Revealed: Why Femi Kuti shunned The Headies

Those who attended The Headies 2012 awards show on Saturday October 20, were surprised when the show ended without musician Femi Kuti gracing the stage.

It had been highly publicized that the respected Afrobeat singer-saxophonist was to perform at the prestigious awards show -his first ever. He was also to be inducted into the well respected ‘Hall of Fame‘.

But Femi never showed up, rather he stayed behind at the New Afrika Shrine where the recently concluded Felabration 2012 was going onNET placed a call to Yeni Kuti, Femi’s elder sister who didn’t divulge much information other than there was a ‘slight misunderstanding’.

But an inside source close to the Kuti family tells us it was more than a misunderstanding, allegedly having to do with the failure of the awards organizers and Kuti’s managers to reconcile last minute differences.

‘They were meant to pay Shoki shoki (Femi) some balance for logistics but as at Saturday evening we hadn’t received the money, so he stayed back at the Shrine for Felabration‘, a reliable source told us in anonymity. We could not immediately confirm this.

The Headies does not pay musicians for performances, and this is the first time a Hall of Fame inductee will stay away from the glamorous event.

No word yet from the organizers about why Femi was absent.

NETPod: M.I records tribute song ‘Ashes’ for ALUU 4

Rapper Jude ‘M.I‘ Abaga has released a tribute song titled ‘Ashes‘ to ALUU4, the four University of Port Harcourt students who lost their lives in Aluu community, Port Harcourt.

After publishing an article berating the act, M.I goes on to deliver some of the most touching lyrics he’s ever written on the four minute song.

The J Town rapper has in the past always condemned violence.

’4 young men died at the hands of a lynch mob on the 5th of October 2012. Whether or not their deaths will mean anything, or fade out of our minds as just another meaningless tragedy, is up to us and what we do from here on.

I hope this song captures that message. Nothing would be worse than for a death to mean nothing.

Nothing‘.

Listen to ‘Ashes’ below…

DOWNLOAD

Aki and Pawpaw float movie production company

Chinedu ‘Aki’ Ikedieze and Osita ‘Paw Paw’ Iheme

Popular Nollywood actors, Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme have floated a movie production company called APEN (Aki and Pawpaw Entertainment Nigeria).

The duo who are popularly known by their stage names, Aki and Pawpaw, say the new business is based on their desire to contribute to the production sector of the industry as well as give opportunities to young talents who aspire to make a career in the industry.

The kick off of APEN coincides with the pair’s 10th career anniversary and we’re told they’re already commissioning their debut movie, due to be released later in the year.

Iheme, 30 and Ikedieze, 34, rose to fame in 2003, after featuring in the Amayo Uzo Philips directed movie, Aki na Ukwa, which also had the likes of Amaechi Muonagor, Frances Nsokwu and Oby Kechere as co-actors.

The Kate Henshaw interview: ‘I want to love again’

Face of Onga, ex-Glo ambassador and now, a judge for Nigeria’s Got Talent reality show, actress Kate Henshaw can be rightly referred to as multi-faceted and successful.

In this exclusive chat with NET, Henshaw talks about her passion for acting and the many challenges she has dealt with, including her broken marriage.

It’s been a while, where have you been?

I’ve been around in Nigeria. You don’t have to come out all the time. I can’t do that because it will water down my brand and I want people to have an expectation when they see my face on posters. That ‘Oh I have not see Kate in a while, for her to be in the movie, I must see it’ feeling and that alone is enough for me.

You are an actress with an appeal that cuts across different generations. What do you think is responsible for your relevance after almost 20 years in the business?

I just try to be myself and I do a few other things; I don’t only act, I MC and I have business that I do on the side, because acting alone cannot sustain you. Again, I think my ability to smile and laugh at every situation. People tell me when I smile, it’s as though I don’t have any problems, some even ask if I ever get angry but I tell them I choose to be happy, and that is the most positive attitude to grow through life. Life is hard, especially in Nigeria, things are hard, [but there's] no need carrying it on our faces as though the world is on your shoulders. A lot is happening and I ought to be grateful.

Now that you are over 40 and have spent over 19 years in the industry, how many more years do you plan to continue acting?

If I can reach 100, it won’t be bad. Besides, 40 is a number and people say life begins at 40, which means I am only a baby, and life has just begun for me.

