Remains Of Nollywood Actor, Saint Obi Laid To Rest
Tears flowed freely on Friday, as the remains of actor, Obinna Nwafor, popularly known as Saint Obi were laid to rest in his birthplace of Umuezealaeze, Alaenyi Ogwa in Imo State.
The interment came more than three months after his death. Aged 57, the actors’ actor, known for his roles in Candle Light, State of Emergency, Sakobi, Goodbye Tomorrow, Heart of Gold, Festival of Fire, Executive Crime and Last Party, died on May 7 in Jos, Plateau State after a protracted illness.
A theatre arts major of the University of Jos, ‘Saint of Nollywood’ as Obi was called by colleagues, ventured into acting in 1996 via a peugeot television commercial. He would later star in tons and tons of movies.
In 2001, Obi produced his first movie, titled, Take Me to Maama, where he starred as Jerry, alongside Ebi Sam, the late Rachel Oniga and the late Enebeli Elebuwa. The actor and director, Andy Chukwu, the politician and actor, Bob Manuel-Udokwu and ace journalist and publisher of Yes Magazine, Ichie Azuh Arinze, were some personalities who witnessed the burial ceremony in Saint Obi’s hometown.
Funke Akindele Heads To UK On Vacation
Screen diva Funke Akindele is already in the United Kingdom on vacation few days after the actress, producer and director returned from a successful screening of her box office hit, ‘Battle on Buka Street,’ at the ‘Box Office Around the World’ festival in Berlin.
An elated Akindele shared a video on her social media handle where she announced that she was already in London with her family including her children for a deserved vacation. “So, this workaholic Funke Akindele can go on vacation’’ the actress asked at the start of the video, which showed her journey from the Muritala Muhammed Airport in Lagos to a private home in London where she is expected to spend the next few weeks.
Just days ago, the actress, who is popular as Jenifa, was on the lips of so many Germans and Nigerians residing in Berlin as her film, ‘Battle on Buka Street,’ was screen at the festival that presents six current cinema productions that are audience successes and box office hits in their countries of origin.
Akindele’s ‘Battle on Buka Street,’ which ended its theatrical run in Nigeria in April, and emerged as Nigeria’s highest grossing film, is one of the six films—Box office hits—around the world that screened in Berlin.
Jointly produced as a collaboration between Funke Ayotunde Akindele Network (FAAN) and FilmOne
Entertainment and directed by Akindele and Tobi Makinde, the movie, with the running time of 140 minutes made the list of the highest grossing Nigerian films of 2022 and first half of 2023. Akindele’s “Battle on Buka Street” maintained the first spot on the list and after spending four months and a week at the cinema, the movie posted a gross total of N668, 423, 056 at the box office.
Interestingly, the movie finished as the highest-grossing Nigerian film of all time to displace Akindele’s debut theatrical movie, ‘Omo Ghetto: The Saga,’ which finished at N636, 129, 120. Moviedom wishes Akindele a nice time in the UK and looks forward to her next offering.
Comic Actor Afeez Oyetoro Is 60
Congratulations are still in order for popular stage and screen actor, comedian and theatre lecturer, Afeez Oyetoro, who is popular as Saka. The actor turned 60 on Monday and friends, colleagues, fans and well-wishers took to their social media handle to rain garlands on the Iseyin, Oyo state-born comic actor who brings his charm and wealth of experience as a steady comic actor to bear in making the character he lives on stage and in movies, believable.
His comic sparring partner on stage, Windapo Oluwagbemiga, penned this message for the talented actor on his facebook handle: “Happy 60th diamond birthday to you, my one and only zaniest paddy that ever liveth. Hafizkolobo! The world never see anything yet oo. You just dey begin. Allah mercies plus blessings go boku full ya basket, yanfu-yanfu! Oya, 70 years loading.”
Over 191 fans of the actor took to the comment section of the post by Windapo to heap best wishes on the trained theatre practitioner. A die-hard theatre practitioner and one of Nigeria’s celebrated comic actors, Oyetoro currently lectures in the Department of Theatre Arts of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Lagos State. He has a credit pouch that is filled with several stage productions, television soaps, series and movie production. Married with children, Oyetoro’s latest movie appearances include Ojukokoro, The Wedding Party and Tatu.
Lagos International Film Festival Promises A LIFF For Students
The 2023 edition of the Lagos International Film Festival dubbed, ‘LIFF’ will feature a special student award for film students in tertiary institutions. The festival is scheduled to hold between August 30 and September 2, 2023 at the Oriental Hotel Lagos and at Sky Mall, also in Lagos.
Festival Director, Daisy Madu Chikwendu, disclosed that the Best student film is an award for best film made by a department or an individual. The festival director also mentioned that this edition will also feature screening of films, panel discussions and exhibition of filmmaking soft and hard wares.
Chikwendu also announced four movies that will feature at a special section of the festival, termed, ‘Red Carpet Movies.’ The movies are Steph Nora Okere’s ‘Dance With Me’, Uzo Okpechi’s ‘Kamsi’, Kemi Adekomi’s ‘Dark Clouds’ and Joseph Adejoh’s ‘Awomi’.
Information on the festival can be sourced on the festival’s Instagram page @lagiff012.
