Entertainment
Nigerian Designers Feature on Glo-sponsored CNN African Voices
On this week’s Globacom-sponsored African Voices Changemakers on CNN, two Nigerian fashion icons, Dumebi Andrea Iyamah (brand name Andrea Iyamah) and Ruth Erikan James (brand name Veeke James), will feature as guests.
Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Andrea Iyamah is a fashion designer who is Canadian-Nigerian. Her fashion label, “Andrea Iyamah”, specializes in bridal, swimsuit, and ready-to-wear lines. She founded the company and serves as its CEO. Celebrities, including Michelle Obama, Kate Hudson, Gabrielle Union, Ciara, Issa Rae, and Genevieve Nnaji, have all donned her designs.
Iyamah, who was born on March 18, 1993, left her professional studies early at the age of 17 to start her fashion brand, Andrea Iyamah. The company is based in Toronto, and in 2017 it opened a flagship store in Lagos.
Bright colors and intricate patterns are hallmarks of current design, and Andrea Iyamah’s colorful swimwear combines African tradition with style.
Veekee James, on the other hand, learned how to sew when she was still a young child from her mother Esther James, who was also involved in fashion design.
In fact, it was her mother who gave her the inspiration to launch “Veekee James”, her own clothing line, in 2019. Over time, she established two fashion brands: “Shoprikan” for ladies and “Veekee James Man” for men. With her magnificent gowns, which are renowned for their flawless craftsmanship and red carpet appeal, Veekee James transforms bespoke couture.
On the weekly feature show, CNN’s Larry Madowo delves into the world of the two Nigerian designers who are revolutionizing international fashion.
This Saturday, the show will be on air on DSTV Channel 401 at 8.30 a.m.; a rerun will air at noon same day. There will be two reruns on Sunday, one at 4.30 a.m. and the other at 7 p.m.
Nollywood actor, Saidi Balogun has reunited with his estranged wife, Faithia Williams at the graduation ceremony of their son, Khalid Ayomide Balogun.
The couple, both Nollywood actors, who called it quits with their marriage a few years ago, had cause to come together, to celebrate their son’s achievement as he graduates from the University of Lagos with a first-class honours.
Trending videos and photos captured the couple in jolly mood posing for photographs and exchanging pleasantries with well wishers and friends.
Saidi and Faithia had a bitter separation, which prompted Saidi to caution his ex-wife to desist from using his name, Balogun.
African Voices Changemakers, the popular CNN International magazine programme will this weekend host one of Hollywood’s most celebrated African actors, Djimon Gaston Hounsou. The programme is sponsored by digital solutions provider, Globacom.
The star actor who was born in Benin Republic in April 1960, will be chatting with programme anchor, Larry Madowo on his inspiring journey and how he links the Black diaspora with its roots through the Djimon Hounsou Foundation which he launched in New York in 2019.
Hounsou became a thespian when he acted in the 1990 film titled Without You, I’m Nothing from which he has gained recognition for his outstanding roles in several other films including Amistad (1997); Gladiator (2000) and a French film titled Forces speciales (2011) among other great works. His talents have earned him the Golden Globe Award as Best Actor in Drama and the NAACP Image Award both in 1998 and for his role in Amistad. He also got the Academy Awards as Best Supporting Actor in 2004 as well as an Outstanding Performance Award for Blood Diamond in 2007.
His foundation has been at the forefront of empowering Africans through his philanthropic initiatives like Run Richmond 16.19. He has successfully bridged history, culture, and community in a mission to unite the African diaspora and honour African heritage.
African Voices Changemakers will be broadcast on Saturday at 8.30a.m. and will be repeated same day at noon. Further repeats will be broadcast on Sunday at 4.30a.m. and 7p.m.; Monday 4a.m. Repeat editions will come up in the same broadcast schedule next week from Saturday.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has postponed the announcement of this year’s Oscar nominations due to the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
Originally scheduled for Friday, January 17, the nominations will now be revealed on January 19.
Voting for the nearly 10,000 Academy members, which began on January 8, has also been extended by two days, now closing on Tuesday, January 14.
Among the celebrities affected by the fires are former Oscars host Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, James Woods, and Miles Teller, all of whom have lost their homes.
In a letter sent to members on Wednesday, Academy CEO Bill Kramer offered his condolences, saying, “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California.
“So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”
Wildfires sweeping through communities across Los Angeles County, which began around 5:45 pm on Wednesday, have damaged or destroyed over 2,000 homes, businesses, and other buildings, with at least five confirmed dead.
