A RAPED NATION

                                                                           BY DAMILOLA TOWOBOLA

A solicitous new day

Born with the unfolding of a new sun

365 days of the last calendar had become history

She was merrily popping the champagne

And radiating with fun

Flash! The television set began to talk

She was struck by a greek gift

A despairing spear on a new year eve

Wines devastatingly went savoury

Her chickens began to fertilize with maggots

She became disillusionised

Cried foul and gnashed teeths

Damilola Towobola a.k.a Spaiz

Alas, racing to the streets

Carrying placards like billboards

To show her discontents

Her fruits fell by the bullets

And some out of shock

Houses razed down in the inferno

And her children beaten with clubs

Yet her kins-folk remained in dark sun glasses

On the acclaimed settlement table

Her kins-folk exercised veto power

And diabolically raped her by due process

Her subsidy was removed

Daylight embarrassment

She threatened to strike

But they struck her back

They sucked her excess account

And squeezed her lovely economy

Her wailing was in vain

                                                                                                                                  

What a shame to D.E.M.O.C.R.A.C.Y !

They deregulated her downstream sector

That was oily

She couldn’t say anything

But cried because they slapped her with 97 naira.

We stand as a witness to the rape of the masses.                                             

Naira G and Mc BornBlakky

 

                 My Encounter with Muzik Africa – Mc BornBlakky

Comedy just like music is the Medicine for a broken heart. Towobola Damilola of Spaiztainment caught up with Mc BornBlakky at an event recently where the Abia State born Laugh merchant almost ripped off people's ribs. Enjoy the excerpt



When did you gain the Fame as a Comedian?

The fame as a comedian, I think came in 2007 when I started comedy but I have been acting since I was 12 years old and I have appeared in three home videos, one is “Destiny Child”. Actually, from acting I got into the comedy industry and have become a strong foothold. I have been to a lot of events both in Nigeria and outside our shores but the listed ones are over 38. 

What would you say of other Comedians that copy other people’s jokes ...So what determines the kind of jokes you make?

Mc  BornBlakky

I think is just familiar with all comedians but it depends on the way you copy jokes. A.Y could just come up with a comedy while another comedian would do that same comedy in a brand new style. For me, I tend to use what I see, things in front of me and my past experiences so that determines the kind of jokes I crack.(Break)... Have you ever copied people's jokes?...hmmm, No.

Who are your top five Comedians?

Laughs)...my top five comedians in the industry, my fifth position goes to, I Go Die then Buchi, Emeka Smith, Teju Baby Face and the undisputed A.Y is my number one on the count down.

What should we expect from your show tagged “NAIJA @ 51 with DURELA, BORNBLAKKY AND NAIRA G”?

I want you to expect a lot, get ready to see Bornblakky in a brand new style, expect to see me in the craziest swags and on stage expect to see me funky. A host of artiste Durella, Naira G, Sabi, danny Young, Oluwacoded, De.on, T. Black, Dhammy D1 and many more would be on stage on Oct 2nd at Lion Gate Hotel, Sabo so expect the very best from the event. There would be a lot of paparazzo’s also on the red carpet. We are actually staging the event to celebrate Nigeria @ 51 with our fans and loved ones out there.

What makes you outstanding among your colleagues?

You know there is something in you that I don't have and there is something in me that you don't have that is life for you. God makes us special with one gift so I believe this distinguishes me amongst my colleagues. I have that special gift that makes me the best.

Tell you Fans the nasty stuffs you have done?

Hush, I was at an event at Easter tagged “Easter fiesta swag” near E-center. At the event, Muzik Africa picked me up on the red carpet and was questioning me. They asked me one particular question “How many years have into entertainment?” and I was like 15 years. The V.J shouted 15 years! Then, he asked his camera man to cut-it off. The question was asked again and I repeated vehemently “15 years”, he exclaimed again and followed up with a question asking where have I been? I responded by saying I was just coming now but I know I would get there. The next time Muzik Africa saw me at a function, they refused to interview me.

 One last word to your Fans out there

My Fans out there, I love you all and I want you to keep supporting me, keep believing in me and don’t be like Muzik Africa that left me because of my expensive jokes on camera. I love you all.

“There Is More to Every TV Commercial On Air”- C.E.O Brand World Media, Clara Okoro Opens Up.

she might not have those killer looks that make many hearts flutter whenever they adorn movie jackets and posters, not that she is blessed with the voice that gets you dancing and frenzy but Clara Okoro is one of the exceptional faces and voices that represent changes and who dares to be different . Apart from pioneering initiatives, the fair-complexioned media practitioner- turned most- sought after, rose to the top with her Brand World TV show, Nigeria’s leading brand oriented programme that deals with branding and also research.

