FEMI KUTI’s 50 BIRTH DAY SHINDIG

 What they didn’t tell you

The 18^th June 2012 will surely be unforgettable in the history of the Anikunapo Kuti family. A family that Seun Kuti has consistently referred to as the best first class family in Nigeria. On this day as you already know, the present leader of the family and the current King of Afro beat Music with three Grammy Award nominations in his CV turned 50! The New Afrika Shrine was the venue for his half-o- a-century celebration. The shindig was very colourful as almost all the guests, family and friends wore the blue and white spotted Aso Oke.

THE GUESTS: Besides the members of the Ransom Kuti family who were there, Seun Kuti looked like the happiest person on the night. The music industry came out en masse to support a living legend, Femi Kuti a.k.a Baba Made! Present at the New African Shrine were, Tee Mac, Tuface Idibia, Sound Sultan, Ara, Kenny Ogungbe, ID, Kenny Saint Brown, Essence, T.W.O, Orits Wiliki, Skillz of JJC, Ayo Animashaun, Weird MC, Cally Ikpe, Alariwo and some foreign guests. Conspicuously missing at the event, as usual, was Dede Mabiaku.

PERFORMANCES: Omobaba the self acclaimed fine boy who has become the official MC of all the events at the New Afrika Shrine anchored the event. Since it was a musician celebrating, the event was spiced with a lot of musical performances; a lot of wonderful bands like Black B band, Ara, Seun Kuti, and surprisingly Made Kuti, Femi’s first son from his estranged wife, came out smoking hot with a spell binding performance of a classical music performance which he did on the keyboard. Hip On TV showed a great documentary on the sax maestro. When it got to refreshment, there was enough to eat, drink and definitely smoke! Did that make you go huh? Yeah that is the reality. The icing on the cake was the fascinating performance of Femi Kuti and his little kids. That should put a smile on your face. Normally when Femi or Fela performed, you saw female dancers shaking their bakasi but at 50, Femi came in with something refreshing- his children! It was glorious watching his kids almost do choroegraph Femi’s dance steps. Whenever the father chopped knuckles, they followed suit. When he pulled off his shirt, they pulled off their shirts. When he started dancing and jumping, they did exactly the same. Femi came on stage to perform just one song but ended up performing more. Hit songs like Bang Bang, Wonder Wonder, Se Were, Se Were, drove the already primed audience truly ballistic.

THE CUTTING OF THE CAKE: All the celebrities present were called up stage for the cutting of the cake which was designed like a Grammy Award; Tuface started the happy birthday song which every other artiste joined. Seun Kuti popped the big Champagne which Femi gulped from and later blamed Seun for turning him into a drunk.

WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO SAY :

SEUN KUTI: When MKO Abiola was arrested, that was just the arrest before he died, his business crumbled, his Newspaper shut down but Fela has died and several years later his name has grown bigger and stronger. His first son, Femi is achieving great things, he has even achieved more than Fela. I am very happy for my brother Femi and I wish him a very happy birthday.

YENI KUTI: Femi has come of age, he has been nominated severally at the Grammies, he has established the new Afrika Shrine, has lovely children. He has taken the Kuti name to its next level. At 50 he has come of age. I am happy for him and I wish him more great years ahead.

FEMI KUTI: I am very happy for today; it’s a great day in my life. Seeing people from all over Africa and beyond come to the new Afrika Shrine to celebrate with me and my family is a wonderful experience.

Now that you are 50, what is next for you?

My mission is not complete yet, we don’t have equal rights and justice yet, we don’t have free education yet, we don’t have sound and free medical care yet. What we still have is massive corruption that has been there since independence so the struggle continues. We must not let the fight against corruption die. The fuel subsidy fight must not die. The fuel subsidy probe and all the bribery scandal surrounding it now is all rubbish! These people are destroying this country, Nigeria is a great country, this country is meant to be the envy of the world. Your American and British friends will tell you that you have everything going for you. When they told me that I should relocate to Los Angeles, I said no! They told me to move to Paris, I thought to myself, see Paris and die! I told them no place like home. I will die in Lagos!

Talking about age, at what age will you like to die?

Hhhmmm! People wish me to live up to 100 years and above, I say no, that’s a curse. My teeth will be gone; I will be shaking with a walking stick. No, the moment I can’t play my Sax again, the moment I can’t have sex with my girl friends, I am ready to go and I will come and tell you bye, bye.

ON THE LOW SIDE:

WHEN FEMI ESHO GOT DRUNK

Femi Esho, the Nigerian ever green music preservation crusader and Felabration planning committee member was so excited he got drunk and displayed it in his drunken master walking steps.

