Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Censors Board Trains, Gives Grant to 100 Youths in Nasarawa State
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has conducted training for 100 youths, drawn from different Local Government in Nasarawa State, on ventures in the movie industry and provided them with start-up packs.
The youths,including young filmmakers, were trained by officials of the board and other stakeholders as ‘Community Ambassadors’ of the NFVCB against unclassified films and on key subjects towards a successful career in filmmaking at the event held on Monday at Canal Olympia Site in Mararaba.
The young ‘Ambassadors’, especially those in film business, were empowered with startup grants and certificates by the NFVCB at the end of the training.
Mr Adedayo Thomas, Executive Director of the board, said that the event tagged “ Revisiting the Fundamentals of Cinema Culture” is part of the board’s Media Literacy and Empowerment initiative for young thespians across Nigeria.
“In other to support the empowerment of youths in the Nasarawa state, in line with the youth friendly policies of the President Buhari led Federal Government, the National Film and Video Censors Board selected the state as a beneficiary of its ongoing capacity building on Film Classification and Censorship for youths in North Central.
“As the key regulator of the Nigerian motion picture industry, the board has decided to bring practical knowledge of how to be successful in the sector to these passionate youths.
“As part of the empowerment initiative, we have brought experts from the academia and seasoned practitioners in the industry, to train these selected 100 youths .
“They will be trained on the role of NFVCB as well as the job openings in the film and video sector, and empowerment packs to aid the new roles as Ambassadors of the Nigerian Film Industry is to be given to them,”he said.
Thomas described the training as timely, and a prelude to the opening of the ongoing construction of a 300-seater capacity Green Multipurpose Cinema by CanalOlympia in Mararaba.
He added that the cinema, when completed would create jobs for youths in the state and beyond,and that made the training more useful.
Mr Simon Minkowski,Vice President of Canal Olympia worldwide, said the cinema is designed to be a space for talent incubation and platform for emerging talents, and would be ready for operation in November this year.
In his speech, the Governor of the State, Engr Abdullahi Sule expressed appreciation to the NFVCB for bringing the training to the state.
The Governor, who was represented by Mr Kwanta Yakubu, his Senior Special Assistant on Youth Development and NGO, however urged the beneficiaries to make maximal use of the experience and resources they received from the programme.
“I commend the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) for this initiative aimed at sensitizing our youths and women on the imperative of film classification and censorship, including the various opportunities in the film and video sector which our youth could leverage to empower themselves for self-reliance and prosperity,”he said.
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Wizkid Headline US Summer Festivals
Nigerian music superstar, Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, is set to perform at the BlastFest and the Trillville summer festivals in the United States.
The Grammy-winning singer made the announcement in a post on his Instagram page.
Wizkid is slated to headline the BlastFest in Seattle on July 18 alongside DJ Mustard, Shensheea, Tyla and Pheelz.
The ‘Piece of My Heart’ crooner added that he will also perform at Trillville, also known as Tribeville Festival Deluxe,in Minneapolis on July 24.
Wizkid had earlier hinted to his teeming fans that he has several major US festival appearances scheduled for the summer and fall of 2026, especially those that celebrate global black music and culture.
The announcement has got fans buzzing across social media platforms, with many dubbing the season as “Starboy Month”.
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Singer Asake Announces ‘In God We Trust’ World Tour
Afrobeats sensation, Ahmed Ololade, aka Asake, is set to embark on a world tour ‘In God We Trust’, a global music roll with scheduled performances across venues in Europe and North America.
The singer made the announcement on his official social media platforms, where he unveiled performance dates and some of the world’s biggest music venues.
According to the ‘Lungu Boy’ crooner, the tour will begin with a gig at Afro Nation Portugal before moving to North America in August with performances in Chicago, Toronto, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Houston and Los Angeles.
He added that the tour will later continue in Europe with scheduled performances in Paris, London and other cities, with South African Amapiano artiste, Uncle Waffles, joining him on selected North American tour dates.
The tour follows the release of his fourth studio album, “M$NEY”, which dropped on May 1, marking his first project under his own label Giran Republic after leaving YBNL Nation.
The performances will feature songs from “M$NEY” alongside tracks from his previous albums, including Mr Money WithThe Vibe, Work of Art and Lungu Boy.
Asake gained prominence in 2022 after signing with Olamide’s YBNL Nation and releasing the hit single ‘Omo Ope’ and his debut EP ‘Ololade’.
His hit song ‘Amapiano’ was nominated for Best African Music Performance category at the 2024 Grammy Award, despite being sung mainly in Yoruba.
He has performed across Europe, the United Kingdom and North America since rising to prominence, with performances at the iconic London’s O2 Arena.
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Uche Ogbodo Breaks Silence, Confirms Marriage Crash after Eight Years
Nollywood star, Uche Ogbodo, has finally spoken up on her marriage to Bobby Maris, confirming that it has been dissolved.
The actress via her Instagram page addressed the controversy surrounding the union, stating that she has not committed a sin by ending the marriage.
Uche also tagged her husband ‘princesses, stressing that she is tired of being in the marriage.
”For person to tire for marriage now nah taboo because nah woman! Must it always be man must taya? My tayad is tayad! I’m tired of the princess wey dey marry me.
What is wrong with that? To be happy as a woman in marriage is by connection in this country! I no do again nah sin? Make nobody push me to the wall because I be rubber.
8 years of my life is not enough yet? Maybe I should give it 20 years or maybe 6feet under before the crown of thorns can fit me well”, she wrote.

