NEWS

FG Disburses 2nd Batch Of ₦5 Billion Creative Fund To Nollywood

Published

6 days ago

June 28, 2024

FG disburses 2nd batch of ₦5b creative fund to Nollywood | Fab.ng

The Nigerian government just gave another round of creative fund to support the country’s creative industries. This money comes from a special fund called the Creative Fund, which was set up in December 2023 with the help of Providus Bank.

Fegho-x Umunubo, who works for the Vice President’s office and focuses on digital and creative businesses, announced the news on Instagram this week. This is the second batch of money to be given out from the ₦5 billion (around $12 million) total fund.

“Update: ₦5 Billion Creative Fund Second Batch Launch. Under the renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), we successfully launched the second batch of the N5Billion Creative Fund in partnership with Providus Bank at Eko Hotels and Suites last week Friday,” he said.

“Following the successful disbursement of ₦1.5 billion to four actors/producers for their movie projects, we are excited to support even more creative projects. If you know someone looking for funding for their creative project, share this email address: [email protected],” he added.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rahama Sadau (@rahamasadau)

The financial world hasn’t always paid much attention to Nigeria’s creative industries, like filmmaking. But things are changing. Afrobeats music has exploded in popularity worldwide. Streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video are putting big money into creating new Nigerian content.

This new interest is a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, it means more money is flowing into Nigerian creativity. This is especially good news for Nollywood, Nigeria’s giant film industry. The Creative Fund is a great example – it can help filmmakers and actors make even better movies.

But there’s a flip side. Some filmmakers might feel pressure to make movies that appeal to a global audience instead of focusing on stories Nigerians themselves want to see. The hope is that the Creative Fund can help filmmakers create content for Nigerians, while still attracting attention from around the world. If managed well, this fund could be a game-changer for Nollywood!

Get more updates here.

Related Topics:creative fund FG Movies Nollywood

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FOOD

Guinness World Records Deactivates Its ‘Cookathon’ Category

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2024

Reporter

Guinness World Records deactivates 'Cookathon' category | Fab.ng

After an earlier attempt by Chef Failatu Abdul Razak fell short, they launched a second attempt at a Guinness World Records ‘cookathon’ record on February 1st. This time, Chef Ebenezer Smith took centre stage. He set up his cooking station in Spintex and spent the next 35 days, a total of 820 hours, continuously creating culinary delights.

Chef Smith’s impressive feat sparked excitement in Ghana, with hopes of setting a new West African record. This comes on the heels of another record-breaking attempt by Afua Asantewaa for a singing marathon. Ghana seems to be on a roll when it comes to attempting Guinness World Records!

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A post shared by Pulse Ghana (@pulseghana)

However, things took a turn. GHone TV, a Ghanaian television station, contacted Guinness World Records. In an email response, Guinness World Records cleared the air about Chef Smith’s claim.

The email stated,

“No, this is not true at all. He does not hold the GWR title and that is not our certificate. The current and true record holder is: The longest cooking marathon (individual) is 119 hr 57 min 16 sec and was achieved by Alan Fisher (Ireland) in Matsue, Shimane, Japan, from 28 September to 3 October 2023.”

Guinness World Records (GWR) also revealed that the cookathon record category is no longer active.

They explained that GWR sometimes deactivates records for various reasons. For example, they stopped judging the “fastest violinist” record in 2017 because they couldn’t ensure the quality of the violin playing.

“As a good rule of thumb—if you can’t measure, weigh, or count it—then it’s probably not a record!” is GWR’s mantra for discontinuing records and applications.

Guinness World Records deactivates its “cookathon” category after it seems to have inspired an unstoppable frenzy in certain parts of the world. In Ghana, one contender, displaying a certificate as the new record holder, claims to have cooked for more than 30 days. pic.twitter.com/jM6QjL1usX

— Bright Simons (@BBSimons) July 3, 2024

Things got messy after Chef Smith, also known as Millennium Chef, held a press conference to announce himself as the record holder for the longest cooking marathon. Reports say security personnel in police and military uniforms arrived and chased him out.

Apparently, Nana Boroo, who might have sponsored the event, brought them due to a possible disagreement with Chef Smith, possibly a broken contract.

Check here for more updates.

MUSIC

Rema’s ‘Raves & Roses’ Surpasses 100 Weeks On Billboard 200 Chart

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2024

Reporter

Raves & Roses surpasses 100 weeks on Billboard 200 | Fab.ng

Nigerian Afrobeats is taking the world by storm. Rema is at the forefront of this movement with his “Raves & Roses”. His award-winning music has not only achieved massive success in his home country but is also breaking records internationally.

