HAVE YOU MET AFRICA? ASHISH J. THAKKAR, OMOTOLA JALADE-EKEINDE, JASON NJOKU LEAD EXCITING CAMPAIGN FOR THE FUTURE AFRICA AWARDS 2014‎ (LOOK)

The Central Working Committee for The Future Africa Awards & Summit(TFAAS) 2014 has today announced the media campaign for 2014.

The campaign is themed #ThisIsAfrica, and is led by five of Africa's brightest young leaders: actress and activist Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde (Nigeria); serial entrepreneur Ashish J.

Thakkar Uganda), iROKO founder Jason Njoku (Nigeria), water advocate Saran Kaba Jones (Liberia) and Red Media Africa co-founder Chude Jideonwo (Nigeria).

This follows the awards' successful engagements annually over the past nine years including the viral 'i am the future' and 'I represent Naija' campaigns.

The 2014 edition was launched last week during the World Economic Forum on Africa, and has also been expanded to The Future Africa Awards & Summit, a 2-day ideas-fest, where the continent's most influential leaders and institutions with portfolios on youth will gather to chart immediate action-points for expansion of jobs and opportunities, as well as good governance and citizen engagement.

Nominations end on 12 June, 2014 via the website thefutureafrica.com/awards/the-future-awards-africa-2014-nomination-form/ or via SMS on +234 802 2222 6712.

The Future Africa Awards & Summit 2014 is supported by Microsoft, the US Consulate and the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Official Media Partners are EbonyLife TV, AfricaMagic, Ventures Africa, Bloomberg TV Africa and Y!

Africa. Official Online Partners are MemeBurn, BellaNaija,NigeriaNewsDesk and Premium Times. The official bloggers for 2014 are

Omojuwa, Olorisupergal and Ameyaw. Cool FM is the host radio station. Channels Television is the host TV station.

For more information, visit @TFAAfrica on Twitter or the website www.thefutureafrica.com/awards. The official hashtags for 2014 are #ThisIsAfrica and #TFAAS2014.

About Red Media Africa

Red Media Africa is a PR & Communication firm under the parent company, RED. An innovative media company focused on Africa, RED's vision is to excite and empower an evolving generation through the media¹s limitless possibilities. Built across tools and platforms, its Communication Division holds Red Media, Red Marketing and Red Media-SME Support; and its Content Division holds the Y! brands, including Y! TV, Y! TV, Y! Magazine, YNaija.com, Teen Y! TeenYNaija.com, Y! 2015, YNaija2015.com

and the Y! Annual Black Ball/Y! 100Most Influential List. It also anchors a development firm, The Future Project Africa, which presents Africa¹s leading youth platform, The Future Awards Africa, and other projects including the Nigeria Symposium for Young & Emerging Leaders and The Future Enterprise Support Scheme.

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EBONYLIFE TV CEO MO ABUDU HOSTS BOLA ADESOLA, OMOBOLA JOHNSON, SOLA DAVID-BORHA, BETTY IRABOR, LANRE DA-SILVA AJAYI AND OTHER FEMALE BUSINESS LEADERS

EbonyLife TV in collaboration with the Tony Elumelu Foundation hosted female investors, entrepreneurs, chief executives and icons to the Invest Africa Meet and Greet on February 1, 2014 at the Wheat Baker Hotel Ikoyi, Lagos.

The gathering was a platform for discussion on investment opportunities that abound in the African continent and practical steps towards the growth and development of businesses in Africa.

Mo Abudu, chief executive officer of EbonyLife TV was the host. ““So we all already know that this is a continent that is blessed, and it's even more blessed to have the quality of female business and political leaders who have leaned in to drive growth and development. This meeting emphasies the imperative of investment, of expansion, of a systemic approach to expanding wealth and opportunities for the continent."