Guinness VIP Sponsors Beat of Lagos concert

Probably the hippest concert in Lagos is set to hit town. The annual Beat of Lagos concert; organized by Motbensonz solutions in conjunction with Beat FM 99.9 and powered by Guinness Foreign Extra Stout! A sneak peak at the talent on parade for that night shows that the event is a definite MUST-ATTEND event for lovers of music and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. This event is scheduled for Saturday, the 27^th October 2012 at the Oriental hotel, off Ozumba Mbadiwe and true to form; Guinness is not leaving lovers of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout out of the picture. Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is giving out 10 VIP tickets and 20 regular tickets all on their Facebook page and their Guinness VIP platform.

 

Simply click on either links above, participate in the quiz competitions and you could be one of the lucky 30 winners attending this concert. Remember, “click, participate & win” it is just that simple. It promises to be fun and entertaining; you don’t want to miss it.

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout encourages everyone to Stay On-Side and enjoys their drinks responsibly:

• Guinness is strictly not for sale to or consumption by persons under 18
• Drink water between drinks to keep you refreshed
• Eat a good meal before and after the big match
• Captain your team - keep an eye on your friends and make sure they get home safely
• Don’t drink and drive

Want to stay in touch with everything football, lifestyle and entertainment? Just join Guinness VIP. SMS ‘Yes’ and your Date of Birth to ‘1759’ and you’re in.

Teacher flogs 12-year-old student to death in Anambra state

A 12-year-old student of a secondary school in Awka, Anambra State, Miss Chidimma Ukachukwu, has died after she was allegedly flogged by her teacher for failing to do her homework.

A reliable source in the school told the News Agency of Nigeria in Awka on Tuesday that the girl died on Thursday last week after she was flogged. The source explained that the girl fainted after being flogged severally by a female teacher and was subsequently rushed to an undisclosed hospital, where she died.

Haven't they banned corporal punishment in Nigerian schools? Why are some teachers still flogging? WTH? Please continue...

The source also told NAN that the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Uju Okeke, then ordered the closure of the school as a result of the incident.

A NAN correspondent, who visited the girl’s family home, soon after she was buried on Tuesday in Awka, reports that the family was in grief.

The girl’s father, Mr. Simeon Ukachukwu, confirmed the incident, saying it was a sad development. He added that it was an act of God.

But when Okeke was contacted, she denied ordering the closure of the school and said that the school was on midterm break.

NAN investigation, however, revealed that schools in the state were not on midterm break.

This fact was corroborated by an official of the Nigerian Union of Teachers in Akwa South Local Government Area.

The Chairperson of the union in the local government, Miss Buife Ndigwe, told NAN that primary and secondary schools in the state would go on midterm break next week.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr. Ralph Uzoigwe, said that the matter had not been reported to the police, but promised that it would be investigated.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

PHOTO: Yellow carpet special from The Headies 2012

By Osagie Alonge

The EME Crew

The Headies 2012 has come and gone but we have the opportunity to see so many Nigerian and even a number of African celebs grace the Yellow Carpet which made a return this year.

If it isn’t Annie Macaulay-Idibia’s stunning black gown that’s got you gasping then it should be Niyola short red dress that made her standout.

Check out the photos below

There is no truth in the story’ – Kemi Adetiba denies EFCC arrest

Popular TV host and video director Kemi Adetiba has denied the reports going around that she was recently arrested by the officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over her involvement in a N15m tussle with a Lagos based church.

In an exclusive correspondence with NET, Adetiba says there is ‘no truth in the story’ and that the article written by the Nigerian Enquirer magazine was made to ‘to tarnish her reputation’.

‘It has been brought to my attention that Nigerian Enquirer magazine published an article designed and calculated to tarnish my reputation. I want to say most emphatically that there is no truth in the story‘, Adetiba told NET.

‘I therefore serve notice to one and all, that no stone will be left unturned to seek justice from this clear case of libel. My lawyers have been instructed to institute legal action against all concerned. I thank friends and well wishers for their concern and support‘, she added.

The report had stated that Adetiba was taken in by the EFCC over ‘her involvement in a N15m belonging to a church in Gbagada area of Lagos’. The report also stated that she also had to ‘beg the officials of the EFCC to allow her host the show (Maltina DanceHall Season 6) promising she will sort out the debt as soon as she finished the show’.

Adetiba, a former OAP at Rhythm 93.7FM is the current host of Maltina DanceHall. She is also a video director credited for videos such as Bez’s ‘More you‘, TY Bello’s ‘The Future‘ and Omawumi’s ‘Today na today‘.

E-mails sent to the EFCC have not be responded to as at the time of filing this report.

Photo credit: www.kemiadetiba.com