How Tecno Mobile turned Christmas to Blue for Nigerians

At last Christmas, it was fun for majority of Nigerians who sent e-Christmas gift cards to loved ones, courtesy of Tecno Mobile. For one thing, Tecno believes everyone deserves to share in the Yuletide no matter where they are, because Christmas can only be so much fun when there’s a gift for everyone.

“Most people believe that Santa should at least have a gift for everybody-I mean why else will he shoulder such a humongous gift bag? We, the Tecno digital

Ola Balogun replies Dele Momodu over Sophia,Davido issue

Davido and sophia issue is now assuming another dimension following a short response Ovation publisher, Dele Momodu gave to film maker,Ola Balogun.The statement was laced with sarcasm. Balogun has returned with another letter directed at Mr Momodu.

See the full content according to The Nation newspaper below

As the dust raised by the child ‘abduction’ saga involving hip- hop star,  David Adeleke, 

Nigerian women rock Tulle Lace this festive season

Tulle Lace has become one of the top fashion priorities among Nigerian women for sometime now.

Everywhere you go, you see Nigerian women adorning it in various designs at weddings, birthdays, burials and so on.

Tulle as pronounced as (Tool) is a light weight, very fine netting which is often starched. It is the made of various fibres including silk, nylon and rayon. Before now, Tulle was mostly used as veils, gowns, especially for weddings materials.

Trust Nigerians women with their creativity, in no time, Tulle soon joined the list of our favourite aso-ebi materials. We make it into iro and buba, skirts, then match it with different colours of gele and jwelleries. That is not to say Nigerian women in latest ankara designs are not looking superb.

The name Tulle originated from a city in the southern region of France. Tulle City is well known as a centre of Lace and silk in the 18th Century.

Ladies, mummies, grandma let me see you rock it.

Bishop Chris Kwakpovwe Set for Annual ‘Our Daily Manna’ World Anointing Service

Preparations are already in top gear ahead of this year’s annual World Anointing Night service organized by the wave-making and lives-changing daily devotional, “Our Daily Manna” in conjunction with  The Manna Prayer Mountain, an inter-denominational Ministry located at Orioke-Ogudu, Ojota in Lagos.

The programme seen by millions as AN ANNUAL YEAR STARTER will hold on Friday 29^th, January 2015 at the expansive Tafawa Balewa Square,

TONY ELUMELU ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME PORTAL OPENS FOR APPLICATIONS

  LAGOS, NIGERIA - January 1, 2016 - Budding entrepreneurs across Africa can now apply to join the second annual Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) for start-up businesses based in Africa.

The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme application portal opens for entries today, January 1, 2016 and will accept applications until Midnight WAT on March 1, 2016.  To apply, entrepreneurs must complete the online application form on the web portal here

Successful applicants who complete the programme will receive

AliBaba's Jack Ma buys South China Newspaper

 By Gistmaster,

E-commerce Billionaire,Jack  Ma is buying the South China Newspaper.It would be recalled that fellow ecommerce billionaire,Jeff Bezos of Amazon also bought Washington Post in 2013 for $250 Million.

Techcrunch wrote that Alibaba has jumped into the news business after the Chinese company confirmed on Friday that it has agreed to acquire the South China Morning Post (SCMP) following weeks of rumors. The Hong Kong-based newspaper and SCMP Group’s other assets, which includes local editions of Esquire and Elle, will cost Alibaba a little over HK$2 billion — around US$262 million — according to a regulatory filing.

Alibaba didn’t disclose the cost of the deal when

BUA is Killing Nigerian Economy-NSDC

The federal government has raised the alarm over continuous sabotage of its economic policies by local business conglomerate, BUA group.   The regulatory body charged by the federal government to see to the transformation of the sugar industry in the country from one dependent on massive importation to an integrated producer of the essential commodity, the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), which made the claim, said some companies especially BUA had flouted the terms and conditions for obtaining a three-year low tariffs for sugar importation into the country. 

The Executive Secretary of the council, Dr. Abdullatif Demola Busari, said in January 2013, that the federal government approved concessionary low tariffs of 5 per cent duty and 5 per cent levy for raw sugar imports for three companies including the BUA Group as against the 5 per cent duty and 70 per cent levy contained in the National Sugar Policy. 

The Executive Secretary said though the high tariffs for refined sugar import into the country was deliberately designed to discourage importation and encourage local production of sugar, the concession became necessary in order not to hike the local price of the commodity since the country has not achieved self-sufficiency in sugar production yet. 

