Alabaster Box rocks Festival of Life, releases new album in London

The annual Festival of Life (FOL), which happened on Good Friday, April 18 at the gargantuan Excel Centre in London was not the same this year because Ghana’s Alabaster Box was there.

FOL is a one night event organized twice a year by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in the UK, and is hosted by the global General Overseer of the church himself, Rev. Dr. E. A. Adeboye.

The festival seats at least 40,000 people from across 670 RCCG branches in the UK and from other parts of the world, and Ghana’s Alabaster Box was one of a few carefully selected and privileged gospel music ministers to share the stage with the RCCG General Overseer to minister on the night.

The group was the only acappella group and the only one invited from outside London to minister at the festival this year. That was the second time Alabaster Box performed at FOL. The first time was in November 2007.

Alabaster Box was billed to perform two songs on the night. But the awesome reception from the ecstatic massive crowd prompted event organizers to extend their performance period.

The group had actually left the stage after performing but they were called back and given the mics to perform again amidst thunderous cheers from the crowd.

Album release:

One of the hosts (MCs) for the night, Dr. Sola Irukwu used the occasion to announce the release of Alabaster Box’s third and new album “Level don Change”, and invited the group to minister that song, saying that it fits into the theme of the festival “My Cup Runneth Over”.

He said “it is my pleasure to announce to you that Alabaster Box has just released their new album at FOL tonight and the title is Level don’ Change – what an appropriate song for tonight – as we go through the Easter period we are believing God to move us to a higher level and this song carries that message.”

Prior to that, the Head Pastor of Jesus House, London and Chairman of all the 670 RCCG branches in the UK, Pastor Agu Irukwu had prayed over the new CD backstage and pronounced God’s blessing on it. Group Leader, Sammy Dowuona said “it was not an accident that Pastor Agu prayed over the CD because we were led to dedicate the title track ‘Level don’ Change’ to him on his 50th birthday celebration.”

Sammy said Pastor Agu is a very kind-hearted man who left the UK and came to Ghana to look for the Alabaster Box and invite them to his 50th birthday celebration in London.

“When we met him in Ghana he told us he decided to invite his best friends around the world to celebrate his golden jubilee and he thought of us as one of his best friends. We were blown away by his love and the place he has given us in his heart. Indeed he gave us a life line as a group and we believe God was at work through him,” Sammy said.

Touching on the new album itself, Sammy said the 10-track album is the third of Alabaster Box’s afroppella collections, and it took exactly 10 years since the launch of the second album in 2004, for the third to come.

“It is significant because the enemy tried everything to stop this album but it is here. The enemy is fully aware of the significance of the number three so he gave us a tough time with the completion and release of the third album.

“Now it is here and it is out. We believe it is destined to be a blessing to many around the world and everyone who buys a copy is sowing into a higher level of his/her own life,” group leader Sammy said. He said the album, particularly the title track “Level don Change” is already making waves in the UK, and they expect Ghana to and the rest of Africa to tap into the album even more.

Other tracks on the album at Halleluyah, Hakuna Wako Fana ana Yesu, Yen Agya, Bebre, The Grace, Thank, Oshe, I shall not die and a remix of Mama Africa.

Alabaster Box is due back in Ghana April 30th to start preparations toward the formal launch of the new album, after which the group will be meeting two booked appointments in Nigeria in June and in July this year.

But while in the UK, the group is due to hold two evangelistic concerts at Alperton Baptist Church in London on Easter Saturday and Sunday, minister at Praise Chapel on Easter Sunday morning, Safeway International Ministries. They will also participate in Integrity Conference at Trinity Baptist Church and also do a number of performances in churches and schools in Bath.

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GhIPSS plans instant interbank funds transfer

                                    
The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS) says it plans to introduce an electronic payment system that will allow seamless instant interbank transfer of funds via mobile devices as well as Internet platforms.

The gh-link Instant , when introduced, will ease the reliance on the previous payment system wherein interbank transfer of funds take three hours even under express transactions through a system known as Direct Credit, under the Automated Clearing House (ACH), and 24 hours if it is not under express transaction.

