Entertainment

Eight candidates for the next UK city of culture announced

Armagh City, Bradford, County Durham and Stirling are among the eight places in the UK longlisted to become the next city of culture, after a record of 20 bids.

Cornwall, Derby, Southampton, and Wrexham County Borough are also in the running to host the year of cultural festivities in 2025, the culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, announced on Friday.

For the first time, those that are longlisted will be awarded grants of £40,000 to support the next stage of their applications. Entrants need to prove they can put culture “at the heart of their plans to recover from the impact of the pandemic”.

They will now work with a panel of experts and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to finalise their bids before the shortlist is announced.

“Winning the UK city of culture competition has a hugely positive impact on an area, driving investment, creating jobs, and highlighting that culture is for everyone, regardless of their background,” Dorries said. “This year’s focus is on levelling up access to culture across the country and making sure there is a legacy that continues for generations to come.”

The successful area will take on the baton from Coventry, which is the 2021 UK city of culture, with Hull and Derry having previously enjoyed the status in 2017 and 2013 respectively.

The competition, organised by DCMS in collaboration with the Offices for Scotland and Wales and the Northern Ireland Executive, uses culture as a tool for social and economic recovery.

Sir Phil Redmond, chair of the city of culture expert advisory panel, said the longlist demonstrated “the range and depth of cultural ambition across the whole of the UK”.

“Each is different. Each has its own story to tell. All share a common aim: to demonstrate how culture can act as the creative catalyst for change,” he added.

DCMS previously said Coventry had received more than £15.5m from the government to directly support its year of programmes. The city has also attracted another £100m in capital investment to support cultural projects such as the Herbert art gallery and museum, Coventry Cathedral and Belgrade theatre, among others.

Hull, during its 12-month tenure, had more than 5.3 million visits to more than 2,800 events, cultural activities, installations and exhibitions, and 75% of those who visited in 2017 said it had changed their perception of the city for the better.

Nine out of 10 people in Hull thought that city of culture status had had a positive impact and 90% of residents took part in at least one cultural activity, according to DCMS data.

The new winner will be announced in spring 2022.

Entertainment

I don’t know Bobrisky from Adam, never spoken to him – Falana reacts to audio clip released by VDM

Oil Theft: Falana Calls For Irabor’s Sack Over Destruction Of Vessel

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has denied having anything to do with popular crossdresser, Idris Okuneye known as Bobrisky and his alleged assistance to get him a presidential pardon while he served his term in Kirikiri prison.

Recall that social activist, Very Dark Man, a few days ago, released a purported audio conversation between Bobrisky and a man where the crossdresser claimed that singer, Falz reached out to him saying his father, Femi Falana, could help him secure a presidential pardon with 10 million naira, so his name would be cleared from criminal records.

Both father and son through their lawyers, demanded an immediate retraction of the said publication as well as an apology from VeryDarkMan to be published on all his platforms within 24 hours. However, VDM argued that he didn’t defame the Falanas but only brought the audio recording to light because he wanted relevant agencies to investigate statement allegedly made by Bobrisky.

However in an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, October 3, Falana denied ever meeting Bobrisky or speaking to him. He also mentioned that a civil proceeding will be initiated if a retraction and an apology suitable to him and his son is not received.

“Bobrisky never spoke to me, I have never met him, I do not know him from Adam. He was alleged to have spoken to my son Folarin (Falz). Yes, my son said this guy was appealing to people for assistance and called my son I think on May 4 this year – please can you give me N3 million to be placed in a special part of the prison, we call it the VIP section.

My son asked him, are you calling me under the authorization of the superintendent of prisons? He said no – please don’t call me again, I am unable to assist you to bribe the prison authorities and be very careful since you are already in prison for an offence.

Please if you are you are going to call me next time, you either do through the superintendent or you write a letter endorsed by the prison authorities and that was the last. Somebody now start releasing tapes somewhere and went out to lampoon and rather defame me by saying the guy has spoken to me.”

Falana says his family is going to embark on civil proceedings with a view to restoring his and his son, Falz’s name.

“In this case, we are not going to file a criminal complain. What we are going to do is to embark on a civil proceedings with a view to restoring our integrity, my own name and that of my son so that nobody will simply rush to the social media to defame any Nigerian.

“We want to make an example in this case . We have asked for a retraction and an apology rendered to us and that is not too much and if we don’t have a retraction, an apology rendered to us, accepted by us, we are certainly going initiate civil proceedings in the court”.

Entertainment

Queen Lateefah movie hits 57.7 million in opening weekend

Nollywood actress Wumi Toriola has expressed gratitude to her millions of fans following the impressive success of her debut cinema film, Queen Lateefah.

The movie, which premiered last weekend, grossed an astounding 57.7 million Naira in its opening weekend.

In an Instagram post, Toriola celebrated the achievement, noting that Queen Lateefah secured the highest Nollywood opening for a non-holiday weekend and also set a record as the biggest Nollywood opening weekend by an independent distributor.

Grateful beyond words,” she wrote. “Queen Lateefah just hit 57.7 million on its opening weekend! Thank you all for the love and support. Don’t miss out on this wonderful journey, grab your tickets now and join the adventure!”

The film’s success stirred excitement among Toriola’s colleagues, with many taking to her comment section to celebrate the achievement.

Actor Stan Nze commented, “Congratulations,” while Jamiu Azeez echoed the sentiment with “Yas.”

Nollywood stars like Mercy Aigbe, Joke Jigan, Kemi Korede, Mo Bimpe, and others also sent their best wishes, applauding her accomplishment

Entertainment

Actor, Yomi Fabiyi flees Nigeria after alleging threat to life over Mohbad’s case

Popular Nollywood actor, Yomi Fabiyi has jetted out of Nigeria after escaping an alleged assassination attempt.

The actor made this known after his absence at the late singer Mohbad’s Coroner court and failure to lead a planned protest to the Lagos State Assembly on Monday September 30 2024.

Fabiyi had scheduled a protest for September 30, coinciding with the resumption of the coroner investigating Mohbad’s death.

However, revealing reasons for his absence, the actor said that his life was under threat, as he just escaped assassination attempt two days ago.

In a now controversial video on his Instagram page, Fabiyi who is currently hiding, disclosed an alleged plot to waste his life over Mohbad’s case.

“I escaped assassination two days ago and they still planned to kill me tonight. If they had succeeded, I would have been buried tomorrow.

“They will now waste me all because I’m fighting for Justice. I didn’t collect money from anybody. I am just doing my own for God. I have to run for my life. I just left Nigeria unplanned and as it is now I don’t even know my destination,” he claimed.