Guest present at the event include Onari Duke ( Former First Lady, Cross River ), Sola David-Borha, (GMD StanbicIBTC), Tony O. Elumelu (Chairman, Heirs Holding), Bola Adesola ( MD Standard Chartered Bank), Omobola Johnson (Honourable Minister of Communications Technology), Tonye Cole (ED, Sahara Group), publisher Betty Irabor, Elohor Aisien, Lanre DaSilva Ajayi, Omotola Jalade–Ekeinde, Robert Hersov, Ryszard Varisella, amongst others.

See photos.

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PHOTOS: OMOTOLA JOLADE EKEINDE, TOKE MAKINWA, OMAWUMI, TIMI DAKOLO AND OTHERS LEND THEIR VOICES AT GENVOICES TELETHON

100,000 Voices Telethon held at Koga studios, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos and was broadcast live on Channels TV, EbonyLife TV and Beat FM on 18, January, 2014 between 10am and 1pm.

 Celebrities arrived in their numbers to lend their voices to GenVoices; the project-driven platform harnessing the offline and online energy of young Nigerians for practical efforts towards nation building.

 In attendance were Omotola Jolade Ekeinde, Omawummi, Timi Dakolo, Mai Atafo, Eku Edewor, Mai Atafo, Toke Makinwa, Omoni Oboli, Kemi Lala Akindoju amongst others.

 See photos below  

About GenVoices 

Generational Voices (GenVoices) is a growing global movement of 18-40 year olds supported by a dynamic group of older mentors & contributors. It was conceived as a means to convert the online and offline energy of young Nigerians into practical efforts towards national development. It is clear that without positive participation in governance and policy, this generation will be availed little opportunity to make widespread and definitive impact - so we focus on birthing innovation, fostering dialogue, encouraging acts of service and driving change. GenVoices will raise, support, fund and inspire projects, platforms and individuals to deliver social, technological, economic and political (S.T.E.P) solutions to our country’s problems. With a humble sense of responsibility and maturity, we will guard the hopes of young Nigerians as we help to build this nation. For more information, visit www.genvoices.org or follow @genvoices on Twitter

 Click to enlarge image(s)

 

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FREE AFRICAN MOVIES - WHEN LOVE DIES | LOVER'S DAY

Mary is a Liberian refugee sent to live with a rich army Colonel. This man offers to make Mary his wealthy concubine. But Mary falls for Daniel, a soulful musician who blew her away one night at the club.

She secretly harbours him in the boys quarters of the house that the Colonel bought her but trouble beckons when the Colonel's supposed niece discovers Mary's secret.

This is a beautiful and profound love story.

LOVER'S DAY

It's on Valentine's Day; February 14th, DJ (Segun Arinze) paints the town "love" as group of people travelled on a public bus for diverse reasons and to different destinations, Love is in the air but danger looms, the unforeseen, the unprecedented, the scary: as they pick on board a mystery passenger on the high way; a serial killer.

This intriguing, suspense filled, movie will thrill you till the end credit rolls.

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BUZZ & EXCITEMENT AS THE FUTURE AWARDS SEASON 7 LAUNCHES IN LAGOS

The Central Working Committee of The Future Awards has announced the start of Season 7. The event will launch on Democracy Day, May 29 at an invite-only media and VIP event at The Coral Reef, Lagos. Referred to by the World Bank as “The Nobel Prize for Young Africans”, The Future Awards continues to remain the most influential and popular youth platform that identifies young people who have excelled at their work, celebrates their achievements, and showcases them as role models to inspire a generation of Africans to believe in themselves and the future of their countries.

“There is a reason why, when you Google for “Nigeria’s biggest youth event, The Future Awards is the result that turns up,” says the head of the CWC Ohimai Atafo. “Over the past seven years, we have taken seriously our mandate to inspire leadership and build enterprise and nothing excites us more than the experience of presenting the over 1000 Positive Role Models (especially outside of entertainment) to young Nigerians and Africans.

