One thrilling African Music Festival of 2016

The all-new innovative concert series introduced by the PaulO Prime group to the USA really impacted the Entertainment industry with its New York and Houston gigs. One Africa Music Festival is the largest Afro-Caribbean music festival in the United States of 2016. 

The first One Africa Music Festival was held in New York on July 22nd at the Barclays Center. It was a sold out event! The second one held in Houston on October 22nd at the Houston Toyota Center. Part of the talent lineup included D’Banj (Nigeria), P-Square (Nigeria), Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania), Efya (Ghana), Sisqo (America) among others.

Guests were thrilled to be at the Toyota Center and the performing artists gave award-winning performances. The show featured legendary artists; P-Square, Don Flexx, Vector, Cabo Snoop etc. 

Feature courtesy of Dashiki Diaries 

Election hack-gate fuels US, Russia cold war

As his term runs out and amidst concerns of mega cyber hacking by Russia during the 2016 USA Presidential elections, President Barack Obama has fired the first salvo by expelling 35 Russian diplomats from Washington, while giving them 72 hours to leave the country with their families. In a related development, Russia has vowed to retaliate the expulsion. A spokesman for President Vladimir Putin says the Kremlin's reaction would cause the USA 'significant discomfort'.

READ MORE HERE

10 hot Trendy Events of 2016

2016 was an incredible year for event documentation, cultural expose, fashion galore and one filled with interesting people. Most of the events we covered in 2016 were birthday's ranging from 40th-70th. We also documented some jaw dropping weddings. As we plan towards a more rewarding 2017, enjoy a summary of 10 of some of the 2016 events (in no particular order) for your viewing pleasure. Happy New Year in advance.

LOLA FAWEHINMI 60TH

ABIOLA ROTIMI-OGUNSOLA SENSATIONAL 60TH CELEBRATION

OONI OF IFE USA VISIT

TRENDY AFRICA MAGAZINE MOTHERS APPRECIATION

DALLAS INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK

ADESUWA UZAMERE 50TH

STELLA OSIMUA THANKSGIVING

KRISTINE AND KINGSLEY OBIANOR WEDDING

LINDA AND WALE AYOADE WEDDING

LAIDE ROPO TUSIN 50TH 

Photo Credit: Trendy Africa Magazine

Salary Alone; Nigeria’s Civil Servant Predicament

With the anti-corruption drive initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, it has become clearer that most Nigerian civil servants had been operating above their means with choice properties and luxury autos to their names. According to a recent L.A times report, a lot of them are not able to even fuel their vehicles while some others have resorted to withdrawing their children from expensive private educational institutions.

READ MORE HERE

source: Los Angeles times

Abuja Airport set to be shut

Nigeria is set to close the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport in Abuja Nigeria for six weeks from February 2017 to repair damaged runways, rerouting flights to Kaduna Airport. The aviation minister, Hadi Sirika said it was necessary in order for reconstruction work to be carried out on the runway, Reuters reported. Emirates Airlines suspended flights to Abuja in October, citing several factors including the state of the runway. Comment: Many other airports in Nigeria including Lagos and Asaba definitely NEED globally acceptable runways. Does this mean that Abuja Airport only has ONE major RUNWAY?? 

READ MORE HERE

Ooni's close aide, Chief Funmilola Olorunnisola passes at 66

The Palace of the Ooni of Ife has released a statement announcing the sudden death of High Chief Funmilola Olorunnisola at 66. Until his death, Chief Olorunnisola served as the honorary special adviser on tourism to Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II. The veteran journalist had served under late Ooni Okunade Sijuwade (Olubuse II) for 30 year between 1985 and 2015.

Ooni Ogunwusi in a statement described High Chief Olorunnisola as; "a very disciplined gentleman, very loyal to the throne, very humble and always ready to carry out assignments given to him without any hesitation. May his gentle soul rest in peace and may the Almighty Olodumare continue to be with the family he left behind..." 

High Chief Olorunnisola, the traditional prime minister and Obarisa of Odogo ijesa, was a seasoned journalist, media practitioner and P.R. manager with a recorded professional excellence. Born in 1950 to the family of Chief Samuel Onifade Olorunnisola of Idogo, Ijebu-Jesa had spent 11years at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State(BCOS) Ibadan where he rose to the position of Controller of News before appointed in 1983 as the Chief Press Secretary to the then Governor of Kwara state, Chief C.O.Adebayo. He became the Press Secretary to late Ooni Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II in 1985 and served for a period 30 years during which he was also appointed by the former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the State of Osun as Chairman of the state's Culture and Tourism Board the position he held for 8 years.

He is survived by two wives Folasade and Oluwatoyin with six children Tomilola, Sunmisola, Gbemisola, Kayinsola, Kunmilola and Pemilola.

Source: Comrade Moses Olafare

Director, Media & Public Affairs,

Ooni's Palace.

DIASPORA RHAPSODY: Nigerian athletes set to make history

CBS news Texas recently featured the incredible story of three millennial Nigerian girls who are poised to make history. Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga want to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea as the first Nigerian bobsled team in history. They are also hoping to start a bobsled foundation for Africa.

