RMD's N250m mansion - public calls for answers not rhetorics

RMD: Unanswered questions

Ikeji: Bearer of bad news

Since the queen of Nigerian bloggers Linda Ikeji touched a nerve in our beloved Richard Mofe Damijo when she reported the shocking news of the actor-turned-politician's N250m mansion, the internet has been ablaze with commentators calling on the Nollywood icon for answers. I suspect that RMD totally discountenanced Ikeji's birthday wishes which she so craftily offered the smooth Nollywood star before dropping the

D'Banj hangs out with Genevieve Nnaji and crew of Tango with Me as Director cuts a new international version

Intent on stamping his imprint on the international movie scene, Nigerian Producer/Director Mahmood Ali-Balogun is now putting finishing touches to a new version of his new film "Tango With Me" starring one of Nollywood's most talented actresses Genevieve Nnaji. To achieve the highest specs, Director Ali-Balogun has enlisted the expertise of Dapo Oshiyemi Writer/Producer and Senior Executive at Talking Drum Entertainment a top London post production facility.

Mr Ali-Balogun explains “there is always scope to improve a film and give the audience a better cinematic experience, that’s why we have come to the UK as they have some of the best facilities and talent in the world in post production”. 

The first screening of this new version of the film will be for a select number of Sponsors and stakeholders at a central London location.

D'banj poses with Genevieve and some crew members

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EXCLUSIVE: Audio evidence - Charly Boy did confess to having a gay "personality"

I've just obtained this audio clip of an exclusive interview granted to Nigeriafilms.com by Ed Jatto - the journalist who was the source of the story alleging that Charly Boy had confessed to being gay. Jatto explains how the story came about and mention of the mysterious and ever elusive Illuminatti was even made. The controversial star subsequently sued the Mirror newspapers for libel after it carried Ed Jatto's story and refused to publish a retraction. However Ed Jatto himself - publisher of the Danfo Express - who first published the alleged "gay confession" has never been challenged by Charly Boy. Mysteries... Listen and judge for yourself and then feel free to post your comments and opinions.

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BET awards - Winners wait for trophies after posing with dummies

The Spy has gathered that winners at last week's BET awards did not take away their trophies. This is because what you saw them posing with on the night were only replicas that had to be left behind after the photocalls. This means that this year's joint winners of BET's Best International Act for Africa - Nigeria's Wizkid and Ghana's Sarkodie still have nothing to show in their display cabinets at home. Sources close to the organisers as well as a past winner confirmed the story explaining that they're allowed to pose with dummy copies and the genuine articles will be sent to them later after their names have been engraved on them. The Spy says - Why the fuss? Why don't they just do it like footballers who have an engraver right there to do the honours once the winners are known???? I hate suspense....

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Stephanie Henshaw's Facebook account hacked!!!

Stephanie Adie Henshaw

Its now being revealed that the Facebook account in the name of Stephanie Adie Henshaw that most media outlets including the Spy quoted in stories attributed to Reverend Okotie's estranged wife was fake and has since been taken off line. Another Facebook account, presumably the genuine one devoid of the middle name (Adie) is still live. Its worth noting that the dummy account - allegedly registered by a "sympathiser" on 27 June - three days after news of the divorce broke - did have a number of "Friends" including one that was prominent because its profile picture was that of another Henshaw sibling (a female) posing with Stephanie herself. And this particular Friend posted most of the sympathetic messages alongside those of our supposed Stephanie Henshaw. That's all I'm prepared to report at this time as nothing is quite as it seems at the moment so watch this space....

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Three Kenyan musicians charged with inciting hate

Three Kenyan musicians have been charged with hate speech under laws adopted following the country's post-election violence in 2008. 

Kamande wa Kioi, Muigai Wa Njoroge and John DeMathew appeared in a Nairobi court Wednesday to answer charges that their songs were intended to cause hatred and hostility between Kenya's Kikuyu and Luo ethnic groups.

The three men, all Kikuyus, denied the charges and were released on bail.

Last week, Kenya's National Cohesion and Integration Commission threatened to censor songs that "promote hate among ethnic lines" and singled out songs by each of the three musicians.

The commission was established in 2008 to promote harmony among Kenyans in hopes of preventing  outbreaks of ethnic violence.

Widespread violence after a disputed presidential election four years ago killed an estimated 1,300 Kenyans and displaced about 300,000 others.

Incumbent President Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu, and his challenger Raila Odinga, a Luo, both claimed victory in that poll.  An eventual power-sharing deal installed Odinga as prime minister.

