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
Badagry Int’l Film Festival holds Oct. 25, generates Three Thousand film entries – Organizers

The organizers of the Badagry International Film, Cultural and Sports Festival (BIFIF) on Wednesday said the maiden edition of the festival has been slated to hold from Oct. 25 to Oct. 28.
Mr Viyon Awhanse, Chief Executive Officer of BIFIF, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos said that the festival had so far generated over 3,000 film entries.
Awhanse noted that 30 of the films would be carefully selected for screening in the course of the festival.
He said the aim of organising the festival was to reposition Badagry and make it attractive for local and International tourists.
According to him, BIFIF has considered films projecting spirituality, celebrating sports, culture and promoting tourism.
“This is a long-term project which we started in 2015, I am from Badagry, a town immensely endowed but nothing is happening in terms of tourism.
“This is my way of ensuring Badagry gains more feasibility to attract tourists: using the audio visuals because we discovered it is the best way to educate people about the potential in the town; people do not read again.
“We will be screening 30 films, 10 for each day of the festival.
“To also make the town and its people come alive and have some sense of inclusiveness, there would be sporting activities around the beautiful coastal area of Badagry.
“We will have tourists engage in 10km race along the shores of the coastal line as well as boat regatta, volleyball and beach soccer,” he said.
Awhanse noted that over 5,000 tourists were expected from Brazil, Asia, East Africa and more nations across the globe.
He said in the course of the festival, the town’s culture would be projected in the area of its unique traditional worship, languages and historical monuments.
Also, Mawuyon Ogun, Director of Media, BIFIF, said the theme for the festival, “Once Upon A Time”,
was carefully chosen to educate tourists to begin to see Badagry as a safe and secure town with hospitable and friendly people.
According to her, renowned filmmaker, Segun Arinze, is the festival director,” she said.
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Mohbad: Naira Marley in our custody – Police

The Police in Lagos have confirmed that the Afrobeat musician, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley is currently in its custody in connection with the death of Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as MohBad.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, made this known on Tuesday night on his verified Twitter handle@BenHundeyin.
He said the Naira Marley was currently assisting with the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the 27-year-old singer.
“Naira Marley has been taken into custody for interrogation and other investigation activities,” Hundeyin said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohbad died on Sept.
12 and was buried on Sept. 13, but was exhumed on Sept 21 for autopsy.Many fans and celebrities in some states took to the streets in protests following the singer’s death.
They demanded that justice be done as they suspected that there was more to Mohbad’s death than met the eye.
Some called for the arrest of the music promoter, Balogun Eletu, aka ‘Sam Larry and Naira Marley over the multiple face-off with MohBad who parted ways with Marlian Records on a controversial note.
Sam Larry was arrested on Friday.
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Actress Mercy Aigbe Receives New Title From Muslim Community

Popular Nigerian actress and filmmaker, Mercy Aigbe Adeoti has been honoured with a new title from the Muslim community.
Mercy who converted to Islam following her marriage to filmmaker, Kazim Adeoti, was honoured with the title of Arowoshadinni by ABD Azeez Islamic Foundation.
Sharing the good news on her Instagram page, she wrote;
”Hajia Minnah Anulouwapo Mercy Adeoti ( Arowoshadinni ) ❤️😍
So henceforth kindly add Arowoshadinni to my name 😄❤️😄😍
Big Thank you to ABD AZEEZ ISLAMIC FOUNDATION for this honour! 🙏🙏🙏”