In this interesting chat with DAMILOLA TOWOBOLA, the C.E.O, as the brain and bold belle is fondly called opened up on her Initiative, ICE Magazine and other interesting issues. Enjoy the excerpts.

How did you get the concept of Brand World and now ICE magazine?

Brand world media came up as a need to fill the niche which most clients were looking for but didn’t know where to look. There is a lot happening around your brand apart from your 60 seconds commercials on Television and that’s what we came to fill up.

These also communicated in what we came up with as regards the publication of Ice Magazine. A lot of young people consume brands but people don’t really know there is a pattern which they attribute the way these people consume brand and if we fill up that gap and take the information back to the owners of the brand, it would help them in their planning and make for easier running of their project.

Have you always been in publishing and also if you were not a media practitioner, what would you have being?

I have always been in broadcasting, we just ventured into publishing. Anyway, if I was not a media practitioner, I would have been a teacher.

You seem to juggle so many roles. You are a Presenter likewise a Publisher, how do you cope?

It is not an easy task but for anyone who wants to achieve set dreams and objectives, you have to be ready to apply yourself twice as more as the other person does. So I must look at ways to fill up the roles and run it as a process which should be normal to me.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I am very impatient.

Do you have a role model?

I have so many role models, any hardworking individual who believes in enhancing humanity positively are my role models but the two that readily comes to mind are Ted Turner and Oprah Winfrey. Those two are rarely the people I think has achieved so many ground breaking ideas that turned around the world.

Which Nigerian do you admire, who you would like to meet, if you have not met already?

There are so many Nigerian I admire because to survive alone in this environment requires God’s tenacity so anybody who has worked and succeeded in an environment like this and build a brand from the scratch to what it is today has my utmost respect and that speaks for every C.E.O who is running an organization in this environment against all odds and are succeeding. Any Nigerian that falls into that capacity is my role model and I would love to meet them any day and anytime.

What pleasant memories would you say you have of being the boss of Brand World Media?

The fact that I have lived a fulfilled life up to this point; it was always my dream to be in a creative environment and these has afforded me so many opportunities to be at so many events that creatively inspired me.

The moment I cannot forget was when Virgin Atlantic and virgin Nigeria held their 5^th and 1^st year Anniversary in Nigeria and Richard Branson was in Nigeria, I got to speak him but the only regret I had was not being quick enough to look for a photographer to capture that moment in time. Those were moments that are unforgettable to me.

What are the Challenges you face in turning yourself into a brand in this industry?

The same other entrepreneurs like myself faces, getting clients to see things your way, being able to deliver with your turn around time intact, being able to satisfy your clients and customers and also being able to keep your processes running in terms of your bills, salaries, electricity bills and fueling the generator set.

As you get older, what are your constant thoughts?

How to provide myself long after retirement, my family and those that are immediately dependent on me, that why I am still using this period I still have a lot of energy to transform my ideas into sustainable income generating ideas and then it would provide employment for people, generate income to look after my family, myself and old age all the investment we have made should then take care of us.

We know you as a presenter, but can we get a fuller package?

I run a media company, we pre- produce a programme called Brand World TV show. We basically do other things for clients when it comes to the area of branding, they engage us and give us specific assignment and we carry that out on their behalf.

Ini Edo Acquires Multi million naira Edifice in Nigeria.

                                       Ini Edo Acquires Multi million naira Edifice in Nigeria.

Sultry actress, Ini Edo has demonstrated to the skeptics that the Nollywood industry is still a viable and rewarding business with the right approach and work ethic. And just like in Hollywood where celebrities live a comfortable and often times overly flamboyant lifestyle, the same can be found in Nollywood. With all the success that has come her way therefore, Ini felt it was time she enjoyed from her success with the acquisition of another mansion in the new estate area of Akwa-Ibom state, Nigeria.

The beautiful piece of edifice is reportedly worth over almost a million dollars. But the news of the acquisition isn’t all in isolation with rumors already swirling that it may have been purchased by the governor of the state as an appreciation to her support for his campaign and subsequent re-election.

The acquisition of property by any individual is the person’s absolute prerogative. It sometimes is of interest for the general public and fans who look up to celebrities and leaders alike, to speculate on how they conduct themselves and dispense such wealth. At certain times, it could be said of as wasteful, and at other times philanthropic.

        Our wives loves Swagger

                        -Artquake

They might not have won Grammies but the name Artquake is always a force to reckon with in the entertainment industry. Adex and Ice-k of the electrifying group in a chat with Spaiz Media's Editor, Towobola Damilola explained their sojourn into the highly competitive world of music and other interesting issues.