He noted Nigeria still depended on sugar importation to meet 90 per cent of local consumption, which led to the plea by stakeholders that if sugar is to be imported at that high tariff, the cost of sugar will be prohibitive. The concession was then given to Dangote Group, BUA Group and Golden Sugar companies all of who had signed a Backward Integration Programme (BIP) commitment with the federal government in which the money saved from the concession will be invested in their cane sugar farms and integrated sugar processing. 

This move was expected to slowly lead to the phasing out of the massive importation of sugar in the medium and long term and transforming the country into one that is self-sufficient in sugar production and consumption. Overall, the target is that by the year 2018, the three of them will be capable of integrated production of 700,000 metric tonnes of sugar sourced locally from their farms. 

The purpose of this plan of the federal government is obvious. By maintaining the status quo, the economic activities generated in the process of refining dirty brown-coloured raw sugar imported from Brazil and transforming it into white sugar crystals is only about 5 per cent of the gamut of farm jobs, out grower-farmers schemes, sugar cane suppliers and large numbers workers needed for fully integrated processing of sugar straight from sugar cane harvested locally from Nigerian farms. 

The extensive value chain created from fully integrated sugar production is therefore essential for the nation’s economic growth, while the little value addition of sugar refining currently being carried out does not do the economy much good. According to Busari, the NSDC chief executive: “One particular refiner, the BUA group, has not lived up to expectation. 

Just about three weeks ago, the Sugar Council had to apply a sanction. The sanction is simple. Recall the concession of 5 per cent levy, 5 per cent duty because you are expected to put the savings back to your BIP and we’ve been monitoring the BIP and nothing has happened in BUA’s investment.” Investigations revealed that the BUA Group’s BIP site in Kwara State has nothing to show for the three years the company enjoyed concessionary low tariffs for sugar imports. 

“By now, it supposed to have over 400 hectares of planted sugar cane in the site. It is supposed to have brought in its machineries by now. That is, by March 2015, it is supposed to have imported it’s machineries but nothing like that has happened,” Busari  said.  

Anderson & Lovette Otegbola To Perform At Gala Dinner Hosted By The Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

MTN Project Fame Season 8 runner-up, Anderson, has been tagged as the headlining artist performing at a Gala Dinner organized by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, as part of its 2015 French Week.

Also performing, will be MTN Project Fame Season 8 dance coach, Lovette Otegbola, who will be performing with her dancing group, Lovette's BITS Dance Company.

Parents donate Items to King’s College Lagos

In recognition of their primary role to ensure good and comfortable condition of learning for their wards, a group of parents under the name, ‘concerned parents’ of King College , Lagos recently donated some items to alleviate the challenges the students are facing in the school. The items donated include, a generator set, Fridge, steriliser for the school clinic among others.

   

L-R : Ralph Omeili, Adeyemi Aseperi, Chidi Okereke,  Otunba Dele Olapeju (Principal, Kings College, Lagos), Obisike Nwosu, Mrs. Funmi Oluyobi, (PTA Vice Chairperson , Kings College Lagos) and Tony Okenwa, all members of PTA, Kings College, Lagos at presentation of materials to the College by the group of ‘Concerned Parents’ recently :Photo Concerned Parents of KC

At the presentation which was made on behalf of the parents by Ralph Omeili, Adeyemi Aseperi, Chidi Okereke,  Obisike Nwosu  and Tony Okenwa to the school principal, Otunba Dele Olapeju and the PTA  Vice Chairperson,

Lagos Fashion and Design Week Founder Covers Mania Magazine Latest Issue

This edition celebrates the cover girl, Omoyemi Akerele as the Lagos Fashion and Design Week platform clocks five. In this spirit of this celebration, we also celebrate the creatives in the fashion industry who have work relentlessly, passionately and consistently.

We've also gone ahead to demystify the fashion industry for the non-fashion crowd. This edition reads like a beginner's manual for all interested and curious about the possibilities of this trillion-dollar industry.

Cover
Photographer:  Kelechi Amadi-Obi
Fashion Editor: Godson Ukaegbu
Makeup: Bimpe Onakoya
Hair: Mannix Idam
Dress: Nuraniya.

Beauty
Photographer:  Kelechi Amadi-Obi
Stylist: Godson Ukaegbu
Makeup: Bimpe Onakoya

Just Yesterday
Photographer:  Chukwudi Ademu
Fashion Editor: Godson Ukaegbu
Makeup: Bayo Haastrup
Hair: Mannix Idam
Models: Tomisin Ariyo, Doyin Haastrup, Warebi Martha, Lola Buttons, Oby Ezenduka, Fome Edumudo

Find X
Photographer: TY Bello.
Fashion Editor: Godson Ukaegbu.

