Because every cloud has a silver lining.
- Seun Kuti nominated for Grammys
Black Times, the latest album from Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti is nominated in the Best World Music Album category for the 61st Grammy Awards. Kuti and his Egypt 80 band join sibling Femi- a multiple Grammy nominee- as well as King Sunny Ade and drummer Babatunde Olatunji as local contenders for what is acclaimed as music’s most prestigious prize.
- Kehinde Wiley doing the things
In February, the official portrait of former American President Barack Obama was unveiled on Monday at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. It was painted by Nigerian-American, Kehinde Wiley. Mr. Obama become the first African-American president to have a portrait in the National Portrait Gallery, Mr. Wiley also made some history of his own, becoming the first African-American artist to paint an official presidential portrait. Wiley plans to open a studio in Lagos.
- Bobsled team in Apple commercial
In time for the winter Olympics, Beats by Dre launched its latest segment for the Above The Noise campaign. The segment profiles talents who have risen against all odds and features the ladies making up Nigeria’s first bobsled team, Seun Adigun, Akuoma Omeoga and Ngozi Onwumere. The segment focused on these three women and chronicles the drive and focus that has made them global inspirations.
- BBC honors the most honest Nigerian policeman
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) honored a Nigerian police officer, Julius Adedeji, for standing against bribe since he joined the force. According to the network, Adedeji in all his years of service, had never taken a bribe. Accepting the award, Adedeji revealed that he had been offered bribes at various times in his career but he had always found the courage to resist.
- Super Eagles World Cup jersey is a worldwide hit
The Super Eagles may have crashed out of the FIFA World Cup in the early stages, but the Nike supported official jersey made a huge worldwide splash. Even before the Eagles played their first match in Russia, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) reported a record number of worldwide pre-orders for the jersey. When the jerseys hit the stands, the lines in physical stores were just as long.
- Genevieve Nnaji’s Lionheart Netflix deal
On the eve of its worldwide premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Netflix announced it had bought worldwide rights to Genevieve Nnaji’s directorial debut, the all-star comedy, Lionheart. This deal marked Netflix’s first original film programming from Nigeria. Netflix, Inc. is one of the largest providers of streaming television and movie content on the Internet. Netflix currently boasts over 117.6 million subscribers and partners with content providers to license streaming rights for a variety of TV shows and movies.
- Ahmed Musa keeps hope alive
The sheer beauty of Ahmed Musa’s two goals against Iceland at the World Cup would have been satisfying on any given day. But Ahmed Musa also succeeded in rekindling the World Cup hopes of around 180 million Nigerians. For a moment in time, Musa became a national hero, engraved in the hearts of overwhelmed compatriots. The Man of the Match honor that followed was merely a formality.
- Finally, #NotTooYoungToRun
In May, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the “Not Too Young To Run” bill into law. The President signed the bill on inside the Council Chamber of State House Presidential Villa, in the presence of selected invited youth from across the country. The bill was passed by the National Assembly last year to alter Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the constitution. The mandate was to reduce the age qualification for president from 40 to 30; governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.
- Anambra girls conquer the world
A team of teenage girls representing Nigeria defeated teams from the United States of America (USA), Spain, Turkey, Uzbekistan and China to win the 2018 Technovation world pitch junior division in San Francisco, USA. The Save-A-Soul team from Anambra state in Nigeria developed a mobile application called ‘FD Detector’ with an aim of tackling the menace of fake pharmaceutical products in the country. The young lades are, Promise Nnalue, Jessica Osita, Nwabuaku Ossai, Adaeze Onuigbo and Vivian Okoye.
- Buhari apologizes to MKO family
At a special national honors investiture and award presentation to heroes of the June 12, 1993 poll, annulled by the defunct Ibrahim Babangida regime, President Muhammadu Buhari performed one of the greatest acts of statesmanship ever recorded by a Nigerian leader. President Buhari offered his unreserved apology on behalf of the Federal Government to the family of the late MKO Abiola, over the annulment of June 12, 1993 election which was won by Abiola and the SDP.
Wilfred Okiche is a medic, reader, writer, journalist, culture critic, and occasional ruffler of feathers. One of the most influential critics working in the Nigerian culture space, his writing has appeared extensively in platforms like YNaija.com and 360nobs.com. Okiche has provided editorial assistance to the UK Guardian and has had his work published in African Arguments, Africa is a Country and South Africa’s City Press. He has received trainings and acquired experience in multimedia and online journalism. He also appears on the culture television show, Africana Literati. He has participated at critic programs in Lagos, Durban and Rotterdam.
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