“Through the very success “I am the future”, “I represent Naija” and other campaigns, these awards have led the charge to restore faith in country amounst young people, fundamentally altered for good the way young Nigerians are viewed as leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs, become a launch-pad for change projects, businesses, ideas and collaborations across the country, gotten more young people involved in leadership and governance, and in pioneering the merging f pop culture with development and advocacy, has made it cool for young people to get involved in their country. We are excited to be on that journey again.”

At the event, the Committee will unveil the campaign for this season, the judges, the process, the categories, and the schedule of activities including the town hall meetings across the country’s six geo-political zones. There will also be an exclusive interactive session with organisers, winners and associates of the awards. The Future Awards 2012 will hold on August 26, 2012. More information on this year’s event can be found on www.facebook.com/TheFutureAwards. Official media partner is Y! (www.ynaija.com).



ABOUT THE FUTURE AWARDS

Referred to by the World bank as 'Nobel Prize for Young Africans”, The Future Awards continues to be the most influential and popular youth platform on the continent. It identifies young people who have excelled at their work, celebrates their achievements, and showcases them as role models to inspire a generation of Africans to believe in themselves and the future of their countries. With outreaches to Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa and having visited at least 24 states in Nigeria, The Future Awards has also been described by respected leaders as “Africa's biggest youth event” and in seven years, has produced 126 winners and over 1,000 nominees. Our mission is to inspire leadership and build enterprise.

To this end, The Future Awards has created authentic made-in-Nigeria superstars, outside of entertainment, fashion and the media. Winners include female farmer and face of youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria, Mosunmola Umoru; international author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, NASA scholar, Tosin Otitoju, founder of the Dustbin Estate Children’s Foundation Tolu Sangosanya, investor of the 1-second power change-over based in Ajegunle, Otejiri Oghoghorie, and the 2011 winner for Young Person of the Year, farm technology entrepreneur and Rolex Award winner, Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu. This is a critical mass of young people that are positioned as leaders and whose collective influence can change the leadership equation for an evolving nation.

The Future Awards, and its sister brand, The Future Project have thus become known and respected across the continent for being in the forefront of inspiring a new generation of leaders/leadership for Nigeria, working with the Africa Union, the US Government, the British Council, the Ministry of Youth Development, the Nigerian Presidency amongst other organisations.

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Kimberly Elise and Omotola Ekeinde talk Ties That Bind

The film, Ties That Bind, directed by Leila Djansi, and starring Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Ama K Abebrese, and Kimberly Elise opens in Nigeria on May 25. The film received six nominations at the African Movie Academy Awards (2012), and won the award for Best Screenplay. The film also won Best Diaspora Film (San Diego Black Film Festial), Official Selection to the American Film Institutes New African Films Festival, Official Selection to the Samsung International Womens Film Festival in India, Official Selection to the Pan African film Festival and 9 wins at Ghana movie awards, Ties That Bind is also one of the few independent films sporting a predominantly African Cast that has received major mainstream distribution in Hollywood. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, and Kimberly Elise have spoken with Herve Clemont (Celebville 360) about their characters in the movie.

Ties That Bind is a story of three women Adobea (Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde), Buki (Ama K Abebrese) and Theresa (Kimberly Elise). Though the three are from different backgrounds, they are bound together by the shared experience of losing a child. In a destined meeting in a small village in Kroboland, the women journey together to redemption, love, life and forgiveness as they renovate a dilapidated clinic for the villagers.

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Ghana’s Finest Ama K. Abebrese Storms Nigeria For AMAA

One of Ghana’s best hands as it concerns movies, Ama K. Abebrese is set to storm Nigeria for the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2012 in style. The award which aims to recognize and honor African movie practitioners who have distinguished themselves in their respective movie industries will hold in Nigeria.

The actress has been nominated for the Best Actress in a leading role alongside movie heavyweights like Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Uche Jombo, Yvonne Okoro, Rita Dominic, Millicent Makheido and Kudzai Sevenzo-Nyarai. Ama has been widely tipped to land this category as her recent works vividly speak for her perhaps, one of the reasons why she features only in high budget movies.