 You celebrated a decade on stage; did you expect you were going to grow so quickly when you started?

We just did what we knew how to do best within the decade. We equally had our ups and downs. The major thing that kept us going was the passion and the believe we had in what we were doing. As per growth, we have been very progressive. I would simply say we have never had a better yesterday, everything we have been doing have gotten better by the year.

 Tell us how the journey started and what has been keeping you guys together?

We started in school while doing our national diploma in kwara state polytechnic in 1995.  When we discovered that we both had individual talent that was significantly unique so we decided to come together to form a group then known as adx and icek, we subsequently performed at many of our schools shows, we quickly became the favourite of most organisers, we became local champions because any show adx and icek did rock in those days.
we moved to the polytechnic of Ibadan for our HND in 1998 and in 1999 we decided to go professional by recording our first single titled” abule lawa” the track which brought our attention to the CEO of corporate picture who signed us with a mouth watering record deal which enabled the release of our first album titled “never ending” which had tracks like shamagbadun, abule lawa and anycolor just to mention a few,
few years later we were signed to another record label know as littlefish which enabled the release of our 2nd album titled “shoe get size” in 2004 which tracks like everybody are u ready konkojabele and u chop my money in 2006. we left the record label to start up our own production outfit and record label called AQ multimedia and since then we have been in charge of all our works up till now
as a group what has been keeping us together is tolerance, respect for each other and the fact that we are just two of us because English men say two is company three is crowd

How have you been coping with your star status?

We have been used to stardom right from when we started as local champion in kwara poly so it’s been quite easy to deal with because we do not allow it get into our head, our stardom does not control us, and we control it.

Who actually is Artquake and what is the significance of your stage name?

Artquake means the exploitation of creative innovation we go extra mile to do creative things, the significance of this name is that anytime we perform on stage we create a huge and heavy presence.

With your marital status, now beaming "married”, hope it won't weight you down in terms of the swags?

We are both married and as far as we are concerned it does not change anything, in fact this is the time we concentrate the more on our career because we are not distracted by any female friend or fans knowing we are married.
We also have the swags intact the swags cannot change in fact it will even get better because our wives loves swagger ” no be small” and we always love to impress them, we no marry bush girls u know.

Let's talk about music, many are of the view that you are presently short of concept. What is your response to this?

I just think they are beefing our success because if anyone will stand up to say we are short of concepts, I wonder how we have been able to stay up this long in the industry, and many soldiers have fallen in battle. we started with so many people I won’t want to mention any names but if you cast your mind back from 1999 till now you can’t find anyone who has stayed as relevant and consistent as we have been over the years.

What is your driving force as far as music is concerned?
The drive is the passion we have for music and the fact that we make a lot of people happy; we put smiles on the faces of people. This makes us want to do more and more and more.

It seems new guys on the bloc are giving you old guys a run in the music industry?

(Amused)....new guys? We don’t see anyone as new or old we see all of them as colleagues because so many have meet us in this industry and also left while we are still here, though it’s not by our power its by the grace of god so they are not giving us a run because if they were “we for don run comot” instead most of them are looking up to us… so the truth is we are not affected in way with new influx of people into the industry all we would continually say is ‘welcome’

 How would you rate the music industry in Nigeria and Africa in general?
Nigeria music industry is about the first to reckon within the whole of Africa considering the achievements of the Nigerian artiste within the last 10 years all eyes is on Nigeria no doubt even the entire world will begin to feel the impact now because “Naija music” is the future of music in the entire world we are taking over gradually.

 What’s your take on piracy?
Until the federal government of Nigeria see the entertainment industry as an industry we would not see changes. They need to constitute laws that would positively affects musician and protect them over piracy. We really need the support of the federal government and join hands with them. 

  To whom do you owe your rise in the industry?

To God almighty and our diehard fans all over the world

  How many artiste do you have presently on your record label?
We have one artiste called Young Nate. You will be hearing from him pretty soon.

 Many have criticized contemporary artiste like you for having poor lyrical content, singing only about sex, booze, internet fraud and other less noble things. How would you react to this?
The lyrics we spill are what people see and do every day. That is why we sell more than the non contemporary artistes, you can’t argue that. However, Artquake don’t just sing about sex girls. we sing reality songs etc.

  What’s your best delicacy?
Local dished will do that, Amala, pounded yam all with Egusi and vegetable.

  What inspirational word do you have for aspiring music stars and the youths in general?

Believe in yourself and make sure you truly have talent before going into music, also try to sound like yourself don’t try to sound like Artquake be original.