Nollywood couple, Olu and Joke Jacobs celebrates 30 years wedding anniversary

Olu Jacobs and his beautiful actress wife, Joke Jacobs celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary recently with their sons. Here is what the message Joke wrote beneath the picture she posted on her instagram page.

And it has loaded..30 years ago on 16th November 1985 we said "I Do". It is a day of thanks To our Heavenly Father for all those who made those 30 years doable..my late mum and dad. Chief Afolabi Silva and Dr (Mrs) Abimbola Silva. They both tried to be fair...

GISTMASTER:GISTING WITH NAETO C

By Niyi Tabiti

Naeto C is unarguably one of the best rappers Nigeria ever produced. Despite his privileged background, Naeto said it has not affected the way he sees life. "I am focused on doing my own thing,creating legacy for myself in the entertainment industry"

  Naeto’s mum was a federal minister of Transport. She was later appointed minister of Aviation durning President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure. She was also Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland before coming back home to serve as National Woman leader of the People Democratic Party (PDP).

  

Just last week we set up a meeting on his forthcoming album.As usual,Naeto was punctual to the meeting point at Rhapsody,Ikeja City Mall.Time was 5 pm.

He was wearing this well tailored native attire.No piercing,no tattoo and no sagging.He knew what i meant when i said he is 'normal' unlike most hip hop artists who have pierced their ears,customised

Bishop (Dr.) Chris Kwakpovwe Celebrates Birthday with visitation to motherless babies home,provision of free medical services

The popular publisher of daily devotional booklet, Our Daily Manna, and general overseer of Manna Prayer Mountain, Bishop (Dr.) Chris Kwakpovwe is a year older on Sunday 15th November.

To celebrate and honour the Ughelli, Delta State born preacher, different activities like visitation to Motherless Babies homes, free medical services to the aged have been lined-up ahead of the ceremony billed to hold on Saturday November 21st at Our Daily Manna headquarters in Lagos.

Taxi Driver (Oko Ashewo) a movie starring Odunlade Adekola, Nigeria funniest actor comes to Cinema

The premiere of the much talked about movie, Taxi Driver (Oko Ashewo) held over the weekend at FilmHouse Cinema Apapa.

The movie which stars Femi Jacobs, Saka, Odunlade Adekola, Ijeoma Grace Agu and others has been generating a lot of excitement because it’s the first time the three will be acting together in a movie in a predominantly English language movie. 

Nollywood Star Monalisa Chinda to grace Obi Ikenchukwu Foundation Launch

Monalisa Chinda will be a star attraction at the 2015 Obi Ikenchukwu foundation launch in Lagos.A statement made available to Gistmaster by her media manager indicates full commitment of the actress against domestic violence.

One of the finest Nigerian screen gems, Monalisa Chinda will on Friday, November 20, 2015 grace the Debut Seminar of the Obi Ikenchukwu Foundation (OIF) at the upscale Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos by 10am.

Seyi Shay signs Pepsi Endorsement deal

Seyi Shay the new Pepsi Ambassador is here! Last night global beverage brand Pepsi announced on their instagram page that Seyi Shay will be joining their star studded line up of brand ambassadors in Nigeria, this makes her the face of one of the biggest beverage brands in the world.

Seyi Tinubu proposed to Longtime Girlfriend,Layal

   Seyi Tinubu, a lawyer and socialite son of former Lagos state governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu just 'dazed' many Lagos girls who have been looking forward to his marriage proposal.

 In his younger days,he was known to be a big spender in most high profile clubs. He was capable of shutting down any bar

Nollywood actress,Rita Dominic braids hairstyle to AFRIFF 2015

See what beautiful Nollywood actress, Rita Dominic wore to Africa  Film Festival taking lace in Lagos.Braids by Oluchi Onuigbo. Below is Rita with Married but Living single actress,Kiki Omeili. When it comes to paying attention to fashion and beauty detail,Rita is always up and doing.

 

Will CEO MTN Nigeria Resign?

 

Micheal Ikposki, MTN Nigeria MD

It is no longer news that Group MD/CEO of MTN,Sifiso Dabengwa resigned in his appointment with the telecom company in South Africa,following drop in share prices by 17.5 % and $5.2 Billion fine slammed in MTN Nigeria by government regulator.

Some people on social media said Ikpoki would

Nigeria Breweries honour media executives at Golden Pen Awards 2015

Nigeria's leading brewer, Nigerian Breweries Plc rewarded distinguished journalists at the 7^th edition of the Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Award on Friday October 30 2015 at Oriental hotel.

Anthony Akaeze, a Senior Assistant Editor with Tell magazine emerged the Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Reporter of the Year. Anthony’s work, “The ivory towers of rot”, an investigative piece on the infrastructural, social and moral