Nigerian Times

Today is a sad day in Nollywood.  Africa's largest film industry has just lost Amaka Igwe, 51, one of the greatest icons of Nigerian TV and Film.  She passed on to eternal glory in the early hours of Tuesday, April 29, 2014.  Reliable sources said she suffered an Asthma attack and died on the way to the nearest hospital. Amaka Igwe to me, was the "Mama of Nollywood", because of her outstanding motherly role in leadership and mentoring many young men and young women she helped to excel and succeed as actors, producers and managers on TV and the big screen. And her name will be written in gold for her great legacy in the history of Nollywood. Mrs. Igwe is survived by her husband Mr. Charles Igwe, their three children Ruby, David and Daniel, her mother and other members of her family and relations.  May God grant us the fortitude to bear this great loss.  ~ Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,  Publisher/Editor, Nigerians Report Online .   ...

Orlando Martins (1899–1985) who acted in "Sanders of the River" the 1935 British film directed by Hungarian-British director, Zoltán Korda is Nigeria's first Hollywood star and recognized as one of England's most prominent and leading black actors and in a poll conducted in 1947, he was listed among England's top 15 favorite actors and that is not a small achievement even today. Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal, Howard Marion-Crawford, Orlando Martins, Ralph Michael, Alfie Bass, Gezählte Stunden and others in "The Hasty Heart". Orlando Martins acted with actors who later became Presidents of their countries such as Ronald Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004), the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) in The Hasty Heart a 1949 Anglo-American co-production directed by Vincent Sherman, playing "Blossom" the African soldier in Burma and played the role of "Klova" with Jomo Kenyatta (1889 – 22 August 1978) in "Sander...

I know that many people in Nigeria are hailing Biyi Bandele's first feature "Half of a Yellow Sun" as the best thing to happen to Nollywood since "Living in Bondage" and the Nigerian executive producers are celebrating it as the most expensive Nigerian film that cost them US$10 million. But in the US and Europe, it is reviewed as a British funded British film, because to them it is a British film by a British director Biyi Bandele, lead actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton are also British. ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ explores UK colonial legacy in Nigeria While ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ has been praised as one of just a handful of British films that engage with Britain’s post-imperial legacy in Nigeria, critics say it doesn’t do the book justice describing it as "a diverting but surface-level saga". http://www.euronews.com/2014/04/22/half-of-a-yellow-sun-explores-uk-colonial-legacy-in-nigeria/ Photo: Joseph Mawle, director Biyi Bandele,...

A Day in France Enacting French Style Wine Presentation and Tasting On Nigerian Soil It was a gathering of class and dignity with the top of the cream of Abuja society in attendance. Venue was at the Cross Rivers/Imo /Rivers Hall at the second floor of the Prestigious Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Saturday the 12th of April 2014. Guests which included A-List members among the titans of the world of business and politics were treated to the finest of refined French Wine Culture at a special presentation by Wine and Things Vineyard Collections. It was an occasion in which the company (Wines and Things Limited) had in a most class distinguishing manner, an expose of their most exclusive wine collections, showcased to prospective and established clients, wine collectors and connoisseurs. Highlight of the unforgettable event was classy complementary foods put together by Hilton’s top French chef that was specially chosen to create traditional French food pairing for the wines ...