If convicted, the musicians could be imprisoned for up to three years and face fines of about $12,000. 

Source: VOA

Njoroge

Kamande

DeMatthew

"I'm single and searching" - WizKid

BET award star Wizkid says he's single and searching. Wow! This must come as tickling news for millions of female admirers in Nigeria and abroad. The Nigerian teen idol told interviewer Ms Royalty of the Voice of Hope channel on the eve of the recent BET awards show that all he's looking for is for a girl to be herself and have a good heart. Watch...

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Oprah Winfrey's parents divorcing after struggling to pay mortgage

Oprah Winfrey with dad Vernon

The parents of Oprah Winfrey - one of the world's richest women - are having money worries which are now leading to a divorce. I know this is unbelievable but trust me, I'm not making it up, I spied it from a reliable source.... The talkshow host's 78-year-old father Vernon Winfrey who is a practicing barber by trade has reportedly filed for divorce saying

Shooting Stars and Eagles player Solomon Ojebode passes away

Late Ojebode

We're starting the day with some sad news being reported by NFC. It says seventies Nigerian football star and one time captain of the Shooting Stars Solom Ojebode has died after a long battle with lung cancer. He died yesterday Wednesday at the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State. Ojebode was captain of the Shooting Stars between 1974 and 1980 playing with contemporaries likes the Okalas when they brought the African Cup Winners trophy to Nigeria for the first time in 1976. He later played left full back for the Green Eagles and the re-named Super Eagles.

Rev Okotie is a player - says his baby mother

Love child: Tioluwani Okotie

Baby mama: Aderemi

The wind is now blowing and all is being revealed as we now hear that popstar-turned-politician stroke pastor Chris Okotie does have a child after all. A love child!!! Plus he is a player too. Well, don't quote me on that one because this is the alarming claim made by Aderemi Odutola - mother of Okotie's daughter Tioluwani Okotie aged nine. According to the Aristocrat magazine, Odutola - grand daughter of Ogbeni Oja of Ijebu Ode met Okotie in 1997 then married to Tina and almost married him but after two abortions preferred not to but decided to keep her third pregnancy for him. She tells the Atistocrat - "‘It dawned on me when I gave birth to our daughter that he was just a player. Ever since I gave birth to Tioluwani Okotie (our daughter), Reverend Chris has abandoned us in my family house in Opebi. It has not been easy at all taking care of our daughter all alone.” This surely can't be the end of the saga can it? I don't think so.

Don Jazzy makes it rain cash on Twitter

Its Don Jazzy again! It was like a lottery windfall for some people on Twitter today as the Mavin Records boss took his legendary social media marketing skills to another mind-blowing level when he distributed cash to fans via Twitter. One lucky recipient alone had the staggering sum of N100k transferred into his bank account within minutes of tweeting his request to the charitable Don who apparently subscribes to the Mother Theresa philosophy "If you can't help a hundred people, just help one". It is not known how much the former MoHits records supremo doled out in total but he certainly changed the lives of a few people. The question however is if the recipients were truly needy? No doubt such a magnanimous person as Don Jazzy does a lot for charity behind the scenes but is handing out cash to any smart tweetster (who could very well be a millionaire) a clever way to help the needy or is it more likely to impress the impressionable?

Stephanie Henshaw shocked over divorce from pastor Okotie

This is the gist I've just spied off the Facebook Wall of Stephanie Henshaw - the now ex-wife of flamboyant pastor Chris Okotie and I don't quite know what to make of it except to say that it seems the poor woman is as shocked as the rest of us about the sudden end of her four-year marriage. One can say she really didn't see it coming. Initial reports had it that he dumped her and within a day or two we heard he was going to wed a third wife in December. Again, that speculation was swiftly followed by another that it was Stephanie who dumped her husband as he was unable to father a child with her... What is it? If its not the childlessness issue could it be sheer randiness for which the former pop star is well known? What next...

Halle Berry to star in Nollywood movie - Obi Emelonye

Emelonye: Berry good idea

Berry: African Safari

Hollywood's multi-award winning actress Halle Berry has been cast in SAFARI the next film up the sleeves of Mirror Boy and Last Flight To Abuja Writer and Director Obi Emelonye. In an exclusive interview with internet channel Smart Monkey TV the British/Nigerian film maker disclosed that although still recovering from the Last Flight he was "pitching the SAFARI project to very well known Hollywood A-listers including Hale Berry", he said adding that "the script is already in transit to her and if she likes it, then I think we're on to something good." Rationalising the ambitious Nollywood/Hollywood crossover Emelonye said "I think we need somebody of her stature in a native African (Nigerian) film. They become a part of it and not overshadow and drown out what I call the quintessential African voice that has made Nollywood popular in spite of its qualitative problems." Emelonye told his interviewer that he operates under the philosophy of "a contender and not a champion because champions do easily get knocked out."

