Aphroden.com // Ace Photo, Video and Media studios based in Lagos Nigeria

Tiwa Savage 3

Her fans will be uber-excited that the delectable songstress is back again on the Trek, but we can’t help feeling that Miss Savage might feel a little bit lonely as the she emerges the only female performer on Star Music Trek 2014.

From a look at this year’s line up, Tiwa is the only female artiste in the exciting 17 star line up which will tour Nigeria for three months bringing superstar musicians and hit-makers to semi urban cities across the country. The sensational singer was officially unveiled at the sign on party, which held at The Marquee, Federal Palace Hotel Victoria Island Lagos as one of the 17 select performers on 2014 The Trek. Last year’s Star Music Trek ladies Waje and Seyi Shay, are conspicuously missing on this year’s line up.

Tiwa will enjoy the company of her male colleagues 2face Idibia, Olamide, Dr SID, M.I, Naeto C and others. And who knows – maybe we’ll get to see some surprise female additions as The Trek goes on?

Confirmed Star Music Trek 2014 performers include 2face, Tiwa Savage, M.I, Olamide, Davido, Wizkid, Wande Coal, Sound Sultan, Pasuma, Mr Raw, Dr Sid,Naeto C, KCee, Sean Tizzle, Phyno and May D.

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hans dangerous

After the release of hit songs as Body and Sanko, Hans of Garvey Records releases the audio and video to his new banger Dangerous. Shot and directed in the beautiful country Malaysia, it pictures a fusion between the Arabian and Nigeria culture as Hans shows the Arabians how to dig it the African way. Hans is definitely a beauty to watch and as it is carving a niche for himself in the Nigeria music scene and beyond. Download and enjoy !

AUDIO DOWNLOAD LINK : http://hu.lk/ii76m7wifvnk

YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK : http://goo.gl/wWaoXV

VIDEO DOWNLOAD LINK : http://goo.gl/GTZ5h9

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MAMA 2014 logo 20.03.14

VIMN Africa’s flagship channel MTV Base has announced that the spectacular awards show and music celebration, MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) will hold this year. The announcement which was made today at a press conference in Durban South Africa by Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa, Alex Okosi along with the Head of Department of Economic Development & Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal Province, Desmond Golding, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard South Africa, Conor McQuaid and Channel Director, MTV Base, Tim Horwood who were in attendance.

Da Les with T-Pain at the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards

MTV Africa Music Awards 2014, which is sponsored by South Africa’s leading Tourist destination, KwaZulu-Natal Province and supported by Absolut, will hold at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban, South Africa on Saturday, 7 June 2014. Celebrating musicians and achievers who have made the most impact on African youth culture throughout the year, MAMA 2014 will feature dazzling performances from Nigerian artists along with other African and international artists. The awards will also include signature collaborations between artists of different genres and cultures, which will be the high point of every show.

Nigerian artist M.I. at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009 in Nairobi

Artists will be recognised in thirteen different award categories including Best Male, Best Female and Best New Act. This year, three new “lifestyle” awards will be added to the music categories, including the “MAMA Leadership Award” and “Personality of the Year”. A special award, “Transform Today by Absolut” will celebrate the power of young individuals to transform the image of Africa through their creativity and vision. The awards will be preceded by three stunning “Road to MAMA” events in Durban, South Africa, Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya, building up to the main show, featuring MAMA nominees alongside the most current local artists and DJs. The events will take place during April and May 2014.

Akon and fans at the 2009 MTV AFRICA MUSIC AWARDS

Commented Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks Africa, “We are thrilled that the MTV Africa Music Awards KwaZulu-Natal will be taking place in South Africa for the first time in its new evolution. KwaZulu-Natal Province is rich in both infrastructure and amazing sights, and we are excited that Durban will be the backdrop for showcasing Africa’s best talent to the world.” Commented Desmond Golding, Head of Department of Economic Development & Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal Province, “After the major success of the MTV Africa All Stars event in Durban last year we are delighted to welcome MTV Base and the MAMA awards to KwaZulu-Natal this June. KwaZulu-Natal including Durban is the premier home for major events in South Africa. Our success and reputation in staging these ground-breaking events has ensured that the contribution to economic growth and tourism stimulation continues to be ever on the rise.”

Conor McQuaid, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard South Africa, commented: “Each generation there are a handful of artists who leave a transformative mark, and the MTV Africa Music Awards most certainly celebrates those artists who are at the cutting-edge of the thriving music industry here on the African continent. As a brand Absolut has continuously pushed the boundaries of contemporary culture through creative collaborations with artists such as Andy Warhol, Spike Jonze and Swedish House Mafia. So we are thrilled to be associated with these awards that celebrate artists who define and transform the musical zeitgeist of Africa.” First staged in 2008, the MTV Africa Music Awards has recognised the talent of musicians from across sub-Saharan Africa, rewarding iconic artists such as 2Face Idibia, Big Nuz, HHP, P-Square, Liquideep, D’Banj, Lira, Nameless, Wahu, Fally Ipupa, Cabo Snoop, Zebra & Giraffe, and many more. The 2014 awards are open to all artists whose music videos have been accepted for airplay on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) or MTV (DStv Channel 130) during the qualifying period 20 March 2013 to 19 March 2014.

The 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards will premiere on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322), MTV (DStv Channel 130) and other partner channels around the continent in June 2014.