L-R: Akuoma Omeoga, Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere
Photo credit: Obi Grant 

READ MORE HERE

Zahra Buhari weds Ahmed Indimi

Zahra Buhari, 21 year old daughter of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari weds Ahmed Indimi, marketing director of Oriental energy. The wedding is reported re packaged as a low key ceremony after media frenzy caused the father of the bride to postpone the earlier arranged date. This is wishing the couple a happy and fruitful marriage.

Photo Credit: Aisha Buhari Tweeter feed

Red Carpet moments at ‘Ayamma’ VIP screening

Ayamma; an all new Nollywood movie produced in collaboration with Royal Arts Academy and Bank of Industry was screened recently at  the Intercontinental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos. The movie features; Majid Michel, Wale Ojo, Adesua Etomi, Theresa Edem, Ime Bishop Umoh and Debbi Francis. Guests at the VIP screening also took time out on the red carpet.

Ayamma is produced by Emem Isong and directed by Chris Eneaji. Film credits include lighting by Christian Epps and Cinematography by Dawid Pietkiewicz. Ayamma will be in cinemas nationwide as from December 23rd. 

Photo credits: T Direction

Oil Pipeline vandals cause $4.8B revenue loss in Nigeria

Nigeria’s state oil company-NNPC lost more than 1.5 trillion naira ($4.8 billion) as a result of attacks on pipelines and facilities by militants in 2016, its managing director said Wednesday. Militants in the Niger Delta—a vast, oil-rich swampland in southern Nigeria—have launched frequent attacks on oil facilities throughout the year.

Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu

READ MORE HERE

MMM Ponzi scheme still popular in Nigeria despite crash

"Even with this minor setback, I still strongly have confidence in MMM. The government and the press will amplify this but we all know that MMM is not going anywhere," Okoro said. Joe Sanya revealed that he had already invested NGN1 million in the scheme.

WHAT IS MMM? MMM gives you a technical platform which helps millions of participants worldwide to connect those who NEED help to those who are ready to PROVIDE help, for FREE. All transferred funds to another participant are your help given by your own good will to another one, absolutely gratis. According to their website, “MMM is not a bank, MMM does not collect your money, MMM is not an online business, HYIP, investment or MLM program. MMM is a community where people help each other”. However, it warns that; “Please note that the use of the words 30% a month cannot be considered as a yield or interest rate since the funds were given away, we are not earning anything anywhere (we are a mutual-aid fund), and nobody promises or guarantees to pay it!” 

READ MORE HERE

Uber, SpaceX, PepsiCo CEO’s join Trump Strategic forum

 (New York, NY) – President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced that three additional members will join the President’s Strategic and Policy Forum: Travis Kalanick, CEO and Co-founder of Uber Technologies; Elon Musk, Chairman and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla; and Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo.

Members of the Forum will be charged with providing their individual views to the President — informed by their unique vantage points in the private sector — on how government policy impacts economic growth, job creation and productivity. The Forum is designed to provide direct input to the President from many of the best and brightest in the business world in a frank, non-bureaucratic and non-partisan manner.

With today’s announcement of three additional members, the individuals on the Forum now include:

Stephen A. Schwarzman (Forum Chairman), Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Blackstone;

Paul Atkins, CEO, Patomak Global Partners, LLC, Former Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission;

Mary Barra, Chairman and CEO, General Motors;

Toby Cosgrove, CEO, Cleveland Clinic;

Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co;

Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO, BlackRock;

Travis Kalanick, CEO and Co-founder, Uber Technologies;

Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company;

Rich Lesser, President and CEO, Boston Consulting Group;

Doug McMillon, President and CEO, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.;

Jim McNerney, Former Chairman, President, and CEO, Boeing;

Elon Musk, Chairman and CEO, SpaceX and Tesla

Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo;

Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi, Chairman and Managing Partner, Global Infrastructure Partners;

Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President, and CEO, IBM;

Kevin Warsh, Shepard Family Distinguished Visiting Fellow in Economics, Hoover Institute, Former Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

Mark Weinberger, Global Chairman and CEO, EY;

Jack Welch, Former Chairman and CEO, General Electric;

Daniel Yergin, Pulitzer Prize-winner, Vice Chairman of IHS Markit.

source: Presidential Transition Team Communications Office

West visits Trump

Multi-millionaire and controversial rapper, Kanye West, visited President Elect Donald Trump at the Trump Plaza recently. Both men who consider themselves friends, discussed on Violence in Chicago, racial matters and others of mutual benefit. They later posed for photos.

Photo credit: TMZ, AFP, AP, Getty images

At least 160 feared dead in Akwa Ibom Church building collapse

At least 160 persons are reported dead while many more injured when an auditorium of the Reigners Bible Church International in Akwa Ibom State Nigeria, collapsed during the ordination ceremony of Pastor Alan Weeks as Bishop. As at press time, the death toll may have surpassed the 200 mark. His Excellency, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, was present at the church service during the incident and thereafter personally supervised rescue operations and evacuation of the injured to the hospital.

READ MORE HERE 

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria