D'banj gets Twitter's verification: Others

Nigerian artist, Dbanj has joined the list of world super stars, celebrities and online personalities to don the official verification badge of social media site, Twitter.


The artist, whose Twitter verification was first hinted at during an interview with a magazine outfit on his recent rift with friend and co-owner of the Mo'hits record label, Don Jazzy joins a host of other (incidentally very few) Nigerian superstars like Nneka, Asa, Rotimi, footballer, Osaze Odemwinge and just recently, model Oluchi.

Twitter's verification policy requires that users have a minimum 50, 000 followers and must be globally recognised before application could be considered.

Twitter's verification policy could ordinarily be an easier feat when highly accredited firms, agencies or organisations represents such individuals as many personalities with far less than the 50, 000 followership mark have been endorsed by Twitter yet the likes of Nigeria's Pastor Chris Oyakhilome who boasts of over a million followers, artists Banky W, Eldee, WizKid, Naeto C, P Square (Peter) and producers Don Jazzy who all have over 100, 000 followers are yet to be verified.

The social media site highly recommend accounts be verified so as to protect its top users from the demerits of hacking which has become a negative global online phenomenon.

Nigerian Personalities such as multi-award winning artist, Tuface Idibia, P-Square (Paul), Don Jazzy, and Professor Wole Soyinka have all fallen victims to the men of the hacking world. Incidentally newly verified artist D'banj, claimed his accounts were illegally accessed prompting him to take steps that his international and global moves (as spilled on a recent interview) are nothing to be swept aside.

David Oyelowo Taking Hollywood By Storm

david

david

 David Oyelowo is a british born Nigerian actor now taking hollywood by storm .David began his stage career in 1999  after attending London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.He was offered a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company playing roles in Ben Jonson's Volpone, as the title character in Oroonoko.
   He made history in 2000 when he became the first black actor to portray an English monarch for the Royal Shakespeare Company when he played the title role in a production of Henry VI Parts I, II and III.
   David starred in the BAFTA award winning series "SPOOKS/MI:5" playing Danny Hunter.  He won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor and was also nominated for a BAFTA .

david on the set of red tails

                        

   David made his US debut in two HBO productions, the Kenneth Branagh directed "As You Like It" in August 2006 and as the lead in the mini-series "Five Days," for which he won the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for his performance. In 2008, David starred in the acclaimed adaptation of the Alexander McCall Smith novel "The No.1 Ladies Detective Agencies" directed by the late Anthony Minghella.

   As a successful actor in his homeland of England, David Oyelowo's talent made it easy for him to break into America's film industry. His radiance in some of the UK's best plays and TV series helped him land roles in movies like Red Tails, Derailed, The Help and The Last King of Scotland. The award-winning thespian has even starred in a few indie films and will appear in several upcoming Hollywood hits, including Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, One Shot alongside Tom Cruise and Paperboy, opposite Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey.

cuba gooding, david oyelowo, anthony heminway

David is married to Jessica Oyelowo who is also an actress



Filmography

A sound of thunder
Derailed
As you Like it
The last King of scotland
chess
A raisin in the sun
 Rise of the planet of the apes
The help
selma
"96 minutes" to be in theatres April 27
Red Tails
Lincoln


  David was recently honoured at the PAN African film Festival which held in Los Angeles.

Exclusive: Don Jazzy responds to D'banj - 'I wish you well son'

Nigerian producer, President and CEO of the Mohit's Record label, Don Jazzy has spoken out on the recent wave of attacks by artist, singer and former (if correct to say) Vice President of Mo’hits, Dapo "Kokomaster Dbanj" Oyebanjo.


In an exclusive telephone interview with Ascology News, Don Jazzy started off by saying he never wanted the issue to become this messy, even as he was aware of the way and manner social media has changed the way people view issue surrounding the lives of celebrities; a reason he said was why he's always cautious of what he says and the interviews he grants to the media.

Both industry power-weights have been at loggerhead over alleged multiple financial disagreements, discrepancies involved in the signing of artist Dbanj into Kanye West’s Good Music record label, Don Jazzy’s lackadaisical attitude, Dbanj’s alleged public irresponsibility among other differences and conflicts that popped up between both.


"I want to be clear on something that I'm not interested in going into the debates of whatever Dbanj has said, be it through an interview, the press, social media or whatever. People should try and understand that these are very difficult moments for me and I need my space, time and moment to carry on with my life and the production of good music which is what fans have known me for a very long time". Don Jazzy said.