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Olamide (56)

Music authority MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) has named superstar rapper, Olamide as the channel’s Artist of the Month for March. Starting from the streets, Olamide came into the spotlight in 2010 with hits singles like…. he has since then wormed his way into the hearts of many Nigerians and is now a brand to reckon with. Olamide who was recently a co-host on MTV Base’ weekly music chart, Official Naija Top Ten with MTV VJ, Ehiz, will be featured on the channel throughout the month of March. To shine a spotlight on this sensational Nigerian artist, MTV Base has put the music video for Olamide’s “Turn Up” on high rotation.

“I’m so excited that MTV Base has decided to celebrate my work. It’s a big priviledge to be honoured by a huge platform like MTV and it can only get better.” Olamide said during his interview on “Spotlight on Olamide”. Also commenting on Olamide’s selection as MTV’s Artiste of The Month, Head, Marketing and Communications, Viacom Africa, Colette Otusheso says, “Olamide is a perfect choice for the much sought-after “Artist of the Month” slot in Nigeria. He’s already topped the MTV Base Original Naija Top 10 twice this year, and he’s enjoying heavy rotation on our channel. Olamide’s story represents the promise that the typical Nigerian artiste and youth hold and MTV Base is proud to be celebrating him this month” The channel is also focusing its lens on Olamide via a range of themed programming about the artist, to be broadcast across its pan-African TV footprint throughout the month of March. Olamide-themed programmes include Olamide: 54 Secons, Olamide: Top 5 Tips, “Spotlight on Olamide”, “My Mixtape & Videography: Olamide”, and “The Truth: Olamide” Olamide-themed programming will air every Thursday in March on MTV Base from 7PM.

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Nigeria’s biggest indigenous rapper, Olamide was hosted by number one music channel, MTV Base as the channel’s Artiste of the March.

The event, which kicked off at the MTV Office in Ikoyi had Olamide meet with senior editors, bloggers and fans The “Turn Up” hit-maker expressed his full appreciation on being selected as MTV’s Artiste of the month which is a really big deal for him. He says, “This shows that hard work pays. Looking at where I started from to where I am today, being celebrated by the biggest music channel in Africa. Never give up on your dreams or let anyone bring you down with words because the sky is not the limit… it’s just the starting point” The crew later moved to Quilox Lounge in Victoria Island where Olamide partied with the YBNL crew, friends, colleagues and fans. Notable faces at the party include Banky W, Dr Sid, MTV Base VJ, Ehiz, Do2un, Shina Peller, Ketchup, Dammy Krane, Moet Abebe, Adamz among many others.

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Dr Sid on Mtvbase(22)

Dr Sid is this week’s studio guest on MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 (ONTT) as he celebrates his number one hit “Surulere”, feat. Don Jazzy, kicking Burna Boy’s “Yawa Dey” off the number one spot to second place. The Mavin star, who co-hosts this week’s show with Ehiz, explains what the track, “Surulere” represents: dreaming big and never giving up on your dreams. He also shares his future plans for working on a collabo with fast rising act, Patoranking.

Dr Sid also shares hilarious behind-the-scenes scoop on female comedian, Helen Paul, who plays the wife in the “Surulere” video, getting the cast and crew rolling with laughter as she emotionally checks her pregnancy test and finds out it is negative. Dr Sid also shares his views on parenting, stressing the need for patience among parents who put pressure on young couples to bear children. Rounding out the show, Dr Sid performs a hilarious operatic rendition of this week’s number one video, “Surulere”.

“Girlie O” by Patoranking and “Aye” by Davido are this week’s biggest climbers – moving up 4 places and 3 places, respectively, to number 4 and number 7. Three new entries are shaking up this week’s chart: Ice Prince with “Jambo” at number 8; Wizkid’s “On Top Your Matter” at number 9; and “Parcel” by Phyno at number 10. Despite “Jaiye Jaiye” dropping out of this week’s chart, WizKid still has two songs in the top 10, as he is a featured artist on Jesse Jags’ “Bad Girl” at number 3. Other artists on this week’s chart include Seshi Shay and 2Face. The MTV Base Official Naija Top 10: 21-27 March 2014: 1. DR SID FT DON JAZZY - SURULERE 2. BURNA BOY - YAWA DEY 3. JESSE JAGS FEAT WIZKID - BAD GIRL 4. PATORANKING - GIRLIE O 5. 2FACE FT T PAIN - RAINBOW 6. SEYI SHAY - RAGGA RAGGA 7. DAVIDO - AYE 8. ICE PRINCE - JAMBO 9. WIZKID - ON TOP YOUR MATTER 10: PHYNO - PARCEL Every week, the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 is put together by an elite panel of judges comprising Nigerian broadcasters, music specialists and tastemakers, working with MTV Base to pick the winners and losers in the week's chart. On the panel are DJ Humility (Rhythm FM), DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Xclusive (Cool FM), Big Time (Rhythm FM), DJ Caise (The Beat FM), Toolz (The Beat FM) and Osagie Alonge (Nigerian Entertainment Today).

The MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 premieres on NTA every Friday night at 11:30 pm (WAT). The chart rundown can be seen on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) every Tuesday at 10 pm (WAT), on AIT on Tuesdays at 9.30 pm (WAT), and on STV on Thursdays at 6 pm (WAT). Next week's chart will be unveiled on Friday 28 March on NTA at 11:30 pm (WAT). To learn more about the MTV Base Official Naija Top Ten go to www.mtvbase.com, www.facebook.com/MTVBaseVerified or follow MTV Base on Twitter @MTVBaseAfrica, using the hashtag #OfficialNaijaChart.