NEW AFRIKA SHRINE REGULARS COMPLAIN

Getting to the Shrine that night, fear will grip you because of the large crowd of hoodlums having their own separate party outside. You wonder why, right? A little prodding revealed that the management made sure that no one without an IV got in because of the caliber of people who will be willing to get in. On my little round check, I spoke to some of the people outside who complained bitterly of being embarrassed at the entrance. One actually said he spends a huge chunk of his weekly earning at the Shrine every weekend but was treated like a common criminal!

TOP NIGERIANS WHO ATTEND WHITE GARMENT CHURCHES

White garment churches like the Church of the Lord, Aladura, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement, Celestial Church of Christ and Brotherhood of Cross and Stars are usually under the attack of critics from other Christian denominations but the heads of these Christian sects have held their own, maintaining that their practices are Bible based. PAS OBI presents the list of top Nigerians who worship in White Garment churches.

Oba Federick Obateru Akinrunta: Oil baron and the OLUGBO Of Ugboland, Ilaje, Ondo State. This multi billionaire is a top member of the Cherubim and Seraphim Zion Order. This explains why during his coronation in Igbokoda, the stupendously rich Chairman of OBAT Petroleum anointed those he bestowed with Chieftaincy titles with Olive Oil (Anointing Oil), instead of the traditional leaves. Harold Demuren, the highly cerebral but controversial former Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is also a strong member of the Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement. He worships at the Ebute-Metta, Lagos parish of the Church. Cardinal Odunmbaku, Businessman, Politician and Church leader, Cardinal James Omolaja Odunmbaku is the spiritual head of the City of God Celestial Cathedral, Ojodu, Lagos. He is also a top Lagos, A.C.N member. Sir Shina Peters, Juju music maestro and father of one of Nigeria’s top musical video directors, Clarence Peters, was born into a Cherubim and Seraphim going family. Major Segun Fadipe, he was Lt. General Oladipupo Diya’s Chief Security Officer during General Sani Abacha’s regime. He too is a top member of Cherubim and Seraphim Church. Joko Oni, top socialite Joko Oni who is popularly known as Goldrush is a member of the Cherubim and Seraphim church. Princess Cynthia Andrew, another top society lady with beauty and panache. She is the brain behind Unlimited Size Fashion House, Ikeja, Lagos. This style icon is a proud member of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. Lanre Teriba, gospel-juju singer, popularly known as Atorise attends Cherubim and Seraphim Church. Festus Ajani former Wema Bank Chairman and the Chairman of Bantuns Oil and Gas. He is the Captain of the Hezekiah Band of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement, Surulere, Lagos. Ayo Fayose, controversial former Governor of Ekiti State. His late father owned an orthodox church but his mother heads a white garment church in Orita Challenge area in Ibadan. Dele Taiwo, famous Juju musician. He was born into a Cherubim and Seraphim family. His father founded a C&S Church in Agege area in Lagos State. Evangelist Moses Olaiya Adejumo a.k.a Baba Sala, famous comedian and movie maker whose career died after he lost millions he invested in a movie, Orun Moru, to piracy. The aging Veteran actor is the Elder Apostle of Cherubim and Seraphim Church in his town, Ilesha. Sola Sobowale a.k.a Toyin Tomato of Super story fame and also a Nollywood great; she is a member of Celestial Church of Christ. Chief Kolapo Ishola, a Surveyor by profession and one time governor of Oyo State, is a member of Celestial Church of Christ.

MY NEW ALBUM IS PRODUCED BY A TEN-TIME GRAMMY AWARDS WINNING PRODUCER

- SAMMIE OKPOSO

Call him the special one of the Nigerian gospel music genre and you won’t be making a mistake. Sammie Okposo is arguably the most successful gospel artiste from this part of the world in terms of general acceptance, awards and brand endorsements. He has been on the pay list of one of West Africa’s largest Telecoms Company, Glo, for years. He has won several awards in Nigeria and beyond. Sammie Okposo is Nigeria’s Kirk Franklin, he has pushed down walls to reach many people non Christians inclusive and that is his legacy. In this interview with PAS OBI, Sammie Okposo opens up on his forthcoming international album, the entertainment industry and the Boko Haram menace. Enjoy the excerpts:

Sammie Okposo where have you been

Where have I been? Well I have been working, getting my album ready and performing. I was also touring. I toured outside Nigeria twice last year, in October and December. My tours outside Africa are called Out Of Africa, it’s all about the redefinition of gospel music out of Africa, and the concept is geared towards exporting Nigerian gospel music outside Africa. So far I have done the concert in South Africa, London and America. Very soon we will take it to Canada and other parts of Europe. We came back and I have been working on my album, I have been working very hard because of the deal I have with TMG Records. TMG Records is based in Oklahoma, USA. There is a lot of pressure on me to make sure that the work comes out tight, I also had to employ the services of a ten-time Grammy Awards winning gospel producer based in America, Kelvin Bond. Kelvin Bond has produced everybody and anybody that has a name in American gospel music genre, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond name it. Now the album is ready and we are ready to unveil it on the 3^rd of August 2012 at the Shell Hall of Muson Centre, the concert will feature multiple awards winning gospel artiste Deitrick Haddon and A list gospel artistes and Comedians; the album is coming six years after my last album, No More Drama. The album will offer 26 solid tracks. God is about to make a statement because this is the first time a Nigerian artiste is getting a proper distribution network in main stream American market. I mean proper distribution network, we have heard a lot about people saying they have record label abroad but they have nothing to show for it, TMG is taking care of the American/Caribbean market while my company, Zamar Entertainment is taking care of the African market. After God makes His statement, I will make my own statement. This is the redefinition of music out of Africa. This is what I have been called to do; I am ready to dole it out. My fans have been fantastic! I have been getting countless mails. I have been releasing some singles on radio and TV, they go out to get the album and they can’t find it, I want to apologize to them and also tell them to get ready, come this August, the album, The Statement, will be available.

Let’s talk about the contract, when the album is released are you going to be allowed to reside in Nigeria or are you relocating like others

Of course I am going to be here in Nigeria. It’s their headache to distribute; all I am to do am doing now by producing. I am about to send them the master and send them the credit then they package and distribute. After the album is out, there will be of course a promotional tour of the United States and I will be travelling to do that. Whenever I am needed I will travel but it doesn’t change my base, I am not about to relocate to America. I am still here.

Now that you are about to take gospel music to the next level with a contract that provides the best of distribution network in America and the Caribbean, how are you going to tackle piracy in Nigeria?

Piracy, I have said over and over again is not something the artistes are going to just over come over night by themselves. If you take a look at any country that has a proper distribution network for music and movies, you will see that the government of that country is strongly involved. The government of that country is making money from the industry because they play their part. We can agonize, cry all we want, we cannot stop the pirates unless the government comes in because we cannot fight the pirates but the government can, unless the government rises up and says enough is enough there  is nothing we can do about it. It is a pity that the government of Nigeria does not even know how much it can make from the Nigerian entertainment industry. If they can just come in, do feasibility study on the kind of money they can make, they will be shock to know that they can make more money in entertainment than from Crude Oil. They need to come in, bring in their professional hands, put in structures and we are good to go. This is what I was saying they should have done first before throwing in the money President Jonathan threw in. People were shouting, O they have given us money and I said listen, how do you give people money to go and work in an industry that does not have any structure, how are they going to pay back that money? I take N20 million and do a movie in an industry that I cannot even control the sales of the movie, everything will become bad loan! Everybody will be in debt! What they should have done is take a chunk of that money and put structures in place first. How can we achieve that? Look at the countries that have done it, ask questions, how did you people do it; come in and help us to put structures in place for our industry. When there is structure, when there is proper distribution then the industry can grow and it’s only the government that can do that.

You have been a staunch Jonathan supporter, I’m sure you knew about the money…

No I didn’t, it came as a surprise package. I am sure that the President is the first to conjure the kind of massive support from the entertainment industry that he got during his presidential campaign since the beginning of the industry; I think he was just trying to find a way to better the industry and the Nigerian youths by making the money available. Now he has made the money available, he is thinking of other things but people need to go to him and say, Oga, thank you for this money but the best thing we need to do with this money is to put structures in place in the entertainment industry. Advisers this is where they come in, people who talk to him about what is on ground. So I was quite surprised when the President made that pronouncement. I don’t think any other president has ever made such statement. That is stage one, stage two, good structures must be put in place before this industry can fly. He needs to be advised. The practitioners that we have that are at the top needs to talk to them because some of us are still in the middle. I mean I was part of the campaign but I only saw him when it comes to making speech, I don’t have direct access to him in terms of speaking to him but with this kind of interviews, the people who can talk to him will know what we feel and take it to him and that is where it should start from, structure.

As a strong voice in the Nigerian Christian community, do you think that Christians’ retaliation against the Boko Haram bombing in the North is the way to go?

I do not think that retaliating is the way to go, as painful as it is. Yes in the bible we read that it was an eye for an eye but coming into the New Testament, the idea of an eye for an eye was abolished. I do not think you can use another wrong to right a wrong. Now don’t get me wrong, I am pained that lives are being taken. Let’s not even say Christian lives alone are taken because the life of a Christian and that of a Muslim are all human lives. My message is sheath your sword and let peace reign. If we can avoid being killed by leaving the area that are target, which is better than fighting back. As Christians we must not retaliate, let God fight for us and one day the one killing us will say these people we have been killing and they don’t retaliate don’t deserve this.