Rema’s debut album, “Raves & Roses,” continues to be a global phenomenon.

Fueled by the mega-hit single “Calm Down,” the album has spent a staggering 100 weeks on the Billboard 200 Global Chart. With that, Rema is right behind Wizkid’s record-breaking “Made In Lagos” (133 weeks). This extended stay on the chart speaks volumes about the enduring popularity of “Raves & Roses” and Rema’s ability to create music with lasting appeal.

BREAKING: @heisrema’s “Rave & Roses” has now spent a milestone 100 WEEKS on the Billboard World Albums chart. 🇺🇸🌍

— It is the first African album since “Made in Lagos”(133Wks) to spend 100 Weeks on the chart. pic.twitter.com/w54C1GyPaU

— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) July 2, 2024

But Rema’s impact isn’t limited to album sales. “Calm Down” itself is a record-breaker, holding the Guinness World Record for the first-ever number-one song on the MENA chart. This recognition highlights the song’s international reach and influence.

The United States, in particular, has become a fertile ground for Rema’s success.

“Calm Down” soared to the coveted number three spot on the Billboard Hot 100. That was the highest peak ever achieved by a song from a Nigerian artist. It also shattered another record by holding its position on the chart for over 52 weeks, the longest run for a Nigerian artist song.

These achievements are further amplified by the song’s 4x RIAA Platinum certification in the US and its historic milestone of becoming the first African song to surpass 1 billion streams there. This is a monumental feat that paves the way for future Afrobeats artists and signifies a major win for the entire Nigerian music industry.

Rema isn’t resting on his laurels. He kicked off 2024 with a bang by collaborating with fellow Benin City star Shallipopi on “Benin Boys.” This song debuted at number one on the TurnTable Top 100 chart.

Rema’s record-breaking achievements are more than just personal victories. They mark a significant step forward for Afrobeats as a whole.

By captivating international audiences and breaking records, Rema is propelling Afrobeats into the mainstream spotlight and paving the way for other Nigerian artists to follow in his footsteps.

Get more updates here.

ARTS & CULTURE

Adopt July 13 As Wole Soyinka Day – Alake Urges Federal Government

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2024

Reporter

Alake Urges FG To Adopt July 13 As Wole Soyinka Day | Fab.ng

The Alake of Egba Land is a traditional ruler in Nigeria. Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo. He has a request for the Nigerian government. The Alake wants July 13 to be made a Wole Soyinka Day in Nigeria. This is to honour Prof. Wole Soyinka, a famous Nigerian writer who won a Nobel Prize.

The Alake thinks Soyinka should be honoured for three main reasons:

His work in literature
His fight for justice
His love for Nigerian culture

The Alake shared this idea at his palace in Abeokuta on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. He also mentioned that New Orleans, a city in the United States, has a Wole Soyinka Day. It’s on November 1 every year. He thinks if a foreign city can do this, Nigeria should do it too.

He said,

“It will be appropriate for the federal government to adopt July 13 as a national day to celebrate Prof Wole Soyinka, given his contribution to literature and humanity globally. It will be good to henceforth adopt his birthday which is July 13 as Wole Soyinka Day. In fact, New Orleans in the United States of America has already adopted a day to celebrate him, so why can’t we do so to honour our own too.”

The Oba also asked the Nigerian government to award Wole Soyinka their second-highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). He believes this prestigious award would be a fitting tribute to Soyinka’s achievements and a way to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Professor Soyinka is a renowned writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.

His educational background is quite impressive. He began his studies at Abeokuta Grammar School but later transferred to Government College in Ibadan in 1954. He continued his education at the University College in Ibadan before travelling to England to attend the University of Leeds.

Oba Gbadebo described the Nobel Laureate as “a literary giant, quintessential essayist, dramatist, playwright and a globally respected elder statesman, who is also the Akinlatun of Egbaland.”

The king of Egba Land has declared July 13th, Wole Soyinka’s birthday, as “Wole Soyinka Day” to celebrate his achievements.

To honour this special occasion, a two-day celebration is planned for July 12th and 13th. The festivities will show a variety of events. This includes art exhibitions by students from schools Soyinka attended, like St Peters Primary School, Abeokuta Grammar School, and others. Local artists from the Ogun State Chapter of the Society of Nigerian Artists will also be participating.

The celebration promises a vibrant mix of cultural performances, displays of books written by or about Soyinka, documentaries exploring his life, and poetry recitals. There will even be a traditional hunting expedition organized by Egba Land’s hunters.

This call to celebrate Soyinka nationally comes shortly after President Tinubu honoured the Nobel laureate by naming a major road in Abuja after him.

Check out more updates here.