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WOMAN-SMOKING

I have recently become obsessed with smoking/cigarettes. I go to bars just to watch people smoke, I watch their fingers and the way the cigarette stick sits comfortable between the index and middle fingers, I watch their mouths and how they wrap around the stick, holding it tight like an old friend, I watch their eyes and see their chests rise as they take in drag after drag, I see the smoke they exhale and I watch it disappear. Most fascinating of all to me is how the cigarette stick reduces in size so rapidly till all that is left is the angry red bottom. It makes me so excited, I dance on my seat like a kid that has seen and wants candy. It must feel so good, to sit down after a long day and smoke all the stress, pressure and disappointment of that day away. Just drag, breathe in, breathe out and do it all over again and again. I imagine the cigarette as the pressure and everything else wrong with one’s life and you drag on it and just breathe it away till it gets smaller and smaller then it is gone. I can totally see how it will bring relief, life has set me on fire so why can’t I set this little stick on fire and watch it burn? Maybe if I drag on it long enough, hard enough all my worries will get shorter like a cigarette stick and I would exhale them like the smoke and watch them disappear. Like who would not feel better after that?

And I wonder if this is how it starts. Nigerian mothers and teachers and in fact everybody else always make it seem like people start smoking or become alcoholics because of negative influence from friends. They make a big deal about staying away from bad gang and all of that. But what if this is all it takes? Just the right amount of pressure in the right places and I feel like I am going to explode inside me, and at this point in my life a cigarette feels like the best idea. How much more pressure before I start to think maybe cocaine is not so bad? Anything to take off the edge.

Dealing with my stress and pressure right is important. I try to tell myself that every day. I have enough vices as it is already. Love,

Serena.

P.S : I really do not know about those people that fail to put their phones on silent in class, then they act ll surprise when it rings out, usually playing one stupid song. Like ‘OMG is that mine? I had no idea it could ring so loud’. I usually just want to smack them. The only reason why I have not bought a pack and smoked it all in my room is because I have learnt over time that troubles are not permanent, they come and they go. When they come, it take more than the lit butt of a cigarette to make them go away.

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Banky W

The RnB singer and songwriter, Olubankole Wellington was born on March 27^th in the United States to Nigerian parents and moved back when he was 5 where he began singing in the church choir at 8. Bankole earned a degree in Engineering in New York and won music competitions back in school which shot him into the limelight. He later established the Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E) as a platform to get his music to his fans. In 2003, he released an EP “Undeniable” and then in 2005, he released his first album titled “Back in the Building”. 2008 saw him moving back to Nigeria and releasing “Mr Capable”. Apart from these two, he has two other albums to his credit - “The W Experience” (2009), “R&BW (2012) Banky W, who is termed “King of RnB”, has the following awards also

John Lennon Song Writing Award 2006, RnB category for ‘My Regret’
Best RnB Artiste, Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2006
Best Male RnB Artiste, Urban Independent Awards, USA 2006
Best International Album, Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2007 for ‘Mr Capable’
Best RnB Video, Nigerian Music Video Awards 2008 for ‘Don’t break my Heart’
Best Male Vocal Performance, Hip Hop World Awards (now Headies) 2009 for ‘Don’t break my Heart’
RnB single of the Year, Hip Hop World Awards (now Headies) 2010 for ‘Strong Thing’
Best RnB Singer (Male) and Best Music Video, City People Entertainment Awards, 2010.
Most Gifted RnB Video, Channel O Music Video Awards 2013 for ‘Yes/No’

FASHION STATEMENTS – Believe when we say Bankole’s fashion sense is pretty modest. He’s always at those top-notch events killing it and making sure he’s seen and heard. Unarguably, his signature look is a fedora hat or a nicely fitted cap. However, of recent, he has been spotted head open without the fedora or even the cap. Here are a few fashion statements Banky W has left and what we think about them.

These set of pictures are from his early childhood. He looked very much handsome, clearly there’s a source as seen in the second picture – his beautiful mum. There’s nothing extraordinary about the clothing here. Basic children outfit and all. You’re probably like “What happened to your hair, Banky” We are on the same boat my friend.
His post on Instagram reveals this was a throwback in his dormitory. Looking good as usual like some kind of Lloyd Banks or Omarion maybe? That shirt looks like a sweatshirt or it’s quite large. Pretty much decent stuff, you know.
Why do I think this shirt is large as well? This is pretty good if you’re considering fashion back then. Is he a chain wearing person? Kinda complements his outfit most of the time.
I’m so not comfortable with the peace sign in this picture. It reminds me of Vic-O’s album cover or something. He has a chain here (more like a rosary) and has his fedora hat on. Despite the way he looks, his smile stood out.
Yes Banky!!! This is dope. He’s seen here without the signature hat wearing this. 1000 cool points for this man
Looks like something for an album cover. I’m not so comfortable with this but I can’t pin-point something wrong. Hat is great, so is jacket and bow tie. Or maybe it’s the bow tie doing too much.
Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards 2013 and its Bankole Wellington storming in all black everything. The shades, the pants, the jacket, the suit is perfect. Case adjourned.
Mr Wellington is such a fine boy in native, don’t even go near that. Here, he’s at Tiwa Savage’s wedding with Iyanya in the traditional Lagos boys white and complementing it with a red cap. This is flawless.

