By Ayeni Adekunle
If you’re reading this right now, congratulations to me. Because that means, after what seems like forever, I’ve been able to actually sit down and write again.
I know many bad people who will say ‘keep quiet my friend! What’s the point, when you’ll soon disappear for another 10 weeks?’
What I say?: ‘Wharreva!’. We take it one week at a time. Not saying I’ll write next week. Not saying I won’t.
I’m keeping a promise by writing this week though: I was at Media Perspective last week for an appointment with their MD Emeka Okeke. Mr. Okeke must have forgotten we had an appointment, because he wasn’t there. As I thanked his secretary (a very kind lady, by the way) and made to leave, I ran into this gentleman who said he’s been a fan for years. A member of staff of Rock City FM in Ogun State, he asked why I haven’t written for some time, saying he’d like to read Soliloquy again. I was embarrassed. Actually I felt irresponsible. To think that only a few days earlier, Tunde Obe had said, looking me in the eye: ‘I know why you don’t write anymore. It’s because YOU DON’T HAVE TO’. I tried to process that, as his wife Wunmi nodded in agreement…
Speaking of the Obes
It was the night of Sunday July 7 when the Obes confronted me about dumping the pen. And it was the second time I was visiting them in their new home. If you haven’t seen the pictures or read about this couple’s palace, I suggest you do. Unless you don’t fancy great things, that is.
My first visit was on Friday June 28. My very close friends knew I was going to check out the Obes’ new property. ‘I’ve heard so much about this house, I just pray I’m not disappointed‘, I told some friends. And to be sure I wouldn’t be the sole bearer of the gist, I went with Dotun, who’s also quite familiar with the Obes.
What we saw is what the Yoruba will call ‘Iroyin O to Afojuba’. A classic case of Money meets good taste. This couple spent the last six years of their lives putting up something a president would be glad to live in. And I pray they’ll open it up to some of our rave-of-the-moment pop stars that still think expensive cars and clothes equal success.
Mo and the Gang
I’m not a Mo Abudu fan. And it’s nothing personal. We’ve only spoken a couple of times, and our paths have seldom crossed in the line of duty. But you don’t have to know or like the woman to stand up on your feet and throw her a salute.
There are few men around who would have the balls to attempt a gargantuan project like EbonyLife TV. Even fewer women. Mo has shown, with the launch of the channel, that it is actually possible to do these things.
Listening to her speak during the launch at Eko Hotel, I felt a sense of pride, a sense of achievement; of success. I felt I was the one launching a network and urging you to tune in. And, call me biased, I’ve tried not to focus on the very obvious early day blunders from EbonyLife’s Tinapa Studios. I’m certain Mo and her team know what’s at stake. And I’m positive they’ll get their steps right on this marathon. It’s in our collective best interest for this project to work. And it will.
Instead of going the way of HiTV, I pray this survives all the tests that may and will come, so we can open the doors to more channels and networks and stations. It is possible!
The new rap kings
He looked like a random young man, as we moved around during the day, doing radio rounds in Owerri on June 22. I paid no serious attention to him, as we – M.I, Mr. Raw, Ufuoma Dogun, Biyi Fagade, Femi Ogundoro, and I – discussed fame, music, success and musicians.
Before then. I’d probably only heard his name a couple of times, courtesy of Osagie Alonge and MTV‘s ONT. I’d never heard a verse of his song.
But when night came and he stepped out to perform at Hero Square in Owerri, I realized that, in Wizkid parlance, I had been sleeping on a bicycle. Phyno, ladies and gentlemen, IS A STAR. I’ve never seen an act on his level engage a stadium audience so perfectly. Not here, not abroad. And I’ve never seen fans scream a rapper’s name so passionately, that even he has to tell them ‘calm down, calm down.’
He had them all eating from his hands for 25 minutes, with everyone chanting his lyrics word for word. And it was not a fluke. Because we were in Enugu the week after, and the love was even crazier.
I’ve since been educated, after sharing my eastern surprise with some friends. ‘Phyno is king of the South East’, they say. And he’s only matched currently, by another king ‘Olamide’ who is ruling over the South West and elsewhere; Olamide, who was the star at D’Banj’s own show. Olamide, who only three years ago, was freestyling for us at the HHW office, as he desperately sought a slot to do a Da Grin performance at The Headies.
Modenine is the god, no doubt. M.I is the leader, pathfinder, while Ice Prince is the superstar. But these young ones have seized the crown. The coronation even held already…
Saving OJB
I’ve tried not to say much about #SavingOJB, because it’s a sensitive thing when someone is down with an illness that could cost them their life, and they have to raise all of N16m to get treatment.
I’m still not saying much, other than: It’s been Steve Kadiri. It’s been Ngozi Nwosu. It’s been Enebeli Elebuwa. It’s been Ifeanyi Dike, and several others – some of whom I’m not allowed to name here. Today it’s OJB Jezreel. Who will it be tomorrow? May it not be you or me.
But why is it that despite all the flamboyance the media portrays of our entertainers – This one acquires N100m home; that one gets a customized car; the other one signs Multimillion Naira deal – many of our stars still live from hand to mouth and have to run to the public, or politicians in time of need?
It’s easy to think these men and women are not financially smart and have mismanaged fortunes. But I know for a fact that many actors and musicians are suffering; being greatly under compensated, with the burden of fame to deal with. Many of them cannot afford the kind of life they deserve to live, not to talk of being able to rise up to occasion when emergency bills like N16m show up.
Yet they have to keep up appearances because if they don’t, the media makes a feast, going to town with ‘exclusives’ like ‘Actor A is broke’; Singer B hits hard times’, etc etc.
This entire thing we call an industry is a joke, really. And the sooner we fix it, the better it is for all of us. Because while we may pray ‘May it not happen to you or me’, what if it does?
What if?
Our new home
This week, on July 18, it’ll be three months since criminals hacked and hijacked our former website www.thenetng.com. Happy to announce that we’ve finally settled in on our new home – www.thenet.ng – a proudly Nigerian domain I’m particularly excited about. We had several options, but in choosing to make a .ng our primary domain, the entire team thought it’d be a great way to demonstrate our confidence, trust and pride in Nigeria. And I hope many sites will follow.
We’ve also launched a new mobile site! Please visit and let me know what you think…
Like Zimmerman, like Mustapha
How is it that within 24 hours, the courts set free three men many are convinced should have been convicted?
As far as millions of Nigerians are concerned, Hamza Al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan are guilty of the crime the appeal court, in setting aside the January 30, 2012 ruling of the Lagos High court, said they did not commit. Same for George Zimmerman, the Hispanic self-appointed neighbourhood watch guy who pulled the trigger, fatally shooting 17 year-old Trayvon Martin ‘in self defense’.
Many are weeping, following these shocking verdicts. It’s sad, really, when you are almost certain, as in the case of OJ Simpson, that someone did something. Yet, prosecutors cannot gather enough evidence to nail them.
In justice, just like in Journalism, facts are sacred. And I’d have been shocked, based on the particulars of the case, all the arguments and evidence made available, according to the judgment by Rita Pemu, Amina Augie and Justice F. O. Akinbami if Mustapha or Zimmerman had gone to hang.
Now over to God…
What they didn’t want Malala to hear
Happy 16th birthday, Dear Malala Yousafzai! Shame to bad, bad people! Sigh.