Nadia Buari and Michael Essien just friends?

Ghanaian cinema beauty Nadia Buari has laughed off speculations that she and her ex Michael Essien had rekindled their broken relationship. She told talk show host Jessica Opare-Saforo they're just good friends mocking about. "There was no kissing, it was just blown out of proportion." She said.  There was widespread talk on various media platforms that the Chelsea striker had scored again with his old flame after they were photographed smooching at a mutual friend's birthday bash nearly a fortnight ago. The Spy was also infected by the virus of speculation which has now been cleared even though we insist that their body language speaks volumes. Well, perhaps Essien hasn't scored this time... lets just call it a corner. Remember three corners make one goal (lol). 

Tax joke ruins BET awards for Beyonce as Lauryn Hill is dissed

For those of you who didn't know the BET awards took place last night and Wizkid with Sarkodie split the Best International (Africa) gong fifty-fifty. Congrats to them.... but then, a joke by comedian Mike Epps about Lauryn Hill's tax woes ruined the night for caring Beyonce. As you know, Hill pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges last week and faces up to three years in jail if convicted. During the show, boy band Mindless Behaviour jointly presented the award for Best R&B Artist with Comedian Mike Epps.  Epps suddenly broke into song and one of the Mindless boys then joked rather mindlessly too that "You sing bad like Lauryn Hill's tax accountant bad". Apparently Mrs Jay-Z didn't find it funny as it probably tickled her motherly instincts, so as the winner of the award, she made a point of thanking Hill in her acceptance speech and later whispered to A BET staff  "I just felt the diss was wrong". Check out the dissing action in this video.

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"I didn't say actresses sleep around" - scared Shan George does a U-turn!

When Shan George said that some married actresses in Nollywood  sleep around like dogs for cash, we knew there was going to be war. Now, signs of the Nollywood wives' cat fighting we warned about two weeks ago are beginning to show as the actress and producer has reportedly retracted her allegations. 

As I said in that report married actresses didn't like her remarks one bit and and so they started miaowing with their cat claws all out and challenged George to mention the names of those women she was accusing... It appears a lot of water has since gone under the bridge between

Big Brother evictee Hilda says "I don't want anybody to win that money"

OMG! Talk about haters... Evicted Big Brother Stargame contestant Hilda says she doesn't want any of the show's remaining contestants to win the prize money. The 28-year-old Tanzanian who was booted out last week after just a week in the house told Hi TV UK's Good Morning Africa that
she would have preferred to be the winner herself. When pressed by presenter Alicia Jali the saleswoman who confesses to being a freak for cleanness said everyone and anyone in the competition deserves that money but refused to put any name forward. Instead she stressed, "I would have wanted to take that money home, everybody would've chosen themselves. I wanted to take that money home". The SPY says haba, stop hating! That's selfish and unrealistic because its a game with a prize money up for grabs and somebody has to win it even if its not you.
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Pastor Okotie was dumped due to childlessness, says Tabloid

Following the recent divorce of funky pastor Chris Okotie and subsequent rumours that he planned to wed again come December, people are now speaking in tongues within and outside his ministry the Household of God. Whilst we thought all along that it was the bling-bling pastor that dumped his second wife for an upgrade, it gets even better or should I say spookier as a Nigerian tabloid the First Weekly is reporting this week that sources close to Okotie believe that his two marriages have crumbled due to childlessness. They are saying that Okotie's first marriage to a certain Tina which lasted for nearly seventeen years was fruitless but she went on to have a child with her next husband. On the other hand wife number two Stephanie Henshaw already had three children from two previous marriages before

Fuji star Sunny T dies mysteriously

Popular Nigerian fuji music star Sunny T has died in what have been described as mysterious circumstances. According to a report in NFC the death of the artist whose real name is Sunday Adesokan is nothing short of questionable because he had performed at an event on Friday and was in good shape when he went to bed on Saturday but this morning he suddenly started feeling and acting strangely. He was then rushed to the hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead. For those who may not be familiar with Sunny T, he was huge on the local fuji scene in the nineties. He was in his forties.
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