So what do you think? Is Mr Wellington doing it right for you? Written By: Franklin Ugo

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deola-sagoe

Deola Sagoe is an haute couture (exclusive custom-fitted clothing) fashion designer from the Ondo State (Nigeria), who has steadily become an internationally accepted brand, with her lively and colourful designs of African fabrics, hand-woven materials, and contemporizing almost-lost traditional African techniques. Deola who began designing in 1998, is a graduate of both the University of Miami and University of Lagos, the latter where she obtained a Masters in Finance and Management,

A fashion visionary with a unique approach to her craft, Deola has had a singular aim and achievement, which according to her is to enable customers reveal their unique, albeit inexplicable characters through her designs – and this has endeared her to fans and followers all over the world – have seen her present a unique vision and attitude for the modern woman, who she describes as “The Deola Sagoe Woman”:

“… A woman, who has the mysterious and engaging complexity that is a gift to all women; one day she is dead serious the next she has the naughtiest sense of humour. One day she is all woman, the next she is ingénue (unsophisticated). She definitely enjoys standing out, she is not a worker bee, but finds it far more interesting when everyone has a different point of view and yet everyone can still get along. She is colourful – she uses colour to mirror her mood. She is vital – energetic – not the shy, retiring, type, but she also knows the appropriate time to hold her peace. I like the Deola Sagoe woman because she’s really like a contribution to life…”

Born to Business tycoon and Executive Chairman of Elizade Nig. Ltd, Chief Ade Ojo and late Chief (Mrs) Elizabeth Ojo, Deola has represented Nigeria at the United Nations World Food Program’s “Catwalk the World: Fashion for Food” in April, 2006. She has won the “Africa Designs” and the MNET/Anglo Gold African designs 2000 awards for which she was nominated by Andre Leon Tally, Fashion Magazine, US Vogue’s editor. She has exhibited her different collections at Cape Town Fashion Week, South Africa Fashion Week, ARISE, New York Fashion Week, and the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week (South Africa and New York). Her designs have earned her famous fans such as Oprah Winfrey, Hollywood heavy weight –Will Smith, singer/actress – Anika Noni Rose and Dawn Richards.

Deola, separated from her Ghanaian husband, Kofi Sagoe, she is mother to three daughters, Teni, Aba and Tiwa. – who have all followed their mother’s footsteps by launching their own fashion designer label called “CLAN”. As Teni, the eldest daughter and brewing lawyer, has taken over the running of her mother’s fashion business. Written By: Olusola Agbaje

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fashionsense

A plain white tee.

“He, who finds a good plain white tee, has found a good thing” (don’t quote me). Plain white tees are one of the most effortlessly hot items you can have in your closet. A plain white tee goes with everything and makes it all a lot better. Wear it tucked into your jeans with a blazer or loose-fitted with cut offs or with a high waist skirt; a plain white tee will give off an air of ease and comfort every time you wear it. Accessorize with chunky jewelry and a bold lip.

2. Black Leggings Dressed up with an oversized sweater and brogues or dressed down with billowy tops/dresses to run errands, a pair of black leggings is a wardrobe essential you cannot afford not to have. Tips - Get one in a thick fabric so you wouldn’t have to worry about transparency when you are wearing a top. - You can be fancier about it and go for leather.

3. Ballet Flats Not everyone can wear heels, such as women who are pregnant, or women with foot or back problems. Classic ballet flats from will work best and you can wear with almost anything as it is chicer than sneakers and more comfy than heels.

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4. Silk Cami. Camisoles are the perfect top for layering or wearing all by itself for a soft and sexy look. Make sure you have one in black and another in skin tone/nude to wear under blouses, sweaters, and blazers – to avoid over-exposure, or all by itself paired with dressy bottoms. Nothing gets more feminine and soft that the silky feeling of a camisole on your skin.

Sydne-Style-how-to-wear-a-silk-cami-different-ways-peach-coral-blouse-color-summer-outfit-ideas

5. Classic Pumps Buy a pair of great basic goes-with-everything classic pumps in either black or nude and watch yourself wear them to death.

6. A pair of butt-hugging jeans One can never go wrong with the perfect fit jeans. It can go from day to night with the right switch on accessories and make-up. Tips: - If you don’t get one in your perfect size, buy a bigger one, but make sure you wash and dry your jeans before any alterations. This will ensure that shrinkage is accounted for. - Turn your jeans inside out when washing to prevent fading.

7. A Little Black Dress There is one for every occasion! The LBD is also one of the most important staples ever. It is the "go to" dress for all occasions that can never go wrong. The LBD can be worn with a cardigan, a blazer, or by itself. Pair with simple jewelry or statement jewelry to swap from day to night - the black dress can go into any direction you want and need it to go. They can also be styled from worky day to girls’ night out. Just swap your equally important ballet flats for sky high pumps and you are good to go.

8. A Pencil Skirt Nothing says “I got my act together” than a perfect fit pencil skirt. For a formal look, wear with a dressy shirt or a camisole plus blazer. The pencil skirt can also be worn in a whimsical manner – pair a high waist midi pencil skirt with a crop top and boyish shoes for that unexpected stylish look.

9. Boyfriend Jeans For that perfect androgynous look, the boyfriend jeans will always lend a helping hand. Pair with boyish shoes or sky high pumps to suit your style; it can be versatile like that.

10. A Timeless bag Bags have a lot of functions asides being stylish… So it’s best to find a piece that can stand the test of time.

11. A fitted blazer A fitted blazer can change a casual outfit to a work/formal outfit. Also, it can be used to cover up sheer blouses and camis. Every style maven needs one.