I AM QUITTING ACTING SOON- RAMSEY NOAH

I AM QUITTING ACTING SOON- RAMSEY NOAH

CALL HIM THE BAD BOY OF Nollywood and you would be just saying the obvious. This is the actor that has legally kissed the lips of most newly married Nollywood divas, Ini Edo, Stephanie Okereke, Oge Okoye, Mercy Johnson and the hottest Nollywood spinsters like Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, etc. one wonders what the husbands of the married stars feel when their friends talk about the romantic scenes done by their wives. Any ways that is the meat for another meal. This meal brings to you Ramsey Noah’s next move. Ramsey has said that he is retiring from acting for good! He said that he feels he has done his best as an actor and feels like taking up other challenges. You wonder what the new challenges are right. Ramsey Noah has declared directing his next destination. He is joining the likes of Kunle Afolayan, Jeta Amata to take Nollywood to its next level from the seat of a director. He said he wants to go behind the Camera so he can stop being the face but the brain of fantastic film works.

WHEN MIKEL OBI DASHED CLASSMATE N3 MILLION

WHEN MIKEL OBI DASHED CLASSMATE N3 MILLION

He just launched his foundation recently, The Mikel Obi Foundation. With which he intends to give back to the society that gave him so much. This is actually not the only charitable works he does; it’s only the official one. He we know is the highest paid Nigerian footballer living or dead! The 3^rd Nigerian footballer to ever win UEFA Championship trophy. Did you say he really has a lot to thank God for by giving out? Mikel Obi recently visited Jos since he is off club and national duties. Getting home, normally his child hood friends, classmates and family members gather to grab what they can but his particular occasion shocked the receiver. A class mate of Mikel’s came calling and after drinking, gisting and sharing personal experience, Mikel gave his friend a N3 Million cheque to step up in life. Now Nigeria is feeling another Kanu Nwankwo kind of player

MARRIED ACTRESSES SLEEP AROUND LIKE DOGS- SHAN GEORGE

MARRIED ACTRESSES SLEEP AROUND LIKE DOGS- SHAN GEORGE

She definitely needs no introductions. Shan George is one of those very controversial actresses in Nollywood. Shan George for some times now has not been in the main stream of happenings in Nollywood, her image has also been battered resulting from her love affairs with young lovers. This super star who got married at the tender age of 15 revealed that most married actresses in Nollywood are adulterers! In her words she says: ‘most married actresses in the industry sleep around like dogs and nobody is talking about it’. She went further to defend herself by saying that her previous marriages didn’t fail because of infidelity on her side. She said she was never caught by any of her husbands sleeping around.

I CAN’T REMARRY WITHOUT CHRISTY ESSIEN-IGBOKWE’S PERMISSION- EDWIN IGBOKWE

I CAN’T REMARRY WITHOUT CHRISTY ESSIEN-IGBOKWE’S PERMISSION- EDWIN IGBOKWE

Mr. Edwin Igbokwe is a former top staff of Punch Newspapers and husband to the late Nigerian Songstress, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, has carried on since his lovely wife passed away, PASCHAL OGE CHIKERO, spoke with him at the Christy Essien-Igbokwe Memorial Foundation about life after her death. Here are the shocking revelations.

Can you tell us how you have been able to adapt since your lovely wife, Christy Essien-Igbokwe left us?

It’s by God’s grace. I don’t know how else to put it because this is somebody I have lived with for over 30 years and for the greater part of our lives. You can imagine when there is a vacuum what do you expect? We were too close so I don’t I know how life will be without her if I am to live another 36 years without her.

I can see that you still wear your marriage ring, does it mean you don’t want to remarry

Well, remarry? I don’t know. This ring will remain there unless there is reason for it, it has to be spiritual and it has to come from her.

You are going to spiritual angle, does it mean that your marriage to her was super natural

Yes! It was because before we got married, she told me everything, how it will all happen. How many kids and their genders. She also told me exactly when she will die; she said it will be at the middle of the year. When she told me initially I took her serious because I know how powerful she is spiritually then I said God I don’t want this woman to pass away just like that. After few years it didn’t occur to me again but when it happened I remembered what she had said.

The spiritual aspect of her life, didn’t it scare you people

I have come to live with it because at a point she told me she is a spirit! And I noticed it from every aspect. I am the one saying it but people won’t believe it but I know.

She said her last birth day was going to be a big one

Big one in terms of charity, she went round, that was the discussion between her and the kids. She went round houses. She told me there wouldn’t be publicity and I said how? She said ok watch and see what will happen that day. That day November 10 was the day they said there will be strike in the morning there was strike but by noon they said the strike was over but she had already gone round to do what she wanted to do. She did so many things that if someone who did not know stay with her , the person will just get scared and run away. Most of the things she did people won’t believe.

Is this Christy Essien-Igbokwe Memorial Foundation the only thing the family is doing to immortalize her

This one the Festival of Love is totally from the Foundation people. They told me about it and I gave them my blessing. I will continue to remember her on a daily basis.

A general description of your wife

She was what people knew her as. She was a spirit! She is somebody I know nobody will replace her.