The iconic producer, whose famous introvert and quiet lifestyle and personality as garnered him an enviable amount of fame, respect and magnanimous swag in Nigeria’s entertainment scene, staunchly dismissed claims by Dbanj buying houses, cars and properties for the Mo’hits boss and fellow artists, calling it “laughable and not worth responding to this early morning” claiming that quick thinking fans know his individual worth and personal financial worth of each artist at Mo’hits.

The Mo’hits boss was however very cautious and even more diplomatic in blaming, accusing or countering accusations attributed to Dbanj in various interviews, saying many of those things could not have been said by the Dbanj and he isn't surprised when Dbanj claimed his accounts were hacked and also not further surprised when his (Dbanj) publicist released a statement denying some of the statements attributed to him; specifically during the interview with Ebony Magazine that Dbanj owns Mo’hits. Incidentally, Ebony Magazine are yet to release a public apology as earlier released by D'banj's personal manager and the 'I own mohits' part of the interveiew still not excluded as of filing this report.

The Mo’hits boss further said in the unlikely event he decides to let the public knows his own side of the story, there is the tendency for his statements to be misconstrued and manipulated by mischief makers who he blamed use few accurate information to manipulate the public into believing things that never existed (a hint that the alleged email exchange is partially true or totally untrue); an ironical situation he hinted would force him to rather keep mute on the issue and let it die a natural death.

"When this whole thing started, I felt people needed to know what’s happening and in all civility, maturity and wisdom, I made those less than 140 words tweet in 3 separate lines, now see where it has led me to. Mohits is a family and Dbanj is like its son and families do quarell. Expecting me to come out and start countering accusations by one of my best friends ever while accusing him also in the process doesn't justify my guilt or my innocence or that of his, He (Dbanj) however has a right to his opinion to grant interviews to whoever he wishes to grant interview to, I won't stop him and won’t stop anyone who wants to believe whatever he says either", he said.

In further attempts to get the Mo’hits boss talking, he was adamant but rightly so, reminding us of how those famous tweets confirming an apparent rift in the Mohits house got him into the messy situation as we see today.

 

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the end of a long era and the beginning of a new one..Some of the rumours you have all heard recently are sad but true...The way forward now is to make sure I keep bringing you guys more of the beautiful music y’all love to dance to....And to end d old era I will b donating the proceeds of my production catalogue from day one till date to five charity organizations. Thanks. IDJA”

 



PHOTO David Livingston/Getty/AFP: Recording artist D'banj attends the 5th anniversary "Creme of the Crop" post BET Awards Dinner Celebration at Mr Chow in Beverly Hills, California.


"Really, if I start responding to every single accusation, then the ‘lazy’ person I’ve been called would come out, and the ‘Fake’ person I am according to critics would obviously come out since I'm not a talkative and you the media know that, I want the handwork of my music productions and the proceeds of good music at Mo’hits to speak for itself, so asking me to comment on issues like this, I really am not just interested, personally my advice to fans is to concentrate on good music from Mo’hits and huhh....well even from Dbanj himself, music is what we were made to create and not controversies", he added.

It was not immediately clear the positions of other artists at the Mohits house at the time of filing the report as label members Wande Coal, Dr Sid and D’Prince have all been short of economical with their opinions on the rift between their bosses.

As for Wande Coal who in an although diplomatic, yet paradoxically intended tweet to Dbanj said “God please don’t let the success you have given me get to my head to the extent that I will forget my humble beginnings”; the artist has however deleted the tweet shortly after – another debatable scenario which Dbanj sarcastically accused Don Jazzy of personally tweeting.

The multi-award winning music producer however said he wishes artist, Dbanj all the best in all he aspires to do even as he (Don Jazzy) begins a rebuilding, restructuring process.

D'banj takes shot at Asa & Nneka

In the now widely read interview where he spoke about the split, D’banj is quoted as saying thus: ‘Other labels were springing up. So if we could conquer America, London when no one had done it before. Most of our people stop in Germany, or Paris. But this is America, this is the big league; it makes us the strongest, the biggest. We had already made the money. And who best to introduce me to the rest of the world? Kanye did not want to change anything about my music, my style of dressing, or my brand. It is God’s favour. But Jazzy was and is very scared. Something had worked for eight years, so he wanted to maintain the status quo. People are afraid to try new things.’
The entertainer could only have been referring to Asa and Nneka when he made mention of Paris and Germany. Asa is signed to a France based label, Naive and Nneka is partly German – where she relocated to when she was 18 years of age to live with her mother who is German.