12. The Perfect underwear You must be wondering why? Yes the perfect underwear will make you confident… Especially when they’re matching and they are comfortable. You will find yourself smiling at events and no one will know why… Unless you show them of course!

Written By: Joy Adegboye

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Blog-660-II

… Introduces “The VS Class” Show As Auditions Kick Off This Sunday! Nigeria’s leading urbane radio station, The Beat FM, has announced the kick off of a new hip hop show to discover and promote budding rappers in the Nigerian entertainment scene. Produced in partnership with premium cognac brand, Hennessy, the show will select the hottest rappers in town who will battle for bragging rights as the hottest rapper in Nigeria.

“The VS Class” which kicks off from April 10^th, addresses various Hip Hop conversations including Hennessy’s image as HipHop’s number one spirit as well as the celebration of hip hop, both in the local and international entertainment industries. Along with selecting the next MI or Jay Z among the rap contenders, the show will also feature some of Nigeria’s rap icons who have marked their names in the hearts of many. Veteran OAP and Programmes Director at the Beat FM, Olisa Adibua said, “The VS Class is the first of its kind in Nigeria. Apart from having conversations on the growth of Hip Hop in the Nigerian entertainment scene, we are also searching to promote young rappers by giving them a platform where they can develop their talents to the maximum. The hottest rapper from this competition is definitely in for a treat.” The show, which is sponsored by Hennessy will feature two episodes in 2014 and have guest judges including veteran rappers and DJs in the Nigerian music industry. The show will also honour rap icons in the Nigerian rap scene. These rappers will be placed on The VS Class Wall of Fame. Auditions will kick off on Sunday, March 30, 2014 and up and coming rappers can register now by sending “Hennessy” and their names to 39405. This qualifies you to take part in the auditions, which will hold at the Beat 99.9 studio, 27, Keffi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos. Since inception, Hennessy has influenced various music genres, ranging from classical to jazz, funk, soul, Hip-Hop, R&B, rock, latin, pop and electronica. Hennessy has taken the “art of blending“ to a different level by organizing outstanding initiatives with some of the world’s finest hip-hop and R&B artists. Over the years an impressive list of artists and musicians have manifested their appreciation of Hennessy in numerous ways. When it comes to Hip-Hop and modern-day R&B, the relationship between artistes and Hennessy is a full-blown pop culture phenomenon: artists like 2 Pac, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, MI, Naeto C, eLDee, among many others.

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Olamide & Phyno

It’s obvious these two have a special bond and Badoo obviously hasn't forgotten the days when nobody wanted to feature him or feature with him, when few artistes like popular eccentric rapper Phyno had his back. Although the dynamic duo have earlier collaborated on hit tracks such as Ghost mode and Dope money, they are rumoured to be working together on the first ever collaborative rap album, ‘2 Kings’. However, both performers have not officially indicated when if this will happen anytime soon.

Fast forward March 29^th 2014 both artistes will storm the Star Music Trek stage in Nsukka for the first leg of The Trek 2014 touring all over Nigeria. Fingers crossed, that collabo just might come in earlier than expected! Cant wait to see what these two may have up their sleeve.

Other artistes performing on the Trek this year include 2face, Tiwa Savage, M.I Davido, Wizkid, Wande Coal, Sound Sultan, Pasuma, Mr Raw, Dr Sid, Naeto C, KCee, Sean Tizzle, Timaya, Phyno and May D.

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success_woman23

The essence of life is to live it in such a way as to contribute to others in terms of service, knowledge sharing, inventions, etc. A lot more people are unsuccessful as compared to successful people at present. One in-debatable attribute of success is that its fruits transcend geographical boundaries, religion, tribe and ethnicity, nationality, colour race, sex, generations, etc. Study has shown that successful people do not necessarily have big bank account balances or properties but, their contribution and influence on humanity far and near are unquantifiable. However, successful people have most of the attributes below:

Failure: The only one thing that turned the course of life of many successful people is setback experienced as some point of their lives. Disadvantage is common to many of successful people. Triumphing over despairs and failures may have informed trials and consideration of other ways of doing things. The results are new technologies, methodologies, products, business lines, policies, etc. Successful people are known to have turned their failures positively into stepping stones for better and greater heights in life and career.

Courage: The courage to dive into unexplored fields of human endeavours stands prominent in the story of many successful individual. Most of them start from ground ups in their chosen fields or improve on the gaps in a chosen field. Successful people have always defined new ways, procedures, attempting the impossible, risks taking and recognizing unusual opportunities. Problem solving attitude: Identifying problems is a meticulous exercise that involves the time, painstaking, mind and body effort. Successful people spend most of their life finding solutions to seemingly impossible for ordinary people. People became successful because of their quest to solve a problem by designing new techniques and implementing methodologies to better humanity.

Believe: It is difficult to separate successful people from what they really believe in. Study has revealed that majority of them do not have higher college degrees and even college drop outs because they were able to have found and pursued believes of theirs. They have specialized training or basic upbringing to help their dreams and choice of careers. They gave up everything else to practice things continuously until they realized dreams of theirs. Aftermath is what we have now as new fields of study and research areas in colleges and universities. Start from ground up: People have always found it difficult to start anything about dreams/ careers of theirs, because of fear of failure or lack of precedence. Most people fall in the category of waiting for all conditions to start a business or any things else. It is equally true even when the conditions are met; procrastination may be another setback for many people. Successful people may never have an example in their fields of endeavours, but started-off with strong resolve, determination and unflinching pursuits. Discovery: Another thing that puts successful people on the edge is rarely finding answers to relevant questions, inquisitive mindset and adventurous minds in other to improve knowledge and inherent problems. Success comes with hard work and painstaking. Failure is inevitable in this process but could be a stepping stone or opportunity to try out new things. Responsibility: All humans are by nature lovers of comfort, luxury and pleasure. One’s ability to accept and pickup tasks to improve others and own life distinguish successful people from others. Majority of them seek to make others feel free from pain and live longer, simplify processes of doing things and contribute to well-being of others. Many innovations and inventions are product of pain, hard work, motivations and inspirations. Written By: Abraham Alfa

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Agyare8

“Coming from a technology background, I mostly worked behind the scenes or let the men take the lead. I had to learn to assert myself, communicate and be heard. I made sure that once I had my voice, I spoke for those who didn’t -- especially women”

- Regina Agyare

Regina Agyare, the Ghanaian CEO of Soronko Solutions, is a young, dynamic, software developer and social entrepreneur, with a passion for finding new ways to harness technology to promote social change in West Africa. Agyare, who graduated from Ghana’s Ashesi University in 2005 as one of the top software developers in her class with a degree in Computer Science, was the only girl that wanted to study Computer Science, and that made her an outcast – as all her classmates wondered why. Upon graduation, without a female figure to look up to in the field in Ghana or anywhere else, Agyare decided to put a hold on her dream, and worked in various positions such as a Product Manager for Internet Applications at Rancard Solutions, Product Manager for Ebusiness Applications at Zenith Bank and Management and Information Systems Supervisor at Fidelity Bank – where she was the first and only woman in the IT department.

Agyare, whose first interaction with computers was at the age of 12 (when her father bought her first computer), became fascinated with computers after playing Pac-Man on it. After this encounter, she knew then that she wanted to work with computers, as she was fascinated by the mode of interaction between her and the machine, i.e. commands and responses. She made it known to her family that she wanted to study computers and they encouraged and supported her all through.

After six years in the banking/technology industry, upon much discouragement, Agyare decided to follow her passion and founded her own social start-up called Soronko Solutions in March 2012. Soronko Solutions is a social enterprise which creates and manages ventures that apply technology to promote social development, using basic mass technology to drive human potential. It also develops innovative technology solutions across different channels such as Web, Mobile, POS and ATM to solve problems. Through Soronko, Agyare has been working on how the disabled in Ghana can use technology to integrate better in their communities; and she has accomplished this by introducing deaf girls to technology at the State Deaf School, Ghana to apps that help promote communication in a society where use of sign language is limited. She is also equipping rural Ghanaian children with the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and critical thinking skills to solve the problems they live with every day and fight poverty. Ironically, despite being discouraged by her previous employers when she set out on her own, Soronko Solutions’ first client was the same bank! And she’s been able to work successfully off of referrals ever since. Soronko Solutions are also currently helping Small and medium Scale Enterprises in Ghana create visibility and grow their business with technology. Agyare has revealed an application, which she’s working on, for a location-based service for small businesses in Ghana that don’t have visibility and are losing businesses to big companies. This app will provide a location-based online directory on people’s mobile phones so they can find these smaller businesses. For example, if you search for ‘Shoes’ it will list small businesses, contact info, address, etc. Regina Agyare is an Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow and a GOOD fellow, passionate about getting more women to find their voice and pursue their dreams and create technology. She founded ‘Tech Needs Girls Ghana’ – a movement to get girls to code and create technology. She has represented Ghana on the Apprentice Africa program, and is a Global Shaper of the Accra hub of the World Economic Forum and a Change Leader with Tigo Reach For Change.

Agyare loves to mentor and has been invited to speak and mentor at technology fairs, Universities and events like Startup weekend Accra; she also mentors online with the Women’s Tech Connect Global Mentoring program. “I want to continue making and measuring the impact, building (code) things we can use around and get an investor who would be interested in helping us grow.” Follow her on twitter at @ragyare Written By: Olusola Agbaje

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are we the turning point generation - front

Cover of Chude Jideonwo’s new book ‘Are We The Turning-Point Generation?’ released - “Chude is one of Africa’s new stars,” says Bishop Kukah Kachifo Limited, which has published some of the continent’s most finest writers including Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie, Sefi Atta Binyavanga Wainaina has released the cover for ‘Are we the turning point generation?, a new book from Chude Jideonwo; entrepreneur, award-winning journalist and respected young African leader.

“This new book is a literal tour de force of carefully laid out arguments the author’s witty conversational style,” said Eghosa Imasuen, chief operating officer for Kachifo. Why do many Nigerian leaders ‘change’ once in office? Will the present generation of Nigerians do any better than its predecessors? Was Occupy Nigeria indeed a failure? Do we need a ‘Nigerian Dream’? Is ‘One Nigeria’ really worth it? These are some of the difficult questions raised in this thought provoking collection of essays on the paradox that is Nigeria. “As Afro pessimism dims, a constellation of stars are circling and Africa is looking brighter again,” said Bishop Matthew Kukah about the impressive new book. “It is hoped that these would brighten the continent of Africa. Chude belongs to one of those stars.” The cover design was done by one of Nigeria’s most respected artists and author, Victor Ehikhamenor. The book hits stores from May 2014. About Chude Jideonwo

Named by Forbes International as one of Africa’s 30 “best entrepreneurs” under 30, Chude Jideonwo’s career is centred around the media – media content, media and communication, and media for development. The editor-in-chief of Y!/YNaija.com and director of The Future Awards Africa; in 2010, he founded EnoughisEnough Nigeria, which has become the country’s foremost good governance group for young Nigerians. A lawyer and award-winning journalist, he has a Master’s Degree in Media and Communication from the Pan-African University. He is Managing Partner of RED, and sits on the boards of the Oando Foundation and Micosoft4Afrika

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KEMI-ADESOYE1

“Invest in your craft-if it’s something you really love to do you will make the effort. Be open and willing to learn. Take criticism; write, write, then write some more. The more you write, the better you get. Read scripts of movies you love. Read books. Love your work but also learn detachment. More importantly live, or you’ll have nothing to write about.”

- Kemi Adesoye

(Phone Swap) At Murtala Muhammed Airport on a rush hour Friday, Akin and Mary meet for the first time at an airport where they accidentally bump into each other and mistakenly swap their phones. This leads to a destination mix up after they receive one another's text regarding a travel destination. Consequently, Akin ends up travelling to where Mary is supposed to go and vice versa. Neither knows about the swap until they have arrived their opposite destinations and "the phone" stops ringing (in Mary's case), and won't stop ringing (in Akins's case). As a result of the phone swap, they agree to help carry out each other's missions, armed with the information and data on each other's phone. But it's not as easy as they both think as new obstacles and complications rise at every turn as they both struggle to adapt to their alien environment and situation. Mary has to walk in Akins shoes and represent him in a company meeting while Akin has to represent Mary in her the family meeting. This they do with hilarious results.

(The Figurine) Sola Fajure has just graduated from college with a degree in Architecture, but he placed low in his class and has had no luck finding a job, so with few prospects he signs up for his required NYSC, where he ends up serving alongside his good friend Femi and Mona, a woman with whom he's powerfully infatuated. One day, Sola and Femi stumble upon a small wooden figurine, and Sola takes it back to the camp with him. What Sola and his friends don't know is that the figurine is inhabited by the spirit of Araromire, a goddess of good fortune. Over the next seven years, things go very well for the three; Sola and Mona are happily married (despite his many random infidelities) and they have a child with another on the way, while Femi becomes a successful businessman whose work takes him all over the world. But what they don't know is that their good luck came from Araromire, and there's a catch -- the figure was carved from a tree that was cursed, and after seven years of good luck, the tables are about to turn and their lives will soon become a living hell.

Both of these movie synopsis originated from the mind of … Kemi Adesoye. Kemi Adesoye was born and raised in Kaduna (Nigeria), by Yoruba parents who originated from Kwara State. Her father was the first registered quantity surveyor in the North (where he settled after returning from the United Kingdom), and her mother was a teacher and business woman. The last of four children, Kemi studied to be an architect in University, and earned a Masters degree from the University of Technology, Minna, Niger State (Nigeria). A lover of movies, Kemi stumbled upon a book in University titled - “The Elements of Screenwriting”, which marked the beginning of her venture into story telling. But this dream didn’t materialise immediately, as she took a job at a radio station.

Kemi wrote her first script in 1998 titled “The Special Gele”, which she submitted it at the MNET sponsored project called New Directions at the International film and Broadcast Academy. She was chosen alongside four other semi finalists, but didn’t win; rather she got something much better – self belief. Afterwards, Kemi sought training off the internet, learning everything she could about screenplays and screenwriting. She later took a screenwriting course at New York Film Academy, Los Angeles Faculty. Today, Kemi is a writer with MNET; currently writing for the award winning South African soap-opera – Tinsel. She has also written for a medical series titled Doctor’s Quarter’s and has written three short films namely “Prize Maze”,“Mama Put” and “National Cake” . But her greatest achievements yet would be her two feature length films, “The Figurine” (2009) and “Phone Swap” (2012), both directed by Kunle Afolayan. Kemi has revealed that while the period it takes her to complete a script/screenplay is ever changing, the shortest time she has ever written a first draft for a television show is 8 hrs and for a feature film, ten days. She has already been awarded the Lagos Business School Pan African Screenwriting award, IN-SHORT Best Screenplay award; and her produced screenplays have won AMAA awards in other categories. Kemi recently collaborated on MTV’s award winning series – Shuga. Written By: Olusola Agbaje

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Verizon-branded-All-New-HTC-One-M8-dummy

Dubbed the HTC One M8, the smartphone is slightly wider and heavier than last year's model, but not so much so that it detracts from the experience of using the phone. The HTC One M8 is slightly bigger to accomodate a larger, five-inch screen.

