NEXT MOVIE STAR Becomes Africa’s Biggest TV Reality Show

With his experience in new media, Sola Fajobi, the CEO/MD of Digital Interactive Media, before now, he has been exposed to content management. GIST PLUS can reveal that hoping to revolutionise television, in 2003, he conceptualized the Next Movie Star. “When I created the Next Movie Star, it was basically meant to be a talent hunt project. Along the line, I realised that there was no way you could create a talent hunt show without adding entertainment value to it. That was when I decided to work in the direction of a reality show”, he told us. At the time he created the Next Movie Star, reality show was not the in-thing. Only Gulder Ultimate Search show was created before this hard-working dude launched the Next Movie Star in January 2005. The Next Movie Star became the second reality show that took place in Nigeria. Today, the show that was set to discover new talents for the movie industry because Fajobi noticed that Nollywood kept making use of the same faces. “There was a need to create a platform to steer in new talents and propel their rise to prominence. ‘Another thing is that we wanted to provide excitement for TV viewers so that the show would have a strong entertainment value while providing advertisers with opportunity to connect with their target market.’ To a large extent, the aims and objectives of these shows are achieved because anytime the Next Movie Star is on; people are excited to view it. Advertisers get value opportunities to connect to their target market and they get it at a good price. More importantly, more talents are discovered for Nollywood”. GIST PLUS have it on good authority that the 2005 Next Movie Star winner, Kingsley Ogboso got a brand new car, while Tonto Dike and Annie Macauley came second and third. In 2006, it was Portia Yamahan, while Kevin Chuwang Pam who later won Big Brother Africa came second. The third edition was won by Enoch Hammond, a Ghanaian. He was presented with the prize of a car in 2007. In 2008, Avenette Sirleaf from Liberia won the show while Oyindamola Odesola, a Nigerian, won that of 2009. Last year saw Akilo Ilami, a student from University of Jos, won the coveted prize and these people were duly rewarded with their prizes of car and cash. “These people were not only fished out, they were also groomed and a platform of continuity has been given to them so that they are not relegated to the background. For example, “Excite TV” which has been running for two years now and some other drama series, movies and programmes including “Groove on TV”, strictly a music/party and lifestyle programme”. Fajobi, further revealed that in spite of all these, what that has kept him going are that “The Next Movie Star” is driven by passion, point blank. No more, no less. The passion keeps driving the team to make sure that every year they come out with news things. “Don’t forget that this is the only reality show that has gone outside the shores of Nigeria. If people can’t be proud of that, but only spread rumours, they are failures”. We gathered that the 2011 season of the show has begun in earnest, as entry forms are currently on sale. They new things about this year’s edition is that there will be NMS Nigeria taking place in Nigeria for Nigerian contestants, NMS West Africa, in the Gambia for West African Contestants, NMS Southern Africa in Malawi and NMS East Africa in Kenya for the contestants from those regions.

EVANG. PAT AKPABIO Set To Launch Cable TV Network

She has been an evangelist, musical artiste, a motivational speaker, dancer, music organiser and director and also a chorister with Glory House World Outreach, Tucker - Georgia. In fact, she is multi talented. Evang. Pat Akpabio, is also a former Miss Culture Club 2001 -2002 and Miss Akwa Ibom, Atlanta 2002 -2006. GIST PLUS can reveal that Evang. Akpabio, who is the only Nigerian that has been inducted into the Grammy Recording Academy is about putting finishing touches to her forth coming album to be titled “I got Feelings” and to the launch of her Cable TV Network. Speaking recently in the luxurious swimming pool in her Uyo, Akwa Ibom state mansion, she told GIST PLUS on her decision to go into Gospel Music: “The creative energy and talent I have for making music is a gift from God; the voice, the ability to write music; the ability to connect. It's all a way of being closer to God. My music tells my story, reminiscent of the personal experiences in my life. I have found over my lifetime, that it's never as bad as it seems, so long as you believe in God”. This Georgia State University, Atlanta graduate and majored in Finance and has a special interest in Investment and Corporate Banking, but as an evangelist, she enjoys spreading of the gospel, giving inspirational talk and nurturing the weak. Her album “Right on Time” is an inspiration from God to reach out and touch lives. Evang. Akpabio emphasized that her inspiration is her husband, Prince Ibanga Akpabio, the younger brother to Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state, who she feels is more talented and social than she is, but he is a busy politician and current Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom state. She also hinted that contrary to the general thinking and rumours surrounding her musical career, she spoke on the issues of resting on her oars since her brother in-law is the Governor, saying, “that is the mentality problem of our people, especially pertaining to her life style as a gospel act, we serve a beautiful God Pat stated, so nothing should stop us (his children) from dressing flamboyantly, she added”.

