As the final whistle blew to signal the end of the final match between the Gateway Squad coached by indigenous lyricist, Reminisce, and the Ghanaian actress, Juliet Ibrahim-led team, members of the former bobbed and weaved in jubilation.
Their euphoria was understandable. They had survived 13 weeks of rigorous competition from the other teams that qualified for the third edition of the Fanz Championship Africa themed the Super Me edition. And for their victory, they got N2million, N1million cash for the coach, a phototherapy machine and incubator to be donated to a community of their choice as part of the philanthropic initiative of the organisers, Abelinis Limited.
Hosted by comedian and On-Air-Personality, Ushbebe, the finale was the culmination of 13 exciting and exhilarating weeks of fun, not just for the different participants and celebrity coaches, but for millions of television viewers who won over N3million in prizes for their participation while the show lasted.
Somewhere in the background of the ensuing raucous celebrations, one man went hither, thither, unobtrusively, his visage bearing his relief and happiness. For Abiodun Oshinibosi, Project Marshal of Abelinis Limited, the resounding success of this year’s show underscored his team’s robust resilience and determination to ensure that the Fanz Championship Africa, a quiz format game show for football followers and lovers on television, remains as engaging and interactive as ever.
Despite the stifling operational challenges, the rating of this year’s show, according to Oshinibosi, shot through the roof as more viewers logged onto the show and more enthusiastic celebrity participation. This recently concluded edition had celebrity coaches like Sexy Steel, Bash the Comedian, Sossick, Toyin Ibitoye, Alexx Ekubo, Biola Kazeem, 9ice, Juliet Ibrahim, Reminisce, Helen Paul, Illbliss, Shina Okeleyi, DJ Neptune, Deji Omotoyinbo, Juliet Mafua and Jide Alabi. Essentially, the coaches lead a three-member team through an intense yet, exciting process trading tackles on wit, speed and knowledge of the football industry as a whole while a team is eliminated every week.
Symbolically, Abelinis Limited, established in 2011 as a project management company with interests in events, activation and production, has entrenched a culture of philanthropy in the FCA and its core. Last year’s winner, Amuwo Odofin FC, constructed a new borehole in Amuwo Odofin Primary School, renovated the school’s abandoned toilet facilities and donated a generator to power the borehole. When the company turned five in 2016, the management and staff visited the Area G Police Station, Ogba, Lagos, to donate food items and cheques to support the education of children of some deceased policemen. Prior to this, the company had assisted with the payment of school fees for select undergraduates, donated Apple laptops to some identified creative youths, visited the Modupe Cole and Ijamido Orphanage Homes to support the less privileged while alsopresenting a top-of-the-range incubator to the Ifako General Hospital with a view to reducing Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the hospital and its environs.
This year, during the company’s sixth anniversary, it empowered four widows of the police force with N50,000 cash and 50,000 worth of VTU each to start a retail vending spot. Indeed, for Oshinibosi, the best portion of a man’s life are his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.
A graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and the Villanova University, Pennsylvania, U.S.A, Oshinibosi began his career as an event coordinator under the tutelage of his brother, La Face, a prominent showbiz promoter who brought Wyclef Jean to Nigeria in 2004 among other American music stars. He would go on to work with Tequila, a foremost events company, before joining a start-up events and production company, Industrial Development Communication Company, as a line manager. Within months, he rose to become General Manager. However, Oshinibosi’s relentless spirit, coupled with a passion to do things differently in the marketing communications industry, led him to start Abelinis. Like every other classic grass-to-grace story, Abelinis’ trajectory has been strewn with thorns and thistles.
HOW ANU, OLO TOOK NIGERIAN MUSIC TO TURKEY
Turkey recently witnessed the best of authentic African music infused with a mix of folklore and heavy percussion as the duo of Anu, The Lady Ekwe and Olo Omidan Bata gave good account of their musical prowess in Konya, Turkey, in enthralling musical renditions that sent shock waves down the spines of the packed audience.
The occasion was an historical one, which witnessed the formalisation of the relationship between Africa and Turkey. Following the December, 2016 agreement between Motherland Beckons and MUSIAD in Konya, Turkey, to facilitate the mutual flow of trade, tourism, culture and entertainment between Africa and Turkey, as part of the continent building projects of Motherland Beckons.
Under the leadership of Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, Motherland stormed the city of Konya with a powerful team to consummate the agreement in its first major outing, which attracted the attention of the corporate world, diplomatic corps and other interests in Turkey. In the course of three days, a range of business interests and exchange programmes between Turkey and Africa continent were discussed and deals struck.
However, what quickly came to the fore was the entertainment aspect of the deal, which saw the duo of Anu and Olo, both from the stable of Atunda Entertainment, alongside selected Turkish popular musical artistes, entertained the audience in what could be termed as the best of the historical musical collaboration ever between Africa and Turkey.
DAYO AMUSA IS ‘PATHETIC’
Nollywood actor, Dayo Amusa is back with another blockbuster hit titled ‘Pathetic’ which will be showing at the cinemas from March 24.
Dayo’s last effort, ‘Unforgivable’ showed the dexterity of the actor and helped cement her status as an A-list act in the industry. The movie broke records and made good sales .
Attention is on Dayo Amusa to see if her next movie would surpass her last effort or not but this new flick is definitely about to make ‘Unforgivable’ record look like a child’s play.
“Pathetic” stars Bimbo Akintola, Wole Ojo, Dayo Amusa, Toyin Abraham, Funsho Adeolu, Toyin Alausa, Taiwo Okunlola, Anu Shodanya among others. The movie was directed by Ike Nnaebue while Dayo Amusa remained the Executive producer.
Amusa’s production is a thrilling and insightful marital story intricately woven on the life of a famous celebrity lady – her pains and travails in having the desired picture-perfect life of the ordinary human.
OKAFOR’S LAW READY FOR THE CINEMA
Nollywood actress, director and producer, Omoni Oboli’s new movie ‘Okafor’s Law’ is set to hit the cinemas on March 31. With this new work, Omoni seeks to erase the success of her last film ‘Wives on Strike’, one of biggest Nollywood films in 2016.
‘Okafor’s Law’ stars Richard Mofe Damijo, Omoni Oboli, Toyin Abraham, Ufuoma McDermott, Gabriel Afolayan, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Tina Mba, Mary Lazarus, Ken Erics, Halima Abubakar, Kemi Lala Akindoju and Yvonne Jegede.
It tells the story of a slick serial seducer, Chuks (aka Terminator) who is an ardent player with the ladies. He enjoys the attention of women, including girlfriends from the past. He believes that once a man has had a woman, he forever has access to her. When challenged by his friends to see if he can prove the universality of that theory with three ex-girlfriends from his school days within 21 days, he accepts it. Turning on his best charm, he tries to prove himself, but his quest brings him to three women, Ifeoma, Tomi and Ejiro, whose situations in life have changed drastically since school days.