Like Samsung's (SSNLF) Galaxy S5, which was announced in February, the phone has the latest quad-core Snapdragon processor running at 2.3 GHz. It also comes with 2 GB of RAM, ensuring it will remain one of the most powerful Android phones available this year. Similar to last year's Moto X, the M8 features many low-powered sensors, including an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, and a touch screen sensor. These let you unlock the phone by tapping the screen twice, or letting apps, such as the FitBit app, access that data to determine how active you've been -- all without killing your battery. As far as the camera goes, the sensor in the M8 makes use of the same 4-megapixel UltraPixel technology that was found in last year's HTC One. But this time around, it comes with a second camera that collects additional depth data on each image. Related: With Motorola gone, Google can focus on fixing Android HTC claims that the M8's second camera give users the ability to refocus any photo you take. That's close to the truth but not quite accurate -- in reality, the dual-camera setup lets you add a powerful blur effect, or other special effects, to select parts of the image while leaving the rest untouched. That feature works best in a shot where everything is in focus and you want to emphasize a particular person or object. But if an object is already blurred in the image (intentionally or not), the M8 camera would not give you the ability to pull it into focus. A number of tweaks have also been made to HTC's customized Sense UI, which turns Google's (GOOG, Fortune 500) Android software into an experience heavily focused on delivering news and social media updates to your home screen. Users how have the ability to set up custom feeds based on search terms. And depending on how many developers support the feature, the new Sense UI will have the ability to integrate notifications from other Android apps into the feed (Foursquare restaurant recommendations are one such example). But really, the jewel of this year's HTC One M8 seems to be the same thing that made last year's HTC One so good: the design. Last year's phone was beautiful, and this year's matches -- if not improves upon -- the quality of last year's design. It's attractive, solid as a tank, and is more comfortable to hold, thanks to the rounded edges on the back half of the phone. The only downside is that the extra width makes one-handed use a bit more tricky. The HTC One M8 is available on all four major U.S. carriers starting Tuesday if you order online. It retails for $200 with a new, two-year contract, or $600 off-contract. If you want to pick one up in the store, however, you'll have to wait until April 10.

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code

Most people often get very confused when they want to decide which area of computing and programming skill they should dive into. This is often because individuals are not aware or are less informed to the type of programming functionality each language has. Initially before you decide to dabble into any programming language you need to ask yourself some certain fundamental questions. Which are?

What do I really want to be? This kind of question would assist you in knowing what you actually intend to learn so as to achieve what you want to do. If you have decided you want to be a software programmer or a web developer there are certain languages that you should pick up interest in and build your skills on. This will assist you not to waste time learning the wrong languages which won’t be useful to you in your path.
Do I need to be a web or desktop application developer? This will enable you decide if the application you’re going to build would be a desktops or web application. There are so many languages which can only be used to design web applications but can’t be used to develop desktop application. As for me I choose to be a web developer because of the growing need for web application, websites, mobile apps and some of the advantages of web application.
Getting the right books? There are so many books and video tutorials that are out there for you to learn a programming language. It all depends on the book or material you find out there. You must also take note that as human beings languages evolves, this is because programmers look for better ways of doing things. Hence one should always try to update and learn the new version of the language he or she has chosen to learn. So when buying any material ensure you are getting the most current edition.
Do I have the Time and Patience? Learning a programming language has to do with a lot of patience and time. Programming require dedication and constant time, where you have to deprive yourself from sleeping. A little omission of a comma might make a programme not to compile at all. Hence this require you to take your time and look at the code again and see what is wrong with the code. Most times if you find yourself in this kind of situations I will advise you to leave the work and go and play or spend time doing anything fun. After taken enough time out go back to the code and you will find what is wrong with the code.
Do I want to be a backend or front end developer? Again this choice is also good, although most people like myself chose both. The front end consist of the front design and the aesthetics of the application been developed by the programmer why the backend consist of the programs that enables the application to function effectively. For a web application, the back-end usually uses one of the following: Python, Ruby, PHP, Java or .Net and database. The front-end uses languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript and some design skill.

Once you have clearly answered those question you would be able to decide the kind of language you should try your hands on. There are so many programming languages existing today and some of them are more popular than some. Some of the most important programming languages includes, HTML, CSS, JavaScrip, Java, PHP, Python, Ruby, C++, C#, Jquery, Ajax and C. You have a handful of time to decide what you want to become, like they say the choice is there for you to make. Written By: Eyebug

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STEPHEN ONOCHIE

The hottest music reality show in Africa, Nigerian Idol is blazing hot week after week, as 12 of the numerous contestants are selected for the gala rounds. Performing songs from international artistes, the first group of 10 had four golden tickets recipient from the audition phase. 3 of these acts will be revealed at the first result show that airs on Saturday, March 29, 2013 as contestants in the Top 12.

Also, performing at the result show is a Nigerian Idol alumni, Stephen Onochie popularly known as Steve "O". He emerged as 2nd runner-up in second the season while Mercy Chinwo emerged winner. Sponsored by Etisalat and Pepsi, Nigerian Idol is aired on Saturday and Sunday's on NTA, STV, HIP TV, CRBC Calabar, DRTV Warri and Various Startimes Channels.

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Timi Dakolo 3

Nigeria’s king of soul; Timi Dakolo is billed to headline One Nite: Live and Unplugged at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island on Saturday March 29, 2014 by 9pm. One Nite: Live and plugged is a monthly music concert series produced by NMO management giving music lovers the opportunity to watch their favourite musical acts perform with a live band in a beautiful and serene ambiance. “I say there is nothing more beautiful than live music and an amazing ambiance. I love good music and I promise to deliver nothing less than that to my guests on Saturday.” The event which will be hosted by Omalicha of Rhythm FM; will have the artiste perform several hit songs off his debut album ‘Beautiful Noise’ like So Beautiful, Woman I Love as well as his recent hit; ‘Iyawo Mi’ amongst others. For enquiries, visit www.timidakolo.ng

One Nite Live & Unplugged with TIMI DAKOLO

About Timi Dakolo Timi Dakolo is an award winning R&B/Soul music artist born on January 20, 1981. He hails from Bayelsa State, Nigeria and grew up in the city of Port-Harcourt, where he started his singing career at age of 12, singing in his church choir. Following his win as West African Idol first and only winner; he released his debut album titled “Beautiful Noise” in 2012, receiving great reviews for the work as well as chart successes. Timi Dakolo released another single after his debut album titled “Great Nation” which many have described as the new National Anthem of Nigeria.

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