Rejuvenated OSHADIPE TWINS Drags Oshiomhole To Album Launch

When Taiye and Kehinde Oshadipe, the sensational and dynamic set of identical twins popularly known as The Oshadipe Twins came out with the “Jesus Came To Africa” in 1999 and I Am The Child of Who I Am” in 2001. Not many really gave them a chance, but today, they have not only
stamped their authority in the music industry of Nigeria, but have gone a step further to rejuvenate to meet up with the present reality. GIST PLUS has it that their new album “Destiny Calling”, a ten-track album which consists of songs from different genres of music like; R n B, Rock, Juju, Hip-Hop among others, produced by Wole Oni, Jaysleek and Samclef, will be launched at the Grand Ball Room, Eko Hotel and Suites come July 17, 2011. GIST PLUS can reveal that the executive governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, will among the A-list dignitaries that will grace the occasion. Speaking with GIST PLUS during a media chat, the singing twins revealed that they are a gospel-contemporary/inspirational singer. About their rejuvenated album, they have this to say “we are trying to bring our present day experience into our new branding of music which talks about our life: how we left the music industry for school, then coming back into the industry again, hence the title of our new album “Destiny Calling”. GIST PLUS learnt that the Oshadipe Twins have performed on the same stage with notable artistes both local and international, such as Micheal Bolton, Angie Stone, King Sunny Ade, Eveng. Ebenezer Obey, Tope Alabi, Sammy Okposo, Lara George, and others, they have also performed in the presence of who’s who in Nigeria, among who are Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the former governor of Ogun State, Senator (Mrs.) Oluremi Tinubu, Liyel Imoke governor of Cross River State. They started singing from the church and were formerly called “The Angelic Voices”.

REGINA RAY Storms The Music Scene

The Nigerian music industry will soon witness the stuff Regina Ray is made off once her debut album hit the market. GIST PLUS can reveal that this pretty artiste who is fast penetrating into the heart of many music lovers, especially those that loves Hip-hop and inspirational music, is now making waves with her song “You De Break My Heart”. Speaking with us, this Edo State-born singer married to a French national, revealed that she has been into music for the past two and half years now. On why she ventured into music, she told us “I like good music and I always derives enjoy in singing”.

Right now, “You De Break My Heart” audio and video is making waves across major radio and television stations in Nigeria. The club DJ’s have never stopped making the song as one of their best in clubs to the delight of clubbers. On the message behind the song, Regina Ray revealed that “there are lots of heart breaks in the land nowadays, and I want people to know how to love, hence the song”. GIST PLUS gathered that this mother of one has recorded 11-tracker album which has “Juju” featuring Funky. The song where produced by Big Switch of Suge Entertainment in Port Harcourt. Some marketers that has listened to the songs are now fighting on how to exclusively market the yet to be titled album.

FACES AT LATE GT BANK'S MD BURIAL

GT Bank's MD, Tayo Aderinokun was buried on Friday July 1, 2011. The Church service was held at Ikoyi Baptist Church, Lagos. Here are some of the faces at the event.

SEGUN ILORI At Loggerheads with LUR Management Over Sex Scandal Story

Reports reaching us alleged that the Executive Director, Finance and Administration of Law Union and Rock Insurance, Segun Ilori is at the moment at loggerheads with the management of the insurance house since the news started making the rounds about the sexual scandal story involving him and the Senior Manager, Special Project of the insurance company, Charity Ogwugwa. GIST PLUS can reveal that there is a cold war at the Yaba, Lagos head office of the company, as Mr. Ilori is alleged to be accusing the management, led by Yinka Bolarinwa, who is the Managing Director/CEO, to be behind the media reports on the sex scandal. Our source revealed that Mr. Ilori is hinging his argument on the fact that the management is doing everything possible to bring him down since he is the next person to head the company at the expiration of Bolarinwa’s tenure. According to a press release by Fisayo Esan, the Solicitor to the Mr. Ilori, which is at our disposal, “investigations conducted revealed that there is more than meets the eye in the speculated reasons for the present scandalous allegations presently rocking top shot insurance guru at the Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc. The unpalatable controversial scandal story is confirmed to be peddled by detractors to unjustifiably embarrass and blackmail Mr. Olusegun Ilori”. GIST PLUS also has it that Mr. Ilori is confidently pointing accusing fingers at certain people within the company as those plotting his down fall, this accusation is alleged not have really gone down well with the management, hence the current cold war in the company. “Insiders are clearly suspicious of a wider alliance within the establishment of the Insurance Company as the likely root of the on-going witch-hunting of Mr. Ilori…. Information making the rounds within some factions in the establishment indicates that the unsubstantiated sex scandal is not unconnected with attempts to upstage him because of his rising profile among his contemporaries”, said the press release.