Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Gospel Movies: Cinema Exhibitors Seek Religious Communities’ Support for Viewership
The Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) has urged religious communities to give support to the cinema industry by viewing gospel movies at cinemas, thereby increasing revenue and viewership. CEAN’s National Chairman, Mr Patrick Lee, made the plea while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
According to Lee , religious movies when exhibited at cinemas, usually do not get the human traffic needed to boost their viewership. He said that gospel movies did not always generate much sales at cinemas as often recorded for romantic comedies.Lee said it was high time the religious communities began to give reasonable support and patronage to gospel movies, considering the morals embedded in them.
He noted that supporting the cinema industry would also translate to helping to boost job creation and promotion of sound moral values.He said: “We seek more support from the religious community over gospel movies. “We know there are lots of people who support such movies but need to come out to the cinamas when such movies are showing, so that the cinemas can generate good returns on their investment. “The reason we don’t often showcase gospel movies is because the religious community do not support their product, they don’t come out to watch and that is a challenge for us. “Over the years, we have released films that have moral background, specific to the church community and we expect the church community to support such movies but the reality is that they do not. “Religious movies don’t do well in cinemas.
Instead, people prefer to watch a Batman, Spiderman or a romantic comedy. “The challenge is that investing in such movies across the cinemas will make us run at loss because we don’t generate the needed traffic for those movies.” Lee said that a comedy could generate over N200million but for religious movies, cinemas would only struggle to generate N30million, which is not encouraging.
“This is surprising because we have some churches who use our halls for services but immediately they finish, they go home, they don’t watch any religious movie even after service. “It is a challenge for us in trying to get people to watch more of religious movies. “We want to show them but we have limited screens and we want to ensure that whatever we are pushing out fetches good returns in terms of sales,” he said. (NAN)
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Court Awards N125, 000 Cost against Odumodublvck
An Abuja High Court on Wednesday awarded N125, 000 against a rapper, Tochukwu Ojogwu, popularly known as “Odumodublvck”, for asking for adjournment.
Justice J.O.E. Adeyemi-Ajayi awarded the cost while adjourning the matter until Oct.
27 for cross-examination and defence.The claimant, Ogbogiri Okey Levi, popularly known as Kraziecent, instituted an assault and battery suit against Odumodublvck.
At the resumed hearing, the claimant’s counsel, Uchenna Ojembe, announced his appearance and told the court that the matter was slated for cross-examination and defence.
Ojembe said his witness was in court and ready to proceed.
The Defendant’s Counsel, Ikenna Magnus, however pleaded with the court to grant him another date to enable him prepare for cross-examination and defence.
Magnus told the court that he was just coming into the matter and needed a little time to put his house in order.
Ojembe opposed the application and told the court that it was the usual delay tactic by the defence to obstruct and stall proceedings.
“This is the usual delay tactic to obstruct and stall proceedings. We will not be applying to keep them out, but we will be applying for N5 million cost,” Ojembe said.
However, the defence counsel again begged the court for leniency.
In her ruling, Justice J.O E. Adeyemi-Ajayi awarded a cost of N125, 000 against the Odumodublvck for delaying proceedings
She adjourned the matter until Oct. 27 and Oct. 29 for cross-examination and defence.
The News Agency Nigeria recalls that “Kraziecent” alleged that Odumodublvck assaulted him at a public event in December 2024, damaged his iPhone 15 Pro Max and caused him emotional distress.
He is seeking payment of medical expenses, a public apology via the defendant’s social media platforms and two national dailies, or N2 billion in damages.
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Hunger Changed My Mind, Timini Egbuson on Embracing YouTube movies
Nollywood actor Timini Egbuson has reflected on his changing perception of YouTube movies, joking that he might have struggled financially had he continued to look down on productions made for the video-sharing platform.
Egbuson shared the thought in a post on X Tuesday night, writing, and “Can’t believe I was looking down on YouTube movies at some point.
Hunger go don kpai me by now. ”His remark highlights the growing commercial appeal of YouTube movies in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, where actors and filmmakers are increasingly using the platform to reach audiences and generate revenue from their productions.
Egbuson, who has now featured in YouTube movie productions, has embraced the growing market, adding to his work across Nollywood’s film and streaming landscape.
Many Nollywood actors have long prioritised cinema movies, often seeing them as more prestigious and commercially rewarding than YouTube productions. As a result, some overlook online films, despite their growing audiences and earning potential.
However, the success of YouTube movies is gradually changing perceptions within the industry.
Reports show that Nigerian filmmakers were increasingly turning to YouTube amid the pullback by global streaming companies, with the platform offering easier access to audiences and fewer barriers to distribution.
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
BBNaija Season 11: Keivo Becomes Second Housemate to be Disqualified
Keivo has become the second Big Brother Naija housemate to be disqualified from Season 11.
This follows his physical altercation with fellow housemate, Tram.
The fight broke out after Tram accused Keivo of taking one of his shirts.
Keivo did not take the allegation of theft lightly, and the situation eventually became violent.
It took the intervention of other housemates to calm both men down.
On Tuesday, Biggie sent ninjas to escort Keivo out of the house through the storeroom.
Biggie eventually gathered the remaining contestants and confirmed Keivo’s disqualification.
Nomy was the first housemate to be disqualified due to repeated defiance and refusal to wear an assigned punishment outfit.


