Entertainment
Future Awards: Burna Boy Wins 2019 Young Person of the Year
Twenty-eight-year-old Nigerian rave of the moment in music and entertainment industry, Damini Ogulu, a.k.a Burna Boy, on Sunday emerged winner of the 2019 Young Person of the Year Future Awards.
The 2020 Grammy Award nominee got two awards as the Young Person of the Year and also the Prize for Music at the event held at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Other winners during the gala night are Future Prize for Agriculture that went to Uka Eje — founder of the Thrive Agric that has funded over 15, 000 farmers across Nigeria.
For the Future Award Prize for Media, Samuel Ajiboye clinched the gong as a young entrepreneur and a Country Manager, Alpha and Jam — a company that has presence in four African countries.
Mr. Israel Adesanya, Nigeria’s World Champions in the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial art, a kick boxer got the prize for Sport.
The Future Award for Education went to Olaseni Cole, who runs an empowerment programme aimed at preparing and equipping children with skills within the tech-space. The project has impacted over 3,000 children in Lagos and Ogun.
The Prize for Technology went to Zang Luka Bot, inventor of the Foot House, an interaction traditional mouse that allows people with upper limb disability to interface computer with their leg.
The Prize for Fashion went the way of Sandra Tuboboreni, CEO, TUBO, a multi-award winning global brand.
The Future Awards for Africa for Public Service got the way of Adetola Onayemi, an international lawyer, the head, Trade Remedies/Assistant Trade and investment in the Office of the Vice President.
The Future Award Prize for Arts went to Ken Nwadiogu, a multidisciplinary artist and contemporealist. He founded the fast growing Artland Contemporary Ltd.
The Future Award for Acting was won by Timini Egbuson, an actor in the MTV television series Shuga.
The Prize for Advocacy was won by 32-year-old Hamsat Lawal, who led a successful campaign in over 40 countries and specialises in practical issues related to climate change and others.
The Prize for Community Action was won by Isaac Success, founder, Dreams from the Slum, an empowerment initiative to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
The Prize for On Air Personality was won by Simi Drey Adejumo, a broadcaster with Beat FM.
The Prize for Film Making was won by Dare Olaitan for his efforts in the blockbuster film,Ojukokoro (Greed) and Knockout Blessing. He also clinched the 15th Africa Movie Academy Awards, AMAA.
The Future Award for Photography was won by Tolani Alli, the personal photographer to the Vice President. She has featured on BBC News, World Press and other international media houses.
The Award for Journalism was won by Shola Lawal, a freelance journalist covering social justice, development and creativity.
The Future Awards for Professional Service was won by Bukky Akomolafe, the Commercial Manager at Travelsstart, Africa’s largest online travel agency.
NAN reports that the Future Awards Africa has been termed the Nobel Prize for Young Africans and the most important youth awards by Forbes.
It is a set of prizes given annually to celebrate and accelerate innovation, creativity and enterprise among young Africans aged 18 to 31 and has produced over 150 winners and over 1,550 nominees since its first edition in 2006.
It is presented in conjunction with The Future Project, which has a mandate to build empowered citizens across Africa, through inclusive enterprise and active citizenship.
(NAN)
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in New Mexico along with their dog, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office told CNN. He was 95.
Their causes of death have not been confirmed, but foul play is not suspected, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila told CNN on Thursday morning.
Deputies responded to a welfare check request at the home around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday and found Hackman, Arakawa and a dog deceased, Womack-Avila said. An investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said. The gas company is assisting in the investigation, The Associated Press reported.
The welfare check was conducted after a neighbor called authorities, concerned about the couple’s well-being, CNN affiliate KOAT reported.
A search warrant shows that Hackman, his wife and their dog had been dead for some time, and the couple’s bodies were in different rooms when deputies found them during the wellness check, the AP reported.
Hackman was found dead Wednesday in a mudroom, and Arakawa was found dead in a bathroom next to a space heater. There was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the countertop near Arakawa, the AP reported.
Medical examiner’s reports with the final cause of death “generally take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to generate,” said Chris Ramirez, spokesperson for the New Mexico medical investigator’s office.
CNN has reached out to Hackman’s representatives.
