crash in the cause of the week, leaving him with a broken arm.
‘Just confirmed the incident now from a friend who picked his call. It’s an auto related accident. He had a broken arm‘, a close friend of the producer tells us.
Currently one of Nigerians finest music producer he is best known for songs he has produced for 2face Idibia (‘Enter the place‘, ‘Implication‘) , Sound Sultan and Cartiair.

"I WAS BABY SITTING IN AMERICA"

Ras Kimono is one African Raggae that we have come to adore over the years. And after a succesful career and a blissful relationship with Sony records, the hit maker left the shores of the country in search of a greener pastures in the United States of America when it was evident that Nigerian music was on the edge of collaps. The singer after many years of nursing and baby sitting his kids in the foregin land, Ras Kimono came back into the country in March 2009. Since then he has been working in the studio and now he is back to make a statement and to tell anybody who cares that he is fully back and back for good.

Currently the singer released two new singles titled "Veteran and Wicked Politicians". Now he hoping to hit the top chats with them. He was recently catch up with and he sheared what he has been up to in the United States all through the years. When ask what actually he was doing over the years in America. He said "I was just home nursing my kids in America. I was babysitting. If show comes once in a while I do a show. That is what I did, rejuvenating, relaxing, when song come I put it down. I have a midget, Charles you made me to buy a midget back in the days. I was looking after my kids, growing with them, taking them to playground, school back and forth. When show comes once in a while I go do my show if not I stay house and keep praying for better days. I think I am the only Nigerian artiste, Majek and I, that never really worked in America, we focused on our music So to me, there is no regret".

OMAWUNMI PREGNANT FOR LAGOS NIGHT CLUB OWNER

2009 Hip Hop World Awards next rated winner Omawumi is not in a happy mood right now. Reports making the rounds about the diva have it that Omawumi, a law graduate of Ambrose Alli University is a few months pregnant for a popular Lagos night club owner. And she is not ready to clear the air about the pregnancy.

Sources have it that the singer of late, has been sighted throwing off at two different events which has raised suspicion about her pregnancy. Confirmed sources also say her bubbling and lively acts have drastically reduced and has chosen to remain indoor of late.

Two years ago after the release of her self titled album, the singer broke up with her one year old producer cum boy friend Dr Frabz which pundit says she might probably have left for the Lagos Night club boss. "She is old enough to decide what is best for her and she decides whom she goes with, nobody can decide for her" spilled a close source to the first runner up of the 2007 Nigerian Idol winner.

Report also has it that the singer has been taken round, by the mysterious Lagos club boss, to his family members for introduction and preparations. Stories have it that preparations are in top gear by the two love birds to walk down the alter anytime soon.

When Rockshock Magazine confronted the singer on Wednesday (January 19th) to confirm the story, she had this to say via a text message 'Thanks for the message, unfortunately I do not discuss my private life. I am focused on the work ahead including the release of my new single 'If you ask me'....regards Omawumi'.

New Video: Wizkid – Tease Me/Bad Guys

Brand new video from one of the brightest young music stars in Nigeria,Wizkid.
The video was directed by Kemi Adetiba and has been receiving heavy rotation on MTVBase Africa since it exclusively debuted on the station a few days ago.

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