Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Dele Momodu dismisses cynics over Ovation TV

Sequel to the news making waves around town on the proposed cable television station planned for the National Conscience Party Presidential candidate and publisher of Ovation Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu. Sources last week have it that the celebrity publisher is currently waiting for grants from investors who are keen on his Presidential ambition and are ready to fund it. Stories also have it that part of the funds will be used to start up the delayed project which is supposed to have kicked off sometime last year.

'We know fully well that he can not win the Presidential election but he is still expecting some funds from the Labour Party in the U.K, which, a spilled a close source to the publisher said, he is almost through with the processing'.

When Rockshock Entertainment contacted him via a text message, his response via the same medium was as follows:

'Totally false bros.Was planning Ovation TV long ago but the collapse of world economy affected that. We were to use HiTV initially but negotiations broke down with Toyin. Then we opted for DSTV. And that has been in the cooler.I have no foreign donors. It is total falsehood.', he concluded.


                                                                                                                    Written by Biodun Ogundairo

50 facts No One Will Tell You About DAGRINS' Life, Death and Burial.....




  1. He was taken into the cemetery for burial with a black Ebony Escalade Cadillac ESV 2007 model.
  2. Candle lit procession in honour of the late rapper started from his former home at Emmanuel Dada Street, off Bello road, Surulere to Ojez, National stadium, Surulere at about 6pm on Thursday April 29, 2010.
  3. His body was left for Twenty Four hours before embalmment.
  4. The late rapper was buried at the Ebony Millennium private Vault, Atan cemetery.
  5. He had 129 pictures in his four photo albums on Facebook.
  6. The late rapper was buried wearing white hand gloves, white belt and a white T-shirt; and  black west coat, black bandanna around his neck, a black trouser and a black face cap.
  7. The slabs on his tomb were four in number.
  8. His body was brought into the cemetery 9.00am on Friday April 30, 2010.
  9. He was finally interned at about 10.45 am on Friday April 30, 2010.
  10. The late rapper’s car ran into a parked lorry in front of Alakara Police station, Mushin on Wednesday April 24, 2010.
  11. He was Twenty Six years old.
  12. His ill-fated Nissan Maxima was a 2008 model.
  13. His father lives at number 43 Kola Oretuga Street, off Meiran Road, Iyana Meiran bus stop A.O.L.C.D.A.
  14. He was the fourth child in a family of nine.
  15. Dagrin was signed to his own label ‘Missofunyin Entertainment’ but managed by Edlyne Records.
  16. He attended Meiran community primary school, Roseille Nursery and Primary School, Meiran Community high school and Egbado College.
  17. The bandana on the late rapper’s neck for burial was the same as the one on his Manager Tunde Peters, Zeez, YQ and his close friends.
  18. His father’s nickname is Nelly. He has a music store located at Meiran bus stop, ‘House of Nelly sounds’ store where he used to stay before moving to Surulere.
  19. His father’s speech at the candle light ceremony was the rap he did to the song he was featured in by YQ titled ‘Efimile’.
  20. His casket was coloured brown with a touch of gold.
  21. Doctors at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital LUTH said he survived nine attacks before he finally gave up during the 10th attack.
  22. He died 6.00 pm on Thursday April 22, 2010 where he died of severe head injuries.
  23. He died 8 days after his car crash, and he was buried 8 days after he was pronounced dead.
  24. Desperate fans almost tore down the Ebony gate at Atan cementary, when they were initially prevented from getting in; and refused to leave his grave after his burial.
  25. The burial was originally designed to have only 150 people in attendance. Thousands ended up storming the cemetery to pay last respects.
  26. The late rapper was born Olaitan Olaonipekun to Mr. and Mrs. Olaniyi Abolaji Olaonipekun
  27. He got the nickname Barack O’Grin from the remix song he did with General Pype ‘Champion’.
  28. Touts were seen at the burial smoking hemp and selling Dagrin T-shirts.
  29. Julius Agwu and Omo Baba anchored his Candle Light ceremony held at Ojez, National stadium, Surulere on Thursday April 29, 2010.
  30. His ill-fated car carried the number plate DAGRIN 03. He planned to buy two other cars to be numbered Dagrin 02 and Dagrin 01.
  31. The accident that claimed his life happened 2.00 AM on April 14.
  32. He was initially admitted at Tai Sholarin Private Hospital, Mushin, Baba Olosa bus stop.
  33. He had three videos to his credit titled "Kilowale" – ft PK, Rap rules and Ponponpon.
  34. He had 2 albums to his credit titled "Still on the matte" and "Chief Executive Omoita".
  35. Dagrin’s mother, Mrs. Olaonipekun was the second of his father’s three wives.
  36. He was a Yoruba lyricist; just like the older but less popular Lord of Ajasa.
  37. The last time he logged on to twitter was on Thursday April 8, 2010.
  38. The slab were the late rapper’s body was kept at the mortuary is tagged number 8.
  39. The late rapper has three nominations at the forth coming Hip Hop World Awards.
  40. His parents were –expectedly-  both absent at his burial.
  41. His Twitter ID was "Dagrinfimile".
  42. Two months before his death, Dagrin moved into block 10, flat 3 at the sun shine Estate, Oko Oba in Lagos.
  43. Sources at Ebony Casket have it that his casket cost N150,000
  44. His Facebook name was "Dagrin Fimilejo".
  45. His email address was sendmimore@yahoo.com.
  46. Striking Doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) resumed work the same day he was buried.
  47. The late rapper had 4,930 friends on Facebook. There were underground speculations that Dagrin has a baby outside wedlock which he refused to accept respondsibility of before he became a rap star.
  48. Artiste manager Sunday Are and comedian Tee A were part of logistics support team.
  49. At the time of his entombment, there was still a vacant tomb opened beside his vault.
  50. Apart from mortuary expenses, the total bill incurred during his stay at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) was about N800,000.                                                  compiled by Biodun Ogundairo

