Connect with us

Entertainment

South Africa removed as ‘country in focus’ at Puebla Festival over Adetshina’s controversy

Published

5 months ago

on

South Africa has been pulled out as the “country in focus” at the 2024 Puebla International Literature Festival (PILF) over its handling of the controversy surrounding Chidimma Adetshina‘s nationality.

PILF is an annual event dedicated to celebrating literature and promoting cultural exchange. Founded in 2024 by the Africa Center Mexico, the festival aims to gather renowned authors, emerging writers, literary enthusiasts, and cultural aficionados from Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia to share their stories and inspire one another.

On July 5, South Africa was announced as the festival’s “country in focus” for its maiden edition. As the “country in focus”, South Africa’s literary tradition was supposed to be spotlighted during a three-day-long event from October 4 to 6 in Puebla, Mexico.

But on Thursday, the festival organisers announced their resolve to rescind South Africa’s designation as the “country in focus” for this year’s festival. It also cancelled the invitation handed to South African guests attending the festival.

In a statement via X, Ikenna Okeh, the festival’s director, argued that the “victimisation of Chidimma Adetshina, her family and members of the immigrant communities in South Africa” is against the festival’s principles.

Okeh also said the festival will continue to support South African “writers and singers” regardless.

“We regret to announce the decision to rescind South Africa’s designation as the Country-in-Focus for this year’s festival, and to rescind the invitation of our South African guests,” the statement reads in part.

“This decision has been made after careful consideration of recent developments that have deeply troubled the African community.

“It is with sense of sadness that we acknowledge the distressing events in South Africa, where the apparatuses of the state, coupled with the troubling silence of many within the cultural sphere, have enabled a climate of mob rule.

“This has led to the victimisation of Chidimma Adetshina, her family and members of the immigrant communities in South Africa thus undermining the very principles of justice, equality and human dignity that literature seek to uphold.”

Related Topics:

Entertainment

N5m reward offered to whoever finds Wizkid’s missing phone

Published

12 hours ago

on

December 23, 2024 1:57 pm

By

A N5 million reward has been offered to anyone who helps recover Wizkid‘s missing phone.

The phone went missing on Saturday during the singer’s surprise performance at the Nativeland concert at Sol Beach in Elegushi, Lagos.

In a viral video from the concert, DJ Tunez took to the stage to announce the missing phone.

He said Wizkid’s phone dropped during his performance. He also offered a N5 million reward to anyone who finds it.

“When my brother Wizkid was performing, he dropped his cell phone. Anybody that finds Wizkid’s cell phone, N5 million. It is my boss’ cell phone, if anybody finds it, bring it to me. N5 million,” he said.

https://twitter.com/DigiMillennials/status/1870893331024097335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1870893331024097335%7Ctwgr%5E152da7d8daa3107ca1528fb2c86fd9e40dd11d90%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flifestyle.thecable.ng%2Fwizkid-loses-phone%2F

He also shared the announcement on his X page with the caption: “I’m gooooooooooood! Please if you find Machala’s phone hit me up! Thank you!”

https://twitter.com/DJ_TUNEZ/status/1870941930970079541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1870941930970079541%7Ctwgr%5E152da7d8daa3107ca1528fb2c86fd9e40dd11d90%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flifestyle.thecable.ng%2Fwizkid-loses-phone%2F

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Speed Darlington gets bail after one month in detention

Published

13 hours ago

on

December 23, 2024 1:10 pm

By

Speed Darlington, the Nigerian rapper, has been granted bail after nearly a month in police custody.

The rapper was arrested on November 27 while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo state.

Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, had alleged that Burna Boy, the Afrofusion star, was responsible for the rapper’s arrest.

Darlington had taunted Burna Boy over his affiliation with the embattled US rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ who is facing multiple charges for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

He asked Burna Boy to explain how he won the Grammy award for his album ‘Twice As Tall’ — a project executive produced by Diddy. He claimed there was a sexual relationship between the duo.

Stan Alieke, the legal representative of Darlington, earlier revealed that weeks after the rapper’s arrest, the police had denied him access to bail.

The lawyer also called on the law enforcement agency not to “trample on my client’s constitutional rights”.

But in an Instagram post on Monday, Alieke disclosed that his client had been granted bail.

“Apki has been granted bail by the court,” he wrote without including much information.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Spotify names Burna Boy as the most exported Nigerian artist of 2024

Published

2 days ago

on

December 21, 2024 3:11 pm

By

Spotify has released the data for the most streamed artists outside Nigeria in 2024.

On the list shared by Spotify, Grammy winner Burna Boy is the Nigerian artist with the most streams outside Nigeria. For the past couple of years, the hitmaker has been at the forefront of exporting Nigerian music globally.

Burna Boy’s feat is a testament to his global popularity which has made him the only African artist with 3 albums surpassing over 500 million streams.

Second on the list is Grammy-nominated star Ayra Starr who enjoyed a good year thanks to the release of her critically acclaimed sophomore album ‘The Year I Turned 21’ which enjoyed critical and commercial success.

The album features a star-studded lineup that includes Asake, Seyi Vibez, American singer Giveon and Coco Jones, and Brazilian star Aniita.

Rema is the third most exported Nigerian artist of 2024. His hit single ‘Calm Down’ continues to enjoy global success, especially in the United States where it became the first African song to garner 1 billion streams.

This year, Rema released his sophomore LP ‘HEIS’ which is one of the most talked about albums of 2024. The album buoyed by its upper tempo arrangement, pulsating production, and aggressive chest thumping delivered the bit records ‘Ozeba’, ‘Hehehe’, and ‘Azaman’.

Tems (4) and Omah Lay (5) rounds off the top 5. Grammy winner Tems enjoyed a successful year on the global front with the release of her debut album ‘Born In The Wild’ which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Global Album.

Top 10 exported Nigerian Artists on Spotify in 2024

1. Burna Boy
2. Ayra Starr
3. Rema
4. Tems
5. Omah Lay
6. Asake
7. Wizkid 
8. Davido
9. Fireboy
10. Victony

Continue Reading

Most Read...