Da Viva Stuns Audience at AFWN

By Funke Olaode

An unprecedented number of fashionistas thronged Eko Hotel and suites, Victoria Island, Lagos venue of the recent Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN).

Surprises at the red carpet and market exhibition were made possible by sponsors like Da Viva. The Da Viva brand has supported the AFWN from its maiden edition in London in 2011.

At this year’s fashion show, Da Viva sponsored five designers namely: House of Salem, Mestell, Eminencel 129, Nipo Skin and Asake Oge. Each designer created 10 fabulous and breathtaking outfits ranging from casual, bridal, haut couture, to casual ready to wear on the runway worn by these models.

Part of the highlight of the fashion week was the unveiling of Da Viva limited edition of pure silk made in tie and dye designs popularly known by Nigerians as adire. Basking in the euphoria of his company’s successful outing at this year’s fashion show, group marketing manager, Mr. Steve Dutton said Da Viva decided to add this pure silk to its collection to satisfy its high end customers

Warri Carnival Beckons

Arrangement towards a successful hosting of the five-day Warri Carnival in Delta State has reached advanced stage, according to its chief promoter, Sunny Nikoro. The much-awaited maiden edition has been slated to hold between September 28 and October 1.

The Carnival is targeted at entrenching Warri as a gateway to the Niger Delta region, and listing it as a tourist destination in Nigeria.

“The Annual Warri Carnival also aims at unifying the diverse ethnic nationalities that existed to make Warri the cosmopolitan society of old, and foster peace, unity, love and cordial co-existence between the ethnic groups that Warri was identified with in the past,” Nikoro stated.

The Warri Carnival has been organised to coincide with the nation’s 56th Independence Day celebration on October 1. “Apart from entertaining the anticipated millions of spectators coming from within and outside the state, the Warri Carnival will bring out the joy and bliss associated with the season, while also promoting commerce, laughter and love among the indigenes of Warri,” he went further to say.

Warri city is one of the major hubs of petroleum activities and businesses in southern Nigeria. It is the commercial capital city of Delta State, with an estimated population of 2,000,000 people.

Activities lined up for the five-day event include unveiling of Symbol of Unity, top Artists Performance and Comedy Fair, Carnival Float/Street Parade, Land Boat Regatta, Miss Warri Beauty Pageant, Cultural Dance and Performance, including Carnival Cup 2016 – Football Novelty Match. The match will feature the likes of ex-Nigerian footballers, Segun Odegbami, Frank Obire, and Henry Nwosu among others who will be playing alongside the Warri Wolves, local team.

Land Regatta will feature the festival that offers a breathtaking display of the wealth and artistic splendour of the heritage of the riverine people of Delta State. It provides an opportunity for all riverine communities and dwellers to showcase their dexterity in boat building, decoration, parading, paddling and maneuvering. The most artistic and creative boat will win a trophy.

Expected at the event are Nollywood artistes, comedians and musicians. The opening ceremony will equally attract dignitaries from across the nation with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa rendering the keynote address and unveiling the carnival mascot. Special music performance will be rendered by top Warri local artists with Tony and Emma Grey as main performers among other notable artistes.

Africa Muzik Magazine Awards

The African Muzik Magazine Awards has unveiled the nominees list for the third edition of the African music awards in the diaspora. Following the outstanding success of the 1st and 2nd editions, AFRIMMA expectations are high for this year’s edition set to hold in Dallas, USA on October 15.

Some of Africa’s big hit makers and the most impressive names on the African music scene in the past calendar year earned a mention in the highly competitive categories. Wizkid, Flavour, Davido, Sarkodie, Aka are joined by fresh faces like Falz, Mr. Eazi, Locko and Bisa Kdei on the nominees list. Also for the first time, North African music and Caribbean music have been recognised with categories.

Celebrating African music and heritage, the 3rd edition of the annual African Muzik Magazine Awards AFRIMMA promises to be another festival of African music and the nominees list has set off the massive countdown.

Marlon Jackson, Shaggy Partner Motherland Beckons

Leading American musicians Marlon Jackson of Jacksons’ Five and Shaggy have teamed up with globally-recognised organisations alongside past and present US Mayors to facilitate a $1.4 billion Technology City project that is to replicate the Silicon Valley in Ile – Ife, Osun State.

Projected on the platform of Motherland Beckons, the multi-sectoral development vehicle conceived by Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, the project will be sited the Ile – Ife Tourism Zone declared by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

In this instance it has brought renowned US-based business groups, SprintPort Technological Group and Image Consulting to partner the House of Oduduwa, the Ooni of Ife, on the building of the technology, media and agriculture city in Ile-Ife with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed and the land for the project released.

Following this development, the representative of SprintPort Technological Group, Dickson Yemi Oluwasegun, disclosed that the Technology City, is designed to make Nigeria a leader in ICT, create millions of jobs, promote tourism, thereby boosting the country’s economy and fast tracking its technological development.

The Chief Executive Officer of Image Consulting, Mrs. Remi Duyile, who is the former Vice President of Bank of America and one of the facilitators of the project, expressed great delight and appreciation to Motherland Beckons that invited her from the United States alongside other professionals, including the president of All Black Lawyers in London and Wales, Barr. Peter Herbert, and Chairman of Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation (NIDOA) America, Gbenga Adewusi, to witness the declaration ceremony of Ile-Ife as a Tourism Zone.

All Roads Lead To Love

From the creator of top telenovelas For Love and Justice and My Heart Beats for Lola, comes the gripping, brand new telenovela All Roads Lead to Love, exclusive to Telemundo (DStv Channel 118 & GOtv channel 14). Think: scheming, suspicion, love triangles, plot twists, betrayal and revenge; this series has it all, but at its core, spins the story of Eva Soler, a woman discovering her strength through her own undoing.

Played by the ever enchanting Edith González, Eva is a tough and determined beauty who always dreamed of becoming a truck-driver, so when she inherited her late father’s truck, her life started to fall into place. She found love, settled down to start a family and even established her own transport business. Fast forward a few years, and all is not well in paradise.

Between her two troubled daughters, with issues ranging from Asperger’s to substance abuse, a sister who envies her deeply, and a best friend who is also her worst enemy, Eva has enough to contend with. Then the serial infidelity of her husband, Armando, sets off a chain reaction leading to intrigue, murder, conspiracy and potentially even Eva’s imprisonment. Thrown into the mix is her growing attraction for the steamy Pablo. He’s a handsome and noble ex-cop who is ten years her junior. But with a tragedy in his past, Pablo has his own secrets, and it’s no coincidence that his path has crossed with the Soler family’s.

Aramide Displays Versatility with Sir Dauda

Afro Soul Diva, Aramide has taken her style of music to an all-new level. The Baseline Music artiste recently released a new single titled ‘Funmi Lowo’.

A dramatic shift from her previous singles, Aramide impressively laces the vocals of a traditional inspired beat produced by Sizzle Pro and mixed by Tin Tin. With a unique blend of live instruments and humour, Aramide and emerging musician, Sir Dauda bring to life a song that will become an anthem on the lips of Nigerians in a matter of weeks.

The song says a lot about the artiste’s ability to assemble lyrics and melodies out of sounds and to sonically paint a picture in our minds that relate to our everyday lives.

“I love to record music that people can relate to – love, beliefs, celebrations, or just about life. I remember after recording this song, myself, Sir Dauda and Sizzle Pro kept humming the chorus,” Aramide said.

‘Funmi Lowo’ comes straight after the success of her collabo with Adekunle Gold in ‘Love Me’. She is months away from releasing her debut album.