Entertainment
GTCO Sets April 26 for Commencement of 2024 Food and Drink Festival
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc has announced the dates and venue for the 2024 GTCO Food and Drink Festival.
The announcement, which was contained in a statement on Wednesday, marked the beginning of the process to the seventh edition of the most anticipated culinary festival in Africa.
The event will hold from April 26 to 28, 2024 at GTCentre, Plot 1, Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos State.
The GTCO Food and Drink Festival is widely recognised as the continent’s biggest food and drink festival, bringing together millions of food lovers and entrepreneurs to celebrate the rich and diverse culinary heritage of Africa with a vibrant display of flavours, aromas, and cultures.
Over the three-day period, attendees can look forward to an array of culinary delights from traditional African dishes to innovative fusion cuisines from other parts of the world.
The festival will also feature live cooking demonstrations, tasting sessions, along with hundreds of food retailers showcasing a diverse range of mouth-watering offerings.
Commenting on the 2024 GTCO Food and Drink Festival, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Segun Agbaje, said: “We are delighted to bring to our customers, exhibitors, and food lovers from across Africa and beyond, another edition of an event that is a celebration of not just food, but of the rich tapestry of cultures and traditions that make African cuisine so unique.
“Our vision for curating this consumer-focused event is unchanging, particularly in light of the pressures that individuals and businesses are facing at this time.
“We hope to consistently create memorable moments for everyone, whilst providing a free, vibrant, and commercially viable platform for small food businesses in Nigeria to grow and thrive.”
In addition to its culinary offerings, the GTCO Food and Drink Festival is renowned for its family-friendly atmosphere.
This year, organisers have curated an extensive lineup of activities for children, ensuring that the festival is an unforgettable experience for the whole family.
A specially designed play area will keep the little ones entertained with games, interactive exhibits, and more.
As a new and exciting feature, the fair will introduce a children’s baking class, providing young aspiring chefs with a wonderful opportunity to discover the joys of baking, while also fostering creativity and confidence in the kitchen.
From decorating cupcakes to crafting their own signature treats, children will unleash their culinary genius and develop valuable cooking skills in a fun and supportive environment.
GTCO is a leading financial services group with banking operations in Nigeria, West Africa, East Africa and United Kingdom alongside new businesses in Payment, Funds Management and Pension Fund Administration.
The Group operates a diversified, proudly African franchise and is renowned for its innovative approach to customer service and stakeholder engagement, which has endeared the brand to millions of people across Africa and beyond.
Its leadership in the banking industry and efforts at empowering people and communities has earned it many prestigious awards over the years.
In 2023, GTCO’s Guaranty Trust Bank was recognised as Nigeria’s Best Bank and Best Bank in CSR at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, Best Banking Group in Nigeria by World Finance, and Best Bank in Nigeria by Global Finance.
Guaranty Trust Bank also featured in the Top 1000 Banks in the World and Top 100 Banks in Africa rankings by The Banker.
Mark your calendars and prepare your taste buds as we come together in celebration of authentic flavours at the 2024 Food and Drink Festival.
Attendance is FREE.For more information on the event, please visit: https://foodanddrink.gtcoplc.com.
The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria has voiced strong objection to ban imposed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s trending song, “Tell Your Papa.”
The IPMAN President, Pretty Okafor, emphasised that the ban was likely to backfire, as it only serves to amplify the song’s reach and relevance in light of the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigerians.
Okafor stated: “The first major mistake is banning the song because it’s going to make the song even go viral right now. Those who haven’t heard about the song or haven’t even listened to it will go now to look for the song and will start promoting it. The song has practically pinched the government somewhere, that’s why they ordered for the ban. So, there is already a mistake that has been made by the NBC or even the government by paying attention to that particular song.”
Discussing PMAN’s position on the matter, Okafor remarked, “We don’t have the power to offer the artiste support right now because it is a very sensitive issue, so, we need to be careful. We will just be watching because people are dying and the suffering is too much. How do we repair the economy? We cannot pretend that all is well. The song is telling us the truth, and there is nothing wrong with that song.”
The NBC barred Nigerian radio and television stations from airing the trending song, “Tell Your Papa,” by popular rapper Eedris Abdulkareem, citing its “objectionable nature.”
In a memo dated April 9, 2025, and issued by the Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Susan Obi, the commission declared the track “Not To Be Broadcast” under Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
This section prohibits content deemed inappropriate, offensive, or in breach of public decency from being aired on Nigerian broadcast platforms.
According to NBC, while the song had gained momentum across social media platforms, its lyrical content failed to meet the standards of responsible broadcasting.
The statement titled, “Restriction on broadcasting ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem,” reads, “The National Broadcasting Commission has identified the song ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem, currently trending on social media, as content deemed inappropriate for broadcast due to its objectionable nature.
” It is, therefore, classified as Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB), as it violates Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“The commission requests that your station exercises discretion and refrains from airing this song to maintain responsible broadcasting standards.”
The controversial song, released earlier this week, targets Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, calling on him to confront his father over the worsening socio-economic conditions in Nigeria.
In the track titled “Tell Your Papa,” which was shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Abdulkareem delivered a blunt message, painting a grim picture of the hardships facing everyday Nigerians.
The song comes in response to Seyi Tinubu’s recent comments in Adamawa State, where he described his father as “the greatest President in Nigeria’s history.”
In the hard-hitting lyrics, Abdulkareem raps, “Seyi, tell your papa country hard. Tell your papa people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga.”
“Seyi, how far? I swear your Papa no try. Too much empty promises. On behalf of Nigerians, take our message to him; kidnappers dey kill Nigerians.
“Seyi, try travel by road without your security, make you feel the pains of fellow Nigerians. You dey fly private jets, insecurity no be your problem.”
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, last Sunday sponsored the premier of Radio Voice, the much-anticipated movie produced by Richard Mofe-Damijo.
At the event held at the Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, Mofe-Damijo described the movie as “the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. It’s about the life of people on radio and their challenges and the things they have to go through; cyber bullying and the like, and succeeding against all odds. I don’t want to reveal everything about it; it’s a movie everyone needs to watch”.
Explaining why he is venturing into movie production, he explained, “It’s time when it’s time, you know. I’ve produced before but this is the first time in the new era, so to speak”.
Since launch in 2003, Globacom has carved a niche as the biggest corporate supporter of Nigeria’s entertainment industry. The company has signed on many musicians, actors and comedians as brand ambassadors, sponsored several entertainment reality shows including X Factor, Glo Naija Sings, Battle of the Year and Dance with Peter, and also hosted several music and comedy shows across Nigerian cities to avail talents in the industry the grace to their gifts.
Radio Voice is a motivational story of resilience, passion and transformation. It features notable Nollywood giants including Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), who equally produced the movie; Nse Ikpe Etim, Nancy Isime, Deyemi Okanlawon, Damilola Adegbite and Timini Egbuson.
Radio Voice has the support of the Office of the Vice President as it is meant to complement the Federal Government’s investment in the Creative Arts and Digital Transformation.
Afrobeat music singer, Davido, has announced that his Church wedding with Chioma will take place in August, 2025.
The singer disclosed this in a recent interview with The Breakfast Club.
He likened the upcoming event with the traditional marriage in Nigeria, which he said was a “Carnival”.
Davido said: “I’m doing my white wedding in Miami (USA) in August. The wedding I did was traditional; it was like a carnival in Nigeria, like a holiday. The whole world stood still. Me and my wife’s relationship was in the public eye, especially after I did that one song.
“So, a lot of things happened. Even apart from losing our child, I messed up a lot of times so that full circle moment everyone was like finally she can get what she deserves.”