The actor’s death comes just days before the Academy Awards on Sunday.
Hackman’s performances in such films as “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers,” “Unforgiven,” and “The Firm” elevated character roles to leading-man levels.
Hackman’s best roles were often of conflicted authority figures or surprisingly clever white-collar villains, such as the iconic, evil Lex Luthor in the “Superman” film series in the 1970s and ’80s. Many held a hint – sometimes more than a hint – of menace.
He won an Oscar for his portrayal in 1971’s “The French Connection” of New York cop Popeye Doyle, a detective who gets his man but at a high cost. His surveillance expert in 1974’s “The Conversation” is single-minded to the point of obsession, losing all perspective.
He won his second Oscar for his performance as Little Bill Daggett, the violent sheriff in Clint Eastwood’s 1992 film, “Unforgiven.”
Source: CNN
Nigerian music star, Patoranking, is guest this week on the Glo-sponsored African Voices, the magazine programme of the Cable News Network (CNN) International.
He will share the story of how he rose from the slums of Lagos to global fame to host of the programme, Larry Madowo.
The programme will equally host Ghanaian Derrick Cobinnah, who has been using his “Forces Help Africa” to turn round for good the fortunes of Ghanaian war veterans.
Patoranking, whose full name is Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie, hails from Onicha in Ebonyi State. He was born in Lagos on 27 May 1990. He is a Nigerian Afrobeats and reggae-dancehall singer and songwriter who starred out in life as a street musical performer.
He has won notable awards including Headies, Vodafone Ghana Music Awards as well as the MTV Africa Music Award in recognition of his hit albums including God Over Everything (2016), Wilmer (2019), Three (2020) and World Best which was released last year.
Patoranking has used his wealth and his position as a UNDP Regional goodwill ambassador to champion the cause of youth development in Nigeria.His counterpart, Derrick Cobinnah, has been employing his Forces Help Africa, a non-government organisation to render help and support to war veterans who are sick, injured, displaced or destitute.
The current edition of African Voices started airing on DSTV Channel 401 om Saturday, with repeats coming up on Sunday at 7p.m. and at 4 a.m. on Monday.
Entertainment
Behold the Prophetess: DJ Cuppy Foretells End of Singlehood in 2025 As Nigerians Offer Advice
Disc Jockey, DJ Cuppy, has prophesied that Valentine’s Day 2025 will be her last one as an unmarried woman.
The 32-year-old, in a post on X, expressed faith in God to help her get a husband.
“Happy #ValentinesDay to me! Manifesting that this is my last one unmarried… Lord, do your thing!” she wrote.
There have been diverse reactions to her post. While some professed love to her, others dished out unsolicited advice and even made recommendations for life partners.
Ogunniyi Taiwo (@tcarz45) wrote: “Baby come let me give you love unconditionally.”
Another X user “SanTa ExqCobar”≠ (@SanTaExqCobar) commented: “If na bad character make you never marry, change am. Happy Val.”
Mr Gibenny (@mrgibenny) suggested: “@uchecrypt is single @cuppymusic. @Crypto__hub is single @cuppymusic. Choose either of them, you won’t regret it.”
Mezie Abia (@MezieAbia) had this advice for Cuppy: “I hope you do realize that the Lord will not find husband for you? Go out there and make use of your woman skills to lure a man who will stick with you. We can’t have a good number of handsome and single men roaming the cities, and you’re always worrying and disturbing Lord to do His thing every damn year.
“Heaven helps those who help themselves, therefore, make a haste while the sun shines (sic).”
Olubunmi Aro (@bummiearo) wrote: “Don’t be under any pressure to marry please.”
Sulucious (@sulucious) asked Cuppy to marry him. “Let get married, na you they fine who get money,” he wrote.
DJ Cuppy announced her relationship with British boxer, Ryan Taylor, in December 2022.
After getting to know each other for 25 days, she disclosed that they got engaged.
However, after un-following one another on Instagram in July 2023, the couple gave rise to rumour that they were no longer together.
Cuppy later opened up about the failed relationship while recounting the setbacks in her life at an event.
Born as Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, DJ Cuppy is the daughter of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola.
