Celeb of the Week: Goldie Harvey

Goldie Harvey (born Susan Oluwabimpe Harvey on October 23, 1983) is a British-Nigerian pop artiste. Goldie is presently signed to Kennis Music who would release her second album later this year.
Early life

Susan Oluwabimpe Harvey was born and grew up in Lagos, Nigeria though she hails from Ekiti, Nigeria. She had her early education in Lagos, first Green Springs Montessori Primary School and and then St. John's College, Palm Grove, Lagos before studying Business Management (B.Arts) at the University of Sunderland.
Music career

Goldie began her career in 2006 releasing her debut album "Spin Me" with four tracks which include 'Komole', 'Nothing Has Changed', 'Shift' and 'Spin Me'. Goldie now has two singles 'You Know It' featuring eldee da don which is on Nigerian top charts and 'DJ Play On'.

The Most Beautiful Nollywood Actresses

Nigeria movie industry over 100’s of actresses but some of them are extremely desirable by man because of their outstanding beauty despite the fact that they are celebs and some of them are married, their shapes and extreme beauty have made NAOMI ADAMU writes.

Genevieve Nnaji

Nigerian actress, widely seen as the top actress in Nollywood, a superstar even. She is well-known not just in Nigeria but across English-speaking Africa, if not beyond. She is also, according to this blog, the most beautiful actress in Nigeria. I am hardly alone in that opinion. I have read that she has bad skin and duck feet, but she is a beauty to me!

In 2004 she was the face of Lux soap in Nigeria. Her face appeared on billboards across the country, she has appeared in dozens of films, at least 80. Nollywood films take about a month to make and most go straight to video. They seem to run about 90 minutes.

As of this writing (January 2009) you can see some of her films on YouTube – cut up into ten-minute pieces the longest video YouTube allows, I do not remember seeing her films there a year ago and I doubt they will still be there a year from now. So go see her while you have the chance! She acts in English.

I have not seen any of her films all the way through yet, so I do not know how much of her stardom is due to her charm and beauty and how much to her acting talent.

When she went to Sierra Leone after the war the people there were overjoyed to see her, like she was a visiting princess or something. People love her in Ghana too. Well, not everyone loves her. Most people tend to either love her or hate her. It is hard to be in the middle about her.

Her parents had a hard time accepting her decision to become an actress. Acting is not a universally respected profession in Nigeria, not like law or engineering. All the stories in the press about the private lives of Nollywood stars do not help either – it makes acting seem like an immoral way of life. So much so that people urge Nnaji to turn to God! She was a no body who had to prove her talent.

But now her troubles are those of being famous: the press that tries to tear her down and tell the world all about her private life, even spreading false stories about her. She had a child at 17 and one year she was not allowed to make any films at all neither of which was able to sink her star.

Dakore Egbuson

Dakore Egbuson (1978- ) is a Nigerian actress who calls herself the “it” girl of Nollywood. She was in “Emotional Crack”, “Dangerous Sisters” with Genevieve Nnaji, “Before the Sunrise” and dozens of others. She has won three Reel Awards, the top acting award in Nigeria. Who are rich and stuck on themselves. Despite her awards some say she is not so much acting as being herself, that she does not have a wide acting range, that she is put in films more for her beauty than for her acting talent.

She has beautiful eyes and lips and a lovely figure. She has dreadlocks avoiding the terrible hairdos Nollywood has seen and knows how to dress and carry her. She wears her hair in dreadlocks because it is easier than braids (which keep falling out) or a perm. But she also does it to show her African’s. Dreadlocks came to Nigeria from Jamaica, true, but it is a way for a black woman to wear her hair naturally.

She did not understand it till she was living in London: “When you see yourself in a sea of white people, you become more aware of whom you are.” Although she is an Ijaw, born in Bayelsa in the middle of the Niger Delta, she grew up in Lagos. Her father was a builder. She was sent to good schools and had the best of everything. She went to the University of Lagos and became a television presenter. She was not thinking about acting.

Then one day she ran into Emem Isong, a film producer. He took one look at her and wanted her in his shows. She read some lines for him. Nothing seems to come of it. But a year later, in 2000, he gave her the lead in a film, “Amsteel Malta Silent Tears”. That led to other films and the rest is history.

She was in Britain for a while. There she was a dancer and a backing singer. She was also a presenter and producer for BEN television, a channel on Sky Digital for black Africans living in Europe and North Africa. In 2007 she became the face of. Malta is a sort of virgin beer made into a soft drink. It is common in the Caribbean and West Africa

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde (1978- ), also known as Omosexy, is one of the top actresses in Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry. Known all across English-speaking Africa and beyond, only Genevieve Nnaji clearly outshines her.

She is probably best known for “Blood Sisters” (2003), “The Prostitute” and, the film that made her name, “Mortal Inheritance” (1996). She has been in more than 250 films. Most Nollywood films are cheap, straight-to-video affairs. In American terms she is sort of like Toccara Jones with the acting talent of Uma Thurman.

According to this blog, she is the second most beautiful Nigerian actress. I would watch a film just because she was in it. She is one of those women that it is hard for me to take my eyes off of. She has an amazing body, a full African figure. Her eyes seem a bit small and far apart, but I love her face all the same. Especially her mouth and the way she moves it.

Her beauty is even more amazing when you consider that she has had four children. She had them pretty early so it was easier for her to get back to her old shape. But now that her body knows a larger size, she has to fight it, exercising every day walking and watching what she eats plenty of fruit, turkey and chicken without the skin.

She says the secret to being beautiful is to love you. Get that right and all else will follow. It was easy for her to get into film: not only is she beautiful but she has natural acting talent, making characters come to life. Producers wanted her in their films!

In the early days her mother stopped her from taking certain parts: she was a strict Christian and brought up Omotola that way. It seems to have stuck with her. For one thing, Omotola has been married to the same man for 12 years. That is a long time for the Nollywood set.

Her father, the manager of a Lagos country club, died when she was young. It made her more serious than most. It also made acting possible: her father would not have allowed her to act, but with him gone they needed the money.

Omotola is Yoruba, but speaks English as if it was her mother tongue. Maybe it is, in 2006 it was discovered that film producers were paying her and other top stars huge sums of money. So they were not allowed to act in any films for a year. Some thought Nollywood would fall, but it made it through. In the meantime Omotola went into singing. She came out with one album and in 2008 is working on her second. Her first one was not so great.

Like Angelina Jolie, Omotola is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. They sent her to Sierra Leone and Liberia, two countries torn apart by war. The people there have seen her films and love her

Deaths in Nollywood: Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim calls for fasting and prayer in Nollywood

Following the shocking death of Ifeanyi Udokwu yesterday, beautiful Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim, who’s always campaigning for good causes, sent out this message: Due to the rate of deaths in our dear entertainment industry, I suggest we declare active 3 days of massive fasting and prayer nationwide. It’s like a circle, no one knows the next person.

If we can organize candlelight processions to honour our dead, why can’t we organize prayers to stop the deaths? If we can stop jobs to bury our dead, why can’t we stop works to pray and end the deaths? I propose an Interdenominational prayer crusade in Nollywood to end these deaths, inviting several powerful men and women of God on one selected date and across each of the established Nollywood branches nationwide.

Photos: Chocolate City Stars Storm Kenya

I'm thrilled by my new award –Uche Jombo

Internationally celebrated Nollywood actress, Uche Jombo recently won the Actress of the Year Award at the annual Exquisite Magazine Lady of the Year awards that held at The Incubator on the 23rd of October 2011 beating other industry stalwarts like Omoni Oboli (Anchor Baby), Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde (PrivateStorm), Genevieve Nnaji (Tango with Me), Ini Edo (Inale), Stella Damasus (Bent Arrows), and Monalisa Chinda (Kiss & Tell) in clinching the prize.

The multi-talented actress, whose face graced Exquisite magazine’s October edition, is currently touring the United States of America with the family values-driven ‘Damage’, a movie she produced and the first in a series of similarly themed trio of movies. She was only available by proxy to collect her award.

‘This is such a thrilling, pleasant surprise,’ Uche gushed when she was contacted on phone. ‘To win this award in a field featuring peers I love and have so much respect for is just phenomenal. Hopefully, we hope more people will go and see this movie and appreciate the kind of story we are trying to tell and the issues we are trying to highlight. I would like to thank Exquisite magazine for such an honour and my fans for their undying support ‘, she enthused.

Damage, a movie also starring Kalu Ikeagwu and Tonto Dike amongst others, will be out in wide release at the Genesis Deluxe cinemas by November 15th.

Introducing Mr Nigeria 2011: Deji Bakare

Multi media specialist, Deji Bakare, beat 17 other contestants to win the Mr Nigeria 2011 contest, which took place yesterdsy at Silverbird Galeria, Lagos. Official pictures from the contest coming soon...

Congrats Man.

KOKO MASTER, D'BANJ ACQUIRES $200000 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE CAR

This is definitely the best of times for Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo popularly known as D’banj.

The humble young man who already has fleet of cars in his Lekki home, added another one “Aston Martin Vantage”.

GENEVIEVE,INI EDO,EMEM ISONG OTHERS WINS ZAFAA AWARDS 2011

The 2011 Zulu African Film Academy Awards took place on 21st of october ,2011 in London .

Ini Edo , Genevieve Nnaji , Ali nuhu and others were among the winners .

See the full list below.

. 1.BEST AFRICAN TV IN UK

 OBE TV
 VOX AFRICA
 BEN TV
 OH TV- WINNER
 HI NOLLY

2. BEST WEST AFRICAN TV

 TV3 GHANA
 TV AFRICA, GHANA-WINNER
 GTV GHANA
 JOY TV GHANA
 NTA NIGERIA-WINNER
 AIT NIGERIA
 SILVER BIRD TV NIGERIA
 CHANNELS TV NIGERIA
 LAGOS TV NIGERIA


3. BEST TV SOUTH AFRICA

 ETV SOUTH AFRICA
 SABC SOUTH AFRICA-WINNER
 TOP TV SOUTH AFRICA
 ZTV ZIMBABWE
 MABC TV BOTSWANA
 NBC NAMIBIA


5. ZAFAA ENTERTAINMENT FRIENDLY AIR LINES 2011

ARIK AIR-WINNER
QUARTER AIRLINE
EMIRATES AIR LINE
AIR NIGERIA VIRGIN
ATLANTIC AIR LINE

6. BEST FILM

 MIRROW BOY – NIG OBI EMELONYE-WINNER
 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA – GH KWAME BOADU
 SAVE OUR SOUL – NIG OBY GOLD EDOZIE
 FULANI – NIG IFEANY ONYEABOR

7. BEST FILM EDITING

 MIRROR BOY – ANDREW WEBBER/ANCHEW LINTON-WINNER
 BED ROSES – NIG OKEY BENSON
 MARRIAGE PLANNER – NIG ODINAKA EDEH
 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA – GH AFRA MARLEY

8. BEST STORY

 BED OF ROSES – GH ODIKA MICHAEL
 MIRROR BOY – LD OBI EMELONYE
 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA – GH PASCAL AMAFO-WINNER
 SAVE OUR SOUL – NIG OBY GOLD EDOZIE

9. BEST SOUND EDITHING

 THORNS – CAM BINAMS
 MIRROR BOY – LD CHIGOZIE EZEH/SERMON WARE
 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA – GH CHUCKS-WINNER
 SAVE OUR SOULS – NIG KINGSLEY EIGBOKHAM

10. BEST CHILD PERFOMANCE MALE

 MIRROR BOY – GAM EDWARD KAGUTUZI-WINNER
 MASTER OF GAME- GH RAHIM BANDA
 CARBIB KWAI – NIG AHMAD ALI NUHU

11. BEST UP – COMING MALE

 THORNS – ZIM DEMETRIA KARONGAH
 OBSESSION – CAMNCHIFOR VALERY-WINNER
 NATASHA DE PRODIGAL – NIG VANESSA ADEKOLA
 THE CEO – GH JAMES GARDNER

12. BEST SCREENPLAY

 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA – GH PASCAL AMANFO
 BED OF ROSES – GH FOLKE NISSI AMAFO
 THE MARDENS – NIG EMEKA AMAKAEZE-WINNER
 MIRROR BOY – LD OBI EMELONYE

13. BEST UP-COMING FEMALE

 THORNS – ZIM JULIE BOTON-WINNER
 OBSESSION – CAM RUTH NKWETI
 NATASHA DE PRODIGAL – NIG VANESSA ADEKOLA
 THE CEO – GH SELASSE IBRAHIM

14. BEST CHILD PERFOMANCE FEMALE

 EDIKAN – NIG SOPHIANA JONES
 FROM WITHIN- NIG PROMISE NSIMA - WINNER
 WIDOW’S TEARS NIG SALIMI AKILI

15. BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

 FULANI NIG
 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA
 THORNS
 MIRROR BOY-WINNER

16. BEST COSTUMIER

 QUEENS PRIDE – GH SAMIRA YAKUBU-WINNER
 MAIDENS – NIG OGOO OKECHI
 FULANI – NIG NWANGBOSO CHIEMELA

17. BEST CULTURAL EXPRESSION

 KARAN ZAKARA – NIG SANI MU’AZU
 OLASUBOMI – NIG BOSE ALAO OMOTOYOSI-WINNER
 EDIKAN – NIG UDUKA I. UGUAMANAM
 AMA GHANA – GH PAUL ADJEI
 CARBIN KWAI – NIG FKD PRODUCTIONS

18. BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY INDIGENOUS

 NAMIJIN – NIG
 EDIKAN – NIG
 AMA GHANA – GH
 CARBIN KWAI – NIG

19. BEST PRODUCER INDIGENOUS

 OLASUBOMI – NIG BOSE ALAO OMOTOYOSSI
 EDIKAN – NIG UDUKA I. UGUAMANAM-WINNER
 NAMIJIN – NIG DAHIRU MOHARMMED
 AMA GHANA – GH PAUL ADJEI

20. BEST INDIGENOUS DIRECTOR

 AMA GHANA GH FRANK GHARBIN
 OLASUBOMI – NIG TAIWO ODUALA
 CARBIN KAWI – NIG ALI NUHU
 OSU KESAN – NIG FEMI FADEYI- WINNER

21. BEST COMEDY FILM

 CYPHYLIS NIG
 OKON LAGOS NIG-WINNER

22. BEST COMEDY ACTRESS

 OKON LAGOS – NIG VANESSA KOKO-WINNER
 OKON LAGOS – NIG MONALISA CHINDA
 CYPHYLIS – NIG UCHE OGBODO

23. BEST COMEDY ACTOR

 CYPHYLIS – NIG VICTOR OSUAGWU
 OKON LAGOS – NIG IME BISHOP UMOH-WINNER
 CYPHYLIS – NIG KINGSLEY OGBONNA (DAUDA)

24. BEST ACTOR INDIGENOUS

 EDIKAN – NIG MOSES ARMSTRON
 OLASUBOMI – NIG YINKA QUADRI
 CARBIN KWAI– NIG ALI NUHU-WINNER
 AMA GHANA – GH AGYA KOO (KOFI ADU)

25. BEST ACTRESS INDIGENOUS

 OLASUBOMI – NIG SHOLA SHOBOWALE
 EDIKAN – NG INI EDO-WINNER
 IMALA – NIG FAITHIA BALOGUN
 AMA GHANA – GH VIVIAN JILL LAWRENCE

26. BEST PRODUCER

 MIRROR BOY – LD OBI EMELONYE/PATRICK CAMBELL
 MEMORIES OF MY HEART – NIG EMEM ISONG-WINNER
 SAVE OUR SOULS – NIG OBY EDOZIEH
 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA – GH KWAME BOADU

27. BEST DIRECTOR

 MIRROR BOY – LONDON OBI EMELONYE
 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA – (GHANA) FRANK RAJA ARASE-WINNER
 MEMORIES OF MY HEART (NIG) DESMOND ELLIOT
 BED OF ROSES – (GHANA) PASCAL KELECHI AMANFO

28. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

 MEMORIES OF MY HEART –NIG UCHE JOMBO
 MIRROR BOY – GAM FATIMA JABI-WINNER
 HAAJA – NIG REKIYA ATTA IBRAHIM
 FULANI – NIG OGE OKOYE
 ANATHEMA – NIG EBELE OKARO


30. BEST LEAD ACTRESS

 MIRROR BOY – (LONDON) GENEVIVE NNAJI-WINNER
 4 PLAY RELOADED– (GHANA) JACKIE APPIAH
 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA –(GHANA) MARTHA ANKOMAH
 MEMORIES OF MY HEART – (NIGERIA) INI EDO
 FULANI – (NIGERIA) RITA DOMINIC

31. BEST LEAD ACTOR

 SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA – (GH) MAJID MICHEL
 SAVE OUR SOULS – (NIG) KENNETH OKONKWO-WINNER
 MEMORIES OF MY HEART – (NIG) RAMSEY NOUAH
MIRROR BOY – (NIG) OSITA IHEME

ZAFAA Awards is being organized to expose African films on a higher scale to the international market.