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Exclusive: Destination Quidha Test Tour Leaves Tourists Yearning for More, Bodex Media Gushes

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7 years ago

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Destination Oudah

Morning after, which is the day two of the test tour, Benin Royal Hotel woke us up to sumptuous breakfast which translated from bread rolls to croissant, coffee and variety as you would have wished for. Our dishes kept filling up with food at very instance. One of us even said jokingly that the first he would do when he gets back to Nigeria is to check his weight as he suspects he must have added a few pounds. From the appetizer, to the main course itself, and even to the dessert, spelt for us the true royalty that we exude. We were treated to a mesmerizing buffet that left people going back for more to have their fill.

A quick survey revealed somewhat that apart from French as the major language of the Beninoise, another widely spoken language there is Egun, from Nigeria. Those that could communicate in the language and comprehend all what is being said feel like they are in charge.

Meanwhile, we came in company of Prince Adekunle Adeyemo, the Executive Assistant to the Ambassador of tourism in Africa and President of Motherland Beckons/ La Campagne Tropicana beach Resort, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye, Otunba Niyi Babade of CNN Africa, Mr Wale Ojo of Tribune and the Most Beautiful girl in Nigeria, Tourism, Miss Winfrey Okolo.

After breakfast and all, we set out on our destination to Quidha. We left at about 11:55 am in a convoy up until we got to the place where pythons are worshipped ( Les Temples de pythons) at about 1:00pm. Though we didn’t stop there immediately, we made a down payment of 20,000Franc CFA for our visiting expenses.

We headed to the slave mausoleum where several slaves were buried on a daily basis.  Some slaves were even buried alive because slave masters felt they couldn’t continue on the journey. Historical estimates run to about 40 million souls buried there. We paid our homage to the lost souls by observing a minute’s silence. The African Ambassador of Tourism, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye gave a heartfelt speech on the sufferings and pain the souls of the departed are languishing in.

While we were in motion with this, we were met and greeted by the representatives of the honorable minister of tourism, to appreciate our efforts and visit, in line with destination Quidah. A memorial bouquet of flowers was presented and lain by the Most Beautiful girl in Nigeria, Tourism, Miss Winfrey Okolo, on behalf of Nigeria in remembrance.

We proceeded on the journey to the point of no return, where slaves if taken to this point, were rest assured to never see their countries or families. This point served as a major exchange point and port for slave trade on the African continent. Destination Quidah opened the eyes of many to the culture and sounds of the people of Benin republic.

Meanwhile, as we left the slave mausoleum, little did we know we were going to have an encounter with strong believers and practitioners of voodooism (voodun) right on the same route. They were receptive and approachable and as well gave a little insight into what they do and how they do what they do.

In rounding off our tour for the day, we made a final stop at the temple of pythons. Most people from the stop earlier made were excited, a few apprehensive and others non-different. Here, the facilitator informed us that the pythons don’t bite, as they were royal pythons and that is what people in that locality worship. Ironically, the first Catholic Cathedral in West Africa is situated directly opposite this temple.

The snakes, we were told, are released once every month to go into the neighborhood to feed and be worshipped, after which they return to the temple on their own accord, whilst some are brought back by faithful worshippers. They feed on small livestock and rodents each time until their next release. Mind you, they are never killed!!

Things spiced up momentarily as we took turns to touch, carry and wear the live python as a muffler round our necks. Though some tourists were freaked out and barely had the nerve, it all boiled down to stepping up your fear game, just as the saying “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”  Even Bodex herself, was scared to the bones as the sight of the snakes gave her the hives. She screamed and almost took to her heels when it was her turn to wear the snake as a muffler.

We weren’t alone on this journey as white men from different nationality were seen taking a tour of the different places we visited. It showed to us that if we as Africans do not appreciate the tourism elements we carry, foreigners from other continents actually do.

At 3:35pm we were back at the Benin Royal Hotel. The journey this time seemed shorter and a lot faster. This time, we resumed at the VIP restaurant for the humongous lunch awaiting us. Though it was a fun journey, we were pretty exhausted from the heat of the scotching sun. Resting a while, we set out again at 7:15pm for the high point event of the night.

There was a blend of Nigerian and Beninoise music with performance from Motherland’s very own Olo – omidan bata, Anu – the lady Ekwe, and many more with models and multi instrumentalists serenading all to pleasant sounds of jazz and pure African music.

The major highlight of the event this evening was by Nigeria’s very own Remilekun Abdulkalid Safaru, popularly known as Reminisce, a.k.a Alaga Ibile. His performance was off the hook, with blaring hit songs to his title. He is a man of few words, but left fans bedazzled all night out.

See pictures:

Destination Ouidah Destination Ouidah

 

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Events

Wizkid performs ‘Troubled Mind’ at British Fashion Awards

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3 weeks ago

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December 3, 2024 10:45 am

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Wizkid, the Grammy-winning singer, delivered a breathtaking performance of his new song ‘Troubled Mind’ at the 2024 British Fashion Awards.

This year’s event, held on Monday night at the Royal Albert Hall in London, saw Wizkid perform in the presence of some of the fashion world’s most prominent figures, including British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker, Dior’s Kim Jones, and Tom Ford.

‘Troubled Mind’, which serves as the opening track of ‘Morayo‘, Wizkid’s newly released sixth studio album, thrilled the audience as the singer poured emotion into the performance.

The night saw Jonathan Anderson, the Irish-born designer, clinch the coveted Designer of the Year award for the second consecutive year.

Celebrities including Rihanna and A$AP Rocky also graced the occasion, with Rocky receiving the Cultural Innovator award.

Born Ayodeji Balogun, Wizkid gained prominence in 2011 when he released his debut album ‘Superstar’.

He has released five additional albums including, ‘Ayo’ in 2014, ‘Sound From The Other Side’ in 2017, ‘Made In Lagos’ in 2020, ‘More Love, Less Ego’ in 2022 and ‘Morayo in 2024.

The singer has also received numerous awards, including a Grammy Award in 2021 for his collaboration with Beyoncé on the hit song ‘Brown Skin Girl’.

In October, ‘Made in Lagos’ was recognised as the most-streamed Nigerian album on Apple Music.

Watch Wizkid’s performance here

https://twitter.com/i/status/1863838191909732508
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Events

SEE FULL LIST: ‘Jagun Jagun’ wins six categories at 2024 BON Awards

Published

4 weeks ago

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November 25, 2024 8:05 am

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Femi Adebayo’s epic ‘Jagun Jagun’ has won six award categories at the 2024 Best of Nollywood (BON) ceremony.

The 16th edition of the BON Awards was held on Sunday night at the Sugar Factory Film Studios in Ilorin, Kwara.

Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi, the actress, hosted the award ceremony.

At the ceremony, Femi Adebayo’s epic film ‘Jagun Jagun’ was a standout entry, winning a total of six award categories.

These include “Best Actor”, Best Costume”, “Best Indigenous Film”, “Best Production Design”, and “Best Special Effect”.

Another significant winner was the film ‘Momiwa’, which took home “Best Editing” and “Best Screenplay”.

‘Jagun Jagun’ was nominated in 12 categories.

The Netflix original Yoruba film, released in August 2023, tells the story of a warlord respected within and outside his community.

The arrival of a young man reveals his insecurities, as he fears that his authority may soon be displaced.

See the full list of winners below.

Best Cinematography

  • ADIRE

Director of the Year

  • BAYO TIJANI & TOPE ADEBAYO (Jagun Jagun)

Best Social Message

  • UNLEASHED

Best Short Film

  • OUT OF MANY

Best Actor

  • FEMI ADEBAYO (JAGUN JAGUN)

Best Actress

  • WUNMI DADA (UNKNOWN SOJA)

Best Supporting Actress

  • MERCY AIGBE (ADA OMO DADDY)

Best Supporting Actor

  • KEPPY EKPENYONG (THE WEEKEND)

Best Editing

  • MOMIWA

Best Costume

  • JAGUN JAGUN

Best Sound

  • OFFSHOOT

Best Soundtrack

  • OLOKU ADA

BEST USE OF FOOD

  • NWANYI ABACHA

Best Indigenous Film

  • JAGUN JAGUN

Best Child Actor

  • NIFEMI LAWAL

Best Child Actress

  • DARASIMI NADI (UNKNOWN SOJA)

Most Promising Actor

  • OZECHI FRANKLIN IZUCHUCHUKWU

Most Promising Actress

  • CHIOMA OKAFOR

Best Production Design

  • JAGUN JAGUN

Best Screenplay

  • MOMIWA

Best Use of Food

  • ORISA

Best Kiss

  • HALIMA GANIYU & DAVID AKANDE (ETI KETA)

Best Special Effect

  • JAGUN JAGUN

Best Documentary

  • IS IT YOUR MONEY?
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Events

JCI Nigeria Hosts The 4th Edition Of The Global Digital Economy Summit

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1 month ago

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November 9, 2024 6:15 pm

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The Global Digital Economy Summit (GDES) 4.0, held on 12th October 2024, at Park Inn, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, accentuates the pivotal role of international trade, foreign direct investment, and technology diffusion in shaping economies worldwide, particularly highlighting the potential for digital inclusion and trade empowerment to achieve shared prosperity in Africa.

The summit, organised by Junior Chamber International (JCI) Nigeria in collaboration with JCI South Africa, JCI Zimbabwe, JCI Niger, JCI Benin Republic, and JCI Malaysia, attracted a diverse audience of entrepreneurs, professionals, undergraduates, and civil servants from across the globe.


Focused on “Digital Inclusion and Trade Empowerment: A Path to Shared Prosperity,” GDES 4.0 brought together leaders, innovators, and experts who shared insights into the vital role of digital technologies, intellectual property, and cross-border collaborations in shaping sustainable economic development, particularly in Africa.


The keynote address by Dr. Oluwatobiloba Moody, Director, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), captivated the audience with his perspective on the importance of intellectual property rights in promoting innovation and economic growth.

His speech was a deep reflection on the challenges and opportunities presented by technological advancements.


A lively panel discussion featured experts such as Ezekiel Solesi, CEO of LIMBSimple, and Ayo Olajide, JCI South Africa’s Vice President, moderated by Ekezue Anthonia Ezenwa, JCI Nigeria’s 2024 Director of Business Opportunities.

They emphasised the necessity of digital skills for economic relevance and highlighted the importance of partnerships for business growth and sustainability.

Their insights affirmed the need for continual innovation in a progressively digital world, warning that businesses risk falling behind if they neglect emerging technological trends.


A notable highlight of the summit was the International Business Pitch Competition, which featured 10 finalists.

After rigorous training on pitch deck mastery, five finalists competed for top honours. AnyWash App (Omotola Olaifa) emerged as the winner, followed by SundryAgro Ltd. (Eyitayo Onigbinde), and FundCity (Deborah Abayomi), who took second and third place respectively.

These winners were awarded cash prizes, business development and intellectual property support from the World Intellectual Property Organisation and expert sessions with AfriGlocal Venture Capital, an important partner in this initiative.


The summit also featured goodwill messages from key figures like JCI World President Kaveen Kumaravel, and JCI Executive Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Tetiweh Nzimah who highlighted JCI’s commitment to supporting digital innovation and youth engagement.

JCI Nigeria President, JCI Senator Sandra Ekene Efemuaye, praised the summit’s impact, encouraged participants to leverage the rich learning, networking opportunities and collaboration presented and commended the Directorate of Business Opportunities for successfully implementing a standard event.

National Director of Business Opportunities, Ekezue Anthonia Ezenwa, expressed her gratitude for the support from JCI leadership, recognising the Directorate’s role in the impactful gathering.


The outcomes of the summit were far-reaching. The top five pitch competition participants received vital business development and intellectual property support from WIPO, alongside expert sessions from AfriGlocal Venture Capital.

The partnerships and discussions set the stage for future collaborations aimed at ensuring the continued success of GDES and its initiatives.


The summit concluded with a call for governments across the globe to implement robust policies that protect digital economy assets and ensure digital inclusion for all.

It also highlighted the importance of continuous upskilling and innovation for businesses and entrepreneurs to stay competitive in an ever-evolving technological world.


We sincerely appreciate all our partners and sponsors for their dedication to the success of the summit.

We especially appreciate Bodex Media for promoting the summit’s impact across digital platforms and traditional media.


Attendees left the summit inspired to further integrate digital tools and innovative strategies into their pursuits, with anticipation already growing for the 2025 Global Digital Economy Summit 5.0, promising even greater opportunities and insights with a vision to further solidify the role of technology in creating a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous future.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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