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Commonwealth Prize for Adaobi Nwaubani, Chimamanda Adichie, Kachi A. Ozumba or Abidemi Sanusi.


Author of Purple Hibiscus and The Thing Around Your Neck, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Author of I Do Not Come To You By Chance- Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, Author of The Shadow of a Smile, Kachi A. Ozumba and Abidemi Sanusi, who wrote ‘Eyo’ have been nominated for one Literary’s world most prestigious awards – The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize.
The two latter writers are based in th UK. While Adaobi Tricia was shortlisted in the Best First Book (Africa) category for her debut novel, I Do Not Come To You By Chance, Chimamanda Adichie was shortlisted for Best Book for her collection of short stories titled The Thing Around Your Neck.
This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony in New Delhi, India, on April 12.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

THE MAKING OF MAGEGE THEOPHILUS


MAGEGE THEOPHILUS A.K.A Ex-O, Nigerian born and bred hails from Delta state and is a Music producer, song writer, artiste and Record label owner(Cash In). He has been doing music professionally for over a decade now. His writing skills inspired many youths to rap in his neighborhood, Ifako- Gbagada.
In 1999 his music career started professionally as a back up singer.
He is poised  Right now to shine as he debut his mixtape and then his single will follow, the mixtape titled "Hip Hop Speaks" is a manifesto of naija hip-hop as it has grown over the years through the eyes of an artiste hustling in the ever bustling entertainment industry in Nigeria today.The Mixtape features heavy weights of the music industry and also introduces all to new cats on the block that we all going to watch out for.
HIS SINGLE "BLACKBERRY", be on the watch because the song is already causing mad buzz in SouthAfrica, and many sites on the internet.
RECENT PRODUCTIONS TO HIS CREDITS 
Knight house Records - "The Finest"(Won Beri)
Sauce Kid: Airplane Mode Freestyle (African-American Album)
Terry da Rapman : No love - B.A.N.S Album
Slim T: Die Representing
Cool to Vote All stars: "I Go Vote" Ft Ex-O,Sound Sultan,Gen Pype, M trill,Wordsmith,Kel, Denzel,Skales, YQ, Waje, Inyanya,Timi Dakolo,Kel,MoChedda,Skuki,WizKid, EmmSong, Lami to mention a few of the star studded line up.
Big T: Naija Go Beta and dutty whine ,Ex-O: Girl On Face book, Igho (Get away, make me kolo- 9ja boi album), Proverb : Bless me dey go, Teeto Ceemos( Da freshness mix tape).

STAND UP FOR CANCER NAIJA

                                                              Julius Agwu.
Saturday 29th January 2011 at The Dome Entertainment center Abuja was the day many Nigerian celebrities used their celebrity status to raise funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. The event is the brain child of STAND UP FOR CANCER NAIJA, an NGO focused on the fight against breast cancer. The red carpet was lit up by celebrities like Uti, Ini Edo, Uche Jombo, Julius Agwu, Bryan Okwara, Coco Couture, James Lulu (bag designer) and many more.
Many media houses within and outside Abuja like, Studio 53 extra, Jara on Mnet, Sound City, Spice tv, Hot Fm, Bella Naija, Rhythm 94.7,wow magazine and many more, turned up to lend their support to the noble cause. Celebrities like Ini Edo, Uche Jombo and Uti Nwachukwu came with their team of bowlers to contest against each other in a bowling game and the winner had to square up against the best of Abuja bowlers, team uche won the bowling game.
When asked what her take was on the fight against cancer Uche Jombo said cancer had been happening to people she never knew until she met the lady that inspired her movie "Holding Hope"
“What we came here to do today is something real. Do you know there are people in very remote areas that when they examine their breast and see a lump, they’ll say it’s something spiritual; it’s the devil, but in reality it’s a cancer lump. Such women are the ones we’re really trying to reach out to”
Ini Edo on her part said cancer is a disease that takes away from every woman and needs to be stopped.
Mrs. Ada, a breast cancer survivor spoke on the need for all, including men to constantly examine themselves for possible traces of lumps as that remain the best and easiest way to detect early signs of the disease.
Caleb Egwuenu the Project Director of the Stand Up To Cancer Naija the host organization talked on how more awareness is needed in the grass root, he reiterated the fact that those in the grassroots are they reason the event Bowling for Boobs was organized.
In her vote of thanks, the Media Director of Stand Up To Cancer Naija Ms Debie Magnut said she was so happy that the celebrities took time out of their busy schedule to attend the occasion. She called on more celebrities to join in the campaign which will be held subsequently in Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, London, Calgary and Houston.