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Chocolate City pledges $1m to creatives to mark 20th anniversary

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To commemorate its 20th anniversary, Chocolate City, the Nigerian music label, has pledged a $1 million empowerment fund to support creatives.

In an interview with Arise TV, Paul Okeugo and Audu Maikori, the music label founders, reflected on their journey, citing financial struggles and limited investment in the creative industry when they established Chocolate City.

“It’s part of our 20 year celebration, I mean, this year, we are 20 years in business as most people know. It’s been an interesting journey,” Okeugo said.

“We recall that when we started, there weren’t many people who were looking to invest in creative industry.

“In fact, it was so nascent that at the time, when you started a business in the creative industry, it was like you’re taking a big risk, it was a punt, it was like, why don’t you do something more stable like law, medicine.

“So, we took a risk, and it was hard to get funding most times, and so we had to take jobs that we didn’t want to fund the business, we had to do that.

“We didn’t get any support until maybe three or four years into our business when we got some support from a media network.

“I think it was in Kenya, I don’t remember the year, but we got $50,000 at that time to help us and that really made a big difference to us at the time. So we thought what better way, sort of, to give back.”

On his part, Maikori revealed that 50% of the fund will be allocated to female entrepreneurs and artistes, emphasizing the importance of leveling the playing field.

“One thing that’s unique about the fund is that 50% is going to female entrepreneurs, and I think that’s crucial,” he said.

“It seems like it’s amazing, but it should be the standard, and the simple reason is that sometimes when you’re in the marketplace and there’s no equality, what you do is try and level the playing field.

“And you know that with women, it’s a bit harder to go into business, access to funding. We’ve heard stories of women being harassed because they want to do something amazing, and we think that women are the bedrock of any nation.

“The idea is that we’re going to grow the fund over time. We’re starting off in Nigeria, we’re going to spread to Africa over time. Because right now, our culture is a global phenomenon.

“It’s our food, it’s our fashion, it’s our swag. So the idea then is that we’re dealing in a global economy, so we cannot just keep it local.

“We’re focusing mainly on film, on music, on content creation, and also gaming/e-sports.

“And the reason why is that these are very skillable businesses and verticals. But the other reason why is that we think that the creative economy has the most promise in the short term for gainful employment for young people.”

Chocolate City, founded in 2005, has been home to notable artistes such as M.I Abaga, Nosa, Dice Ailes, Blaqbonez, CKay, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, and DJ Lambo.

The label’s signees recently released a joint single ‘Chocolate City Cypher’ to mark the 20th anniversary.

Entertainment

Nobody is your friend in the music industry, says Reminisce

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Nigerian rapper Reminisce has opened up about how he implemented boundaries in his industry relationships, stressing that not everyone around him is a friend.

Speaking during a recent interview with Naija FM, when asked about how he handles fame, the rapper explained that his early experiences taught him a tough lesson about fame and the music industry.

He explained, “Fame is a drug that gets one high and clouds judgment. One of the things I did in life earlier on was to realise that nobody is my friend.”

“That’s probably why many people don’t like me, if someone has worked with me and you find out that we had issues, if you find out what happened, it would probably have been because I made my decision and stood by it. I have learned that at the end of the day, na me go suffer the consequences,” he added, emphasising the need for boundaries.

Reminisce narrated how he learned earlier in his career that he had no friends within the industry, and as he became more successful, he learned to be careful about who he trusted to be around him.

“You know that when it comes to humans, they turn you into an enemy if they aren’t favoured, especially monetarily. It took a while before I became famous and I even had a child beforehand, so the first thing I got to understand is that nobody is your friend, you can be kind and you can assist but the first mistake you can make in this music industry is thinking everyone is your friend. Nobody is your friend,” said the rapper.

Reminisce advises aspiring artists to be aware of their surroundings, “We all want the same thing so there is no way you’d think everyone is your friend,” he explained. “It is very normal to have people around you when you’re hot and popping and it is your responsibility as a famous person to determine what you want. Not everyone around you wants you to succeed.”

See the full interview below:

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‘If you had powers, your two wives would still be alive’ — VeryDarkMan replies Lazarus Muoka

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VeryDarkMan, the controversial activist, has hit back at Lazarus Muoka, the general overseer of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, for calling him out.

The church has been under scrutiny since clips of the members sharing their strange testimonies went viral on social media.

In a recent video, Muoka called out VeryDarkMan, saying he was told the activist “made negative comments about my church”.

The cleric alleged that the social media influencer said “Chosen members will learn the hard way”.

Mouka said he told the person “VeryDarkMan is learning something today in a hard way” — implying that the activist is in a difficult situation due to his remarks about Chosen.

Reacting via his Instagram page, VeryDarkMan questioned Muoka’s powers, citing his “wives’ mysterious deaths”.

The social media influencer also criticised the church testimonies, referring to them as “exaggerated and ridiculous”.

“If you had this power, your two wives would still be alive. In 2010 you lost your first wife, Joy Muoka and then again you lost your second wife, ‘Pastor Ngozi Muoka. You should have worn ‘They are chosen’ clothes on their body so they would not have died,” he said.

“… miracle happens but not in the way your church members explain. They are exaggerating it.”

It was gathered that Mouka’s first wife died in 2010. His second wife was said to have passed away in July last year. She was buried buried last month.

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Mama No Network reveals how ex-husband, Baba Lanko ruined her acting career after divorce

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Atinuke Kazeem, the Nigerian actress better known as Mama No Network, has opened up about her broken marriage to Baba Lanko, her colleague.

In an interview with actress Biola Bayo, Mama No Network revealed how she and Baba Lanko initially worked together to produce films.

She said their relationship, however, began to crumble after he found success and sought to marry another woman.

She claimed that after the dissolution of their marriage, Lanko blocked her from appearing in the same films as him. She added that but now, he hires her for roles.

“My ex-husband, Lanko, and I worked hard to produce many films. But when money and fame came, he told me he wanted to marry a new wife,” she said.

“After we parted ways, he told producers not to feature me in the same projects as him. Today, however, he now uses his money to call me for movie roles, and I give glory to God.”

The actress also recounted the struggles she faced with infertility during their marriage, including undergoing extreme measures like drinking kerosene, which made her bloated.

She added that God eventually “answered her prayers” by making her conceive naturally.

“I wasn’t the one who left the marriage; he simply stopped coming home. During our time together, I faced immense difficulties while trying to have a child. I went through hell,” she added.

“At one point, I was given kerosene to drink. All those desperate measures affected me, leading to my bloated stomach. When I finally gave up hope, God answered my prayers, and the pregnancy came naturally.”

In May 2023, Mama No Network remarried. She tied the knot to a younger partner.

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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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