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)
Nigerian Afrobeats star, Tiwa Savage, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at nurturing emerging African creatives, announcing the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and a landmark partnership that will bring the prestigious Berklee College of Music to Lagos for the first time.
The 46-year-old singer announced on her social media platform on Wednesday, declaring, “After years of building globally… It’s time to build at home.”
She introduced Tiwa Savage Music Foundation as “a new initiative dedicated to empowering emerging African creatives through access, mentorship and world-class music education,” adding that, “For the first time ever, Berklee comes to Lagos with the Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme empowering Africa’s next generation of talent.”
Berklee College of Music, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is the world’s largest independent college of contemporary music, renowned for its programmes in jazz, modern American music, and a broad range of genres including rock, hip hop, reggae and more.
In an interview with CNN, the “Ma Lo” singer explained that while Afrobeats has gained global prominence, the industry requires more structural support to remain sustainable.
“Afrobeats has captured the world’s attention, but attention alone is not enough to sustain an industry. Talent is universal — but access is not,” she said.
According to CNN, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation is designed to bridge that access gap.
Beyond supporting vocalists and performers, the foundation will also focus on producers, composers, sound engineers and music business professionals — areas Savage considers critical to building a durable creative economy across Africa.
The foundation’s first major project, tagged Berklee in Nigeria: Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme, will see Berklee faculty travel to Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026, to host a fully funded four-day training for 100 emerging Nigerian music creators.
The programme marks Berklee’s first-ever event in West Africa.
Savage underscored the impact of short, focused training, saying, “You’d be surprised how much you can learn in four days. It gives you a taste of what’s possible and exposes you to parts of music you may not even realise you’re drawn to.”
With the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and the forthcoming intensive programme in Lagos, the award-winning singer is now seeking to extend that same opportunity to the next generation — shifting from building global acclaim to building sustainable structures at home.
The Lagos State Police Command has commenced investigation into the death of two members of a film production crew whose lifeless bodies were found inside a parked vehicle at a movie set in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed that the incident occurred on Saturday at a filming location within the premises of Evercare Hospital, which was being used for a movie shoot in Lekki.
Police identified the victims as Ekemini Imeh, fondly called Gee Tee, and his colleague, Ayodeji Walter Odediran.
Reports said the two crew members arrived early at the location to install lighting equipment ahead of the day’s filming.
After completing their task, they reportedly went into a Nissan vehicle on the premises to rest.
A member of the production team was said to have later brought food to them in the vehicle.
However, as activities continued on the set, repeated attempts by colleagues to reach them by phone were unsuccessful. Their bodies were eventually found inside the car after filming ended for the day.
Adebisi said the case was first reported at the Maroko Police Station and subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department Panti for a detailed investigation.
The police spokesperson added that autopsy and toxicology examinations have been ordered to establish the cause of death.
The incident comes shortly after the death of gospel singer Matthew Ogundele and three members of his crew, who were found dead in a music studio in the Ajah area of Lagos.
Entertainment
Glo Fetes Subscribers with Lavish Discounts, Free Data, Others on Valentine Smartphone Promo
As February unfurls its tender blossoms and love lingers sweetly in the air, Globacom has unveiled a Valentine Smartphone Celebration designed to delight its subscribers with irresistible discounts and generous data rewards.
The seasonal offering, which commenced on 9 February and concludes on 16 February 2026, brings together elegance, innovation and exceptional value in one thoughtfully curated bouquet.
At the heart of the promotion are remarkable price reductions on a selection of premium Samsung devices, including the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G, Samsung Galaxy A36 5G, Samsung Galaxy A26 5G, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy A07.
Customers, who purchase any of these devices will receive a complimentary travel charger and protective pouch, alongside up to 18GB of bonus data spread over six months redeemable exclusively on the Glo network.
The celebration extends beyond Samsung. A range of attractively priced Tecno smartphones and selected Infinix models are also available, ensuring that customers may choose devices suited to their tastes, ambitions and budgets. Whether one seeks sleek sophistication, robust performance or cutting-edge features, the promotion offers something for every digital romantic.
Globacom describes the initiative as a reflection of its enduring commitment to customer centricity and digital empowerment. The carefully selected smartphones are renowned for their advanced technology, refined design and dependable functionality qualities that mirror the company’s aspiration to provide not merely connectivity, but meaningful connection.
The telecom giant enthuses, “Valentine’s season is about bringing people closer. There is no finer expression of that closeness than a smartphone that complements your lifestyle and aspirations. This promotion enables our customers to acquire their dream devices at some of the most competitive prices of the year, enhanced by generous data bonuses to keep conversations flowing.”
Indeed, in a season defined by affection and thoughtful gestures, Globacom’s offering stands as a modern love letter to its subscribers—an invitation to speak, share and stream without restraint. Customers are warmly encouraged to visit Gloworld outlets nationwide, to partake in the Valentine Smartphone Celebration, while stocks last.