Davido Apologises For Posting N10m Cheque Online

Up and coming artiste and brand ambassador, Davido has apologised for posting a cheque of 10million naira online yesterday.

The teenager yesterday afternoon posted on micro-blogging site, twitter, the cheque with an accompanying tweet, “Great meeting, made a little change.”

After he posted picture of the cheque, some fans descended on him saying such act was childish of him.

He later apologised to them on twitter when he tweeted hours later.

“I’m sorry to those that were offended by the picture. I never knew God would take me this far and I got a little carried away. Una own sef go come,” Davido tweeted.

This is not the first time Davido would be getting into the news for the wrong reasons.

Earlier this year, he was a victim of pictures on bed with a groupie. Days later, pictures of Davido with a girl went viral online.

What girls want these days

I am not a relationship expert; well except you want me to give you tips on client-customer relationships, then I may be able to spin off one or two pointers.


Today however, I would like to reel out some of the things that swim around the mind of women when they are about to pick a guy to settle into a relationship with.

You must have thought it was all about your fancy clothes, car and wallet? Well all that plays an important role but believe it, women are deeper than that nowadays. 

The points below illustrate this:

1.    Tall, dark and handsome is still a desire but if you are short, fair and look like Gollum (from ‘Lord of the Rings’), fear not. Just possess a very large bank account and wallet.

2.    Care. Women want men that care for them, the kind that will massage their feet after a long day of trekking with heels, run a bath for them and maybe even make dinner.

3.    Men who mind their business. Women like men who don’t try to form familiar or invade their space. You don’t have to know all her friends and make small talk about them.

4.    Are you a man that uses make up? Yes? Then we have a problem. When you begin to line your eyebrows, dye your hair and maybe even apply a little mascara, she begins to wonder who the woman will be in the relationship.

5.    Don’t be a critic. If you are privileged to eat her food, do not criticise it no matter how bad it is. Even if the Jollof Rice tastes like tomato struggle, just smile and show appreciation. This is very important, especially if you don’t know how to cook either.

6.    You know that things many guys do (especially the ones from Eastern Nigeria), that Michael Jackson thing where you grab your crotch? Yes. Don’t do that.

7.    Sometimes, it’s good to lie. When she asks you what you studied in school, pick one of the masculine courses like Engineering, Maths, Banking etc.

8.    A sense of humour. Women want a man that can laugh, not some serious zombie looking dude. But be careful, you have to have genuine humour not the type that laughs at the kind of dry jokes cracked on IK’s comedy show. She also wants this because she will vex you a LOT but your sense of humour ought to help.

9.    Mystery. You don’t have to tell her your entire life history; that just seems needy. Let there be some mystery about you. For instance, don’t tell her that the scar on your left arm came as a result of falling from the swing when you were a kid. Tell her it’s from a dark past you don’t want to remember. You see? She’ll be in awe.

10.    Responsibility. That’s part of a relationship. Women want a responsible man, not necessarily the one that comes home at 7pm, doesn’t smoke or drink; BUT the one that is responsible for his bills...and hers too.

11.    Be dumb sometimes. Women don’t want a man that knows it all. It is okay to have opinions but do not show how intelligent you are all the time. It can be frustrating.

12.    Don’t be too friendly. Women see their men as trophies and don’t like when you become too friendly with other women. They like the feeling of having something others want...but can’t have.

13.    The most important. Never talk about her weight unless you’re saying she’s lost some.


These listed pointers are results of a well conducted research.

What boys want these days

I do not state these as facts but as mere results of research conducted. Today, we shall delve deeper and look at the flip side of the coin. The things men consider before making their move.

1.    Composure. No matter what you may think or have heard, guys do not want any gangster chic, they don’t want a woman who will break a bottle on another’s head because they know that may be their head someday. A composed lady has better promise.

2.    Beauty. We really aren’t so crazy about how you look. All we are saying is if you lack boobs and hips, try to make sure it’s only one and make up for it somehow. A beautiful brain is an example of a great asset.

3.    Culinary skills. Guys marry women that can cook and date those that can’t. Try and perfect your Egusi and Afang soup making skills. This is a valid plus in your resume.

4.    Don’t believe what you watch on Africa Magic, we don’t want a domineering woman. If you cannot be submissive, we cannot wear trouser with you and fight for who is the man of the house.

5.    Talking about Africa Magic, if you are one of those women that sit around all the time and have watched 90 per cent of all their movies, then the probability of a good man finding you is low.