Speaking to journalists in Accra, Archie Hesse Chief Executive of GhIPSS, said: “We are coming out with a development such that will allow interbank payment to be made instantly. It will be available to all banks that are connected to the gh-link system.”

gh-link is a GhIPSS interbank switching and processing system that interconnects switches of financial institutions and systems of third party institutions to enable them utilise a common platform for interbank transactions in an effective and efficient manner.

“In jurisdictions where instant pay has been introduced, you see a drastic reduction in the use of direct credit because some banks tend to hold onto funds to keep up with the float, so people start migrating to the use of the instant payment service,” Mr. Hesse said.

The service payment system will come in handy for businesses that want a quick and safe way of making or receiving payments.

He added: “One added benefit that will come with the instant pay system is the supply-chain system that we refer to as the e-Bills pay. This is used mainly by wholesalers. It is appropriate for wholesalers who are required to make payments before dispatch is done. We are also in talks with some wholesalers to sign them onto the platform. This system has been tried by our counterparts in Nigeria and it’s working very well”.

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Turkey ready to invest in Ghana- Ambassador

                                             
Dr Senturk Uzan, Turkish Ambassador to Ghana has expressed the readiness of the Turkish government and businesses to invest in the country.

This, he said had come about because Turkish investors see Ghana as a country with a lot of potential, especially in the West African sub region.

Dr Uzan, who was speaking on Thursday during a courtesy call on the management of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Accra, said investors from Turkey had expressed interest in meeting with the president on the possibilities of investing in the country.

He expressed the readiness of Turkey to give more scholarship to students from Ghana to study business management in Turkey. He also called for closer collaboration between the two countries and also explore more investment opportunities, which would be beneficial to both countries.

He noted that last year, trade between the two countries stood at over 500 million dollars and called for the implementation of measures to let trading activities between the two countries to be mutually beneficial. Dr Seth Adjei Baah, President, Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industries, pledged Ghana’s readiness to improve on its exports to Turkey to improve its revenue as far as trading with Turkey was concerned.

He called for the implementation of practical measures, which would ensure that “we stopped importing things we could produce in the country.” “It is sad to note that we import fruits juices when we have a lot of fruits in the country, especially in the Ada area”, he added.

He said Ghana’s ability to reduce the rate of its imports would go a long way to cut down on expenditure, adding that, it was sad that “a country like Ghana with over 50 per cent of the population involved in farming cannot produce enough to feed its citizens and had to import to supplement its food needs.

“In some countries, only about 5 per cent of the population is involved in agriculture, and yet they can produce for the population and even export”, he added. Mr Clement Osei-Amoako, Chairman, Accra Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industries, intimated that Ghana-Turkey relationship had grown tremendously and attributed the growth to the Turk Eximbank loan facility to Ghanaian businesses.

“Although the loan facility is a good venture, it is unfortunate that most of our members have not been able to access the facility due to the condition of getting a guarantee from banks before accessing it”, he added.

He said Ghana’s imports from Turkey in 2009 amounted to over 50 million dollars but that rose sharply to over 200 million dollars in 2012.

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Ghana must stand agains Genetically Modified (Gm) foods- samia Nkrumah

                      
A leading member of the Coalition for Farmers Rights and Advocacy against Genetically Modified Organisms, Samia Yaaba Nkrumah, has declared zero tolerance for attempts to introduce Genetically Modified Foods into the nation’s food supply chain.

She said the group will not relent in its efforts at ensuring that the GMOs are not introduced in the country.

In an interview with Citi News, the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) Chairperson argued that implementing the Genetically Modified Foods in the country will affect the productivity of local farmers whose economic mainstay is subsistence farming.

“This is not a priority in Ghana and in Africa to be specific, and we must be alert to the threat that its introduction could cause; there is a whole trend worldwide that is trying to sell seeds invented by a few transnational globalized companies.”

She fumed, “We don’t need that monopoly over our farmers; we don’t need something that will impoverish and put the livelihood of our farmers at stake.”

Samia Nkrumah implied that the negative consequences of the GMO’s on the health of Ghanaians could endanger the nation’s human resource base.

“Serious health issues could face us if we allow the Genetically Modified Foods to become a turbulence in our country; what we have is a competitive advantage of organic farming and we must hold on to that.”

Samia Nkrumah who led the Anti-GMO campaigