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Monarch gives Amazon 14-day ultimatum to remove Eyo masquerade from ‘Gangs of Lagos’

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Oba Rilwan Akiolu has given Amazon a 14-day ultimatum to remove the Eyo from ‘Gangs of Lagos’.

The Lagos monarch waded in on the long-running debate about the film’s portrayal of the local Eyo masquerade.

Directed by Jade Osiberu, ‘Gangs of Lagos’ was released to the public via Amazon’s Prime Video on April 7.

The film tells the story of a group of friends forced to navigate the hardship of growing up on the streets of Lagos.

‘Gangs of Lagos’ has, however, been on the receiving end of public backlash over concerns that it depicted the Eyo masquerade, which is native to the Isale Eko community of Lagos, as being donned by a gang of murderers.

Aggrieved indigenes have also been questioning the film’s portrayal of Isale Eko as a den of criminals.

As a result, the Isale Eko Descendants Union (IDU) filed a lawsuit against Amazon and the film’s producers.

The union is demanding ₦10 billion in damages in a case that has been making court rounds for weeks now.

The Oba of Lagos, while wading in on the matter, listed four conditions that the producers should meet in 14 days.

Akiolu called on Amazon Web Service, Greoh Studios, and the film producers “to immediately remove, cease and desist from using” the image getup and the full manifestation of the local Eyo masquerade in the ‘Gangs of Lagos’.

He said the “illegal representation” of the Eyo in the crime thriller inflicted huge reputational damage to its brand.

The monarch expressed concern that potential tourists on the international front and visitors to Lagos were likely to begin querying the authenticity of the Eyo as a true cultural heritage event deserving of respect and reverence.

Akiolu added that the portrayal was done without permission or due reference to the office of the Oba of Lagos.

“I am the custodian and final authority of the Adimu Orisa and its manifestation of the Eyo,” the monarch wrote.

“These traditional rites are the tangible and intangible property of the indigenes of Lagos and these are their bundle of rights of our intellectual property in our cultural heritage.

“This cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artefacts and intangible attributes that has been inherited from past generations over two hundred years ago, maintained in the present by the Oba of Lagos, and bestowed for the benefit of future generations.

“They must not be used without the indigenous owners’ express permission or desecrated in any way whatsoever.”

Oba Rilwan Akiolu alleged that ‘Gangs of Lagos’ grossly violated the rights of the indigenous people of Lagos contrary to the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2007.

“This [covers] the right to maintain, protect, and develop the past, present and future manifestations of our cultures, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature,” he said.

The monarch asked the film producers to submit within 14 days a proposal for the restitution of Eyo’s sanctity.

He asked the film producers to provide, within 14 days, a compensatory proposal for the infringement.

Amazon is the founder of Prime which only just released ‘Gangs of Lagos’ as its first original African production.

Entertainment

Bolanle Ninalowo opens up on early career struggles

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Bolanle Ninalowo has revealed how he overcame early career setbacks to achieve success in Nollywood.

In an unreleased episode of ‘Off The Top’ podcast, Ninalowo said his initial failures ultimately led to his triumph in the entertainment industry.

When asked about his motivation to persevere in an unreleased episode of ‘Off The Top’ podcast, the 44-year-old emphasised that being down can present unexpected opportunities for self-discovery.

Reflecting on his Nollywood journey, Ninalowo credited his initial failures for his eventual success.

“When you fall flat on your face and you are backed against the wall, that is when you get the biggest opportunities to discover yourself. I tell people that when I came to Nollywood, the secrets of my success are buried in my failures,” he said.

Ninalowo’s entry into Nollywood was far from smooth. He began as a producer but faced failure. He then ventured into music, only to find it wasn’t his calling. Undeterred, he returned to acting in the mid-2000s.

His breakthrough came with the 2015 movie ‘Desperate Baby Mamas,’ which propelled him to fame. Since then, the Ikorodu-born actor has appeared in numerous hit films, showcasing his versatility in both Yoruba and English movies.

Some of his notable roles include performances in ‘Fate of Alakada,’ ‘Coming From Insanity,’ ‘Breaded Life,’ ‘Lakatabu,’ and ‘Alter Date.’

Ninalowo’s resilience and determination have made him a household name in Nollywood.

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Basketmouth reveals why he stopped being MC at weddings

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Basketmouth, the Nigerian standup comedian, has revealed why he stopped being the master of ceremony (MC) at wedding events.

The 46-year-old entertainer described his decision as a “sacrifice” necessary to preserve his artistic integrity.

“Hosting events as an MC feels like adulterating the art,” he said in a chat with journalists at the premiere of his first feature film ‘A Ghetto Love Story‘.

Basketmouth clarified that he only stopped being MC at private gigs like weddings, not entirely quitting duties as host.

He added that if invited to a private gig, “I will be doing standup comedy, not the MC”.

“The only thing I have stopped is private gigs like weddings and all. It is a sacrifice I have to make because I do standup comedy, that is what I do. I did not enter this industry to be an MC of a wedding and all that,” he said.

“So I felt like I was adulterating the art, I felt bad about it and I had to stop. So if I am doing a private gig, I be doing standup comedy, not the MC.

“Let me just do my 30 minutes and bounce, but not as the MC of any event. I cannot do it anymore, that is like I am cheating on my craft. I am losing a lot of money but it is not about the money now.”

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Entertainment

Rapper NBA YoungBoy pleads guilty in drug fraud case

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NBA YoungBoy, the US rapper, has pleaded guilty to charges connected to a prescription drug fraud scheme.

The Louisiana rapper appeared in a courtroom in Logan, Utah on Monday, where he admitted to two counts of third-degree felony identity fraud, two counts of third-degree felony forgery, and six counts of misdemeanor unlawful pharmacy conduct.

YoungBoy, who is still serving 27 months on federal charges, also entered a “no contest” plea for 36 additional charges. He initially faced 46 state charges.

The plea deal reduced the felony charges to Class A misdemeanors.

Spencer Walsh, the judge, suspended a prison sentence, instead imposing a $25,000 fine.

The judge acknowledged YoungBoy’s prior agreement to serve over two years in prison and five years of probation for a related federal case resolved in September.

Authorities revealed that YoungBoy orchestrated the scheme from his home in Huntsville, Utah, where he posed as a doctor, using stolen identities to call in fraudulent prescriptions.

His associates allegedly collected the drugs from area pharmacies.

During sentencing, Walsh offered words of encouragement for the 25-year-old artiste.

“I’m sure that in your future, once you’re done with your federal prison time, you can be really successful on federal probation and have a really bright future where you can reach your full potential in every aspect of your life,” he said.

YoungBoy, known for his 2018 debut studio album ‘Until Death Call My Name’ and projects like ‘AI YoungBoy 2’ (2019) and ‘Sincerely, Kentrell’ (2021), is also facing an unresolved federal gun case in Louisiana.

The rapper, born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, recently announced plans to release his new album, ‘I Just Got a Lot on My Shoulders’, on December 6.

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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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