6.    We fear women that watch Africa Magic because we assume you that is your citadel of learning. Who wants a woman who has over 3 babalawos’ phone numbers?

7.    Manners. That head tapping thing you do when your weave is overdue? Stop it. Hasn’t anyone told you it makes you look like a drug addict craving her next fix? Or are you trying to accelerate the flow of blood in your brain? Stop it.

8.    Education. We don’t like when women have all these strange degrees such as Journalism and Medical Genetics. Please stick to Law, Accounting and mostly Home Economics. Thanks.

9.    While still on education, please do not go beyond a first degree. Why go for a Masters when we already intend to make you the Mrs? Too many university degrees makes us feel like lesser beings.

10.    Sex. We will really appreciate it if you have a non-existent sexual life/thoughts before we meet. Let us be the ones to teach you from our experience.

11.    Independence. We don’t like our women listening to Beyonce. Remember her tracks like ‘Single Ladies’, ‘Independent Women’, and ‘Girls Run The World’? What kind of brain washing is that? So if you must listen to music, don’t do any of these new songs, do Cyndi Lauper, Dolly Parton, etc.

12.    Carriage. Guys want women who carry themselves well. This means we don’t want you looking like the Michelin man or all these Christian mothers.

13.    Still talking of carriage, when we go out please respect yourself. Even if there’s no food at home, don’t wipe the plate clean. When we go to parties, please all this grinding and ‘lepa on the floor’ dance steps should be reserved for when we get back home.

14.    Guys do not like hairnets, wrappers and late night egg masks on the face. Thanks in advance.

We must remember that a lot of truth is said in jest. I wish you all the best as you make your choices.

 

Kelvin Igbodo

Congratulations Majid Michel….

Congratulations to Majid Michel for winning ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role’ at this years AMAA (Africa Movie Academy Awards) -for his role in Somewhere In Africa….You can keep up with all of Majid Michel’s fabulous happenings via his new website at:http://www.majidmichelonline.com/

Asa’s N700m lesbianism suit resumes hearing on Thursday

The on-going ‘Bukola Elemide & Another VS Dockland Communications Services’ N700m lawsuit between Nigerian soul singer Asa and weekly publication News of the People is set to resume this Thursday, April 26, 2012.

On Thursday, February 23, 2012 a Lagos High Court presided by Justice A.J Coker adjourned the case to April 26 after the claimants Bukola ‘Asa’ Elemide and her manager Janet Nwose were missing in court.

The 29-year-old, who was represented by her legal counsel Abraham & CO. stated that their client (Asa) was indisposed, although the defendants counsel Yinka Muyiwa opposed the claim, insisting that the singer was in France, performing.

Asa had slammed the lawsuit against the Loye Hamzat-owned celebrity magazine on November 22, 2010, after they published an article portraying the musician as a homosexual. But, through its counsel, the publication says they have done no wrong, as they culled the story from an online publication.

We are however unclear if Asa and her manager will attend the court hearing although she is back in the country. The singer recently performed live at the 12th edition of the African Movie Academy Awards which was held Sunday, April 22, 2012.

‘You’ll have to speak with our reps on this please’, Asa’s manager Janet Nwose replied when NET asked if Asa would attend the hearing.

And when we contacted her reps at RED Media, an exec Adebola Williams, said ‘We’ll get back to you on this’.

Asa’s Counsel Abraham & CO. has however assured that they will be in court even though they aren’t sure if Asa will be present.

SSS detains Van Vicker – Uche Jumbo Intervenes!

Nollywood diva Uche Jumbo recently saved the life of Ghanaian actor Van Vicker from the hands of SSS.

Van Vicker who was in Nigeria briefly for a movie shoot was identified with prop guns by the State Security Service (SSS).

The star said he had reached a point in his career where he felt he needed items to look as real as possible in his movies.

Some sources revealed how and what went down to Bola Aduwo of Nollywooduncut, After Van Vicker had passed all security checks, he entered the plane and while in the plane his attention was called to identify what he had in his luggage.

He identified that they were prop guns, the security persons at the airport were not convinced and said they have to get their experts in ikoyi to check this out. That was how Van was whisked off to the SSS office in Ikoyi where he eventually passed the night.

Just before Van was about to enter the SSS Office, he had the presence of mind to contact his wife and a fellow actor, Uche Jombo who at that time was attending the AMAAs.

He bbed his situation to her and described where he was, Unfortunately for him because of the noise at the event and her low battery, she did not see the messages till the following morning.

When she did Uche quickly sprang into action and began to pull strings,Van was later released but without his prop guns.