Ama K.  was in Nigeria last year among the Ghanaian contingent that went for AMAA; she won the award for the best actress in a leading role. Will she win it again this year? Time will tell.

She began her career at YCTV (Youth Culture Television) a charity training facility in West London as a youth where the highlights of her time there was when she interviewed Hollywood veteran, Harrison Ford and ‘Star Wars’ director George Lucas. As if that was not enough, the alumnus of St. Mary’s University College, Surrey moved on to co-host the youth entertainment programme ‘Pass da Mic’, a show in collaboration with BBC2, where guests interviewed  included the former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, rocker Mick Jagger, and football legend Kevin Keegan, whom she interviewed.

The screen idol according to her management team will be very active and more visible in Nollywood as she has seen the industry as a very viable and big platform for professionals to hit it big, an ambition the darling of Ghollywood is not taking with a pinch of salt.

This year’s AMAA is been powered by telecoms giant, Airtel and will feature musical performances from Tuface Idibia, Asa and Senegalese singer, Vivian with one of Hollywood’s finest actors, Jimmy Jean-Louis as the event’s host on the night. Morris Chestnut of The Brothers fame will lead other Hollywood acts to the event.

Speaking on this year’s AMAA, Ama K. Abebrese speaks of her expectations at the awards ‘’I expect it to be a very classy event with a lot of style and finesse, coming to Nigeria for awards like this is always special and I really look forward to enjoying myself, I hope to take the award home’’.

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ENCOMIUM CELEBRATES 15TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH WHITE GIG

Encomium weekly, Nigeria’s foremost magazine and awards company has announced plans o celebrate its 15th anniversary with their annual revelry of thanksgiving- The White Gig!

The Lagos- based publication says they are leaving no stones unturned in celebrating 15 years of absolute excellence

“We know that absolutely nothing guarantees success than standing firm and strong, we are aware that being lucky, preserving and long suffering, being smart and hard working count for a lot. But grace, the grace of God and your karma come into play when it concerns endeavors” Kunle Bakare publisher of Encomium says.

So on Sunday March 18, 2012 at The Haven in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, the annual White Gig will not only play host to achievers from all walks of life, but also kick off a series of events marking 15 years of excitement, adventure, achievements, hard work and God’s grace. Apart from the White gig, Bakare says other gigs on the card include The Green and White Groove, The Black and White Ball and an end of the year party. We’re told a special publication to commemorate the anniversary is also in the works.

Since its debut in 2007 The White Gig has become one of the most anticipated events in Nigeria’s social calendar. With celebrities and friends clad in gorgeous all white ensembles, the atmosphere is blindingly different, and of course there is enough to eat and drink “We can’t wait to pamper our guests” Bakare says. Encomium’s White gig has hosted many stars over the years, including Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Funke Akindele, Genevieve Nnaji, Omowunmi Akinnifesi, Julius Agwu, T.W.O, Princess, Sunny Neji, Dayo Adeneye and Keke Ogungbe

Others include Alariwo, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Stephanie Okereke, Zizi Cardow, Segun Arinze and Nikki Laoye. Tagged “Take the steps, walk the Talk”, the 6-hour event will kick off with an elaborate red carpet reception. The iconic DJ Jimmy JATT will guide guests through soft, smooth and at times wild music; and guests will have an opportunity to dance and prance from 4PM to 10PM.

In its fifth year, the White Gig started when Encomium marked her 10th Anniversary in 2007.
This year’s event is supported by Kiss Events, Jatt INC, Couture Cakes, BlackHouse Media, and Replica Digital. It will take place at The Haven from 4PM to 6PM on Sunday March 18, 2012.

Founded in May 1997, Encomium Weekly has gradually but steadily risen to become the the celebrity journal to beat and copy. The magazine captures the triumphs and travails of celebrities, from all walks of life – from music to movies, politics to big business, and those who dominate the social circuit. It has developed from being a purely black and white magazine with only color covers to one parading many pages of color.; and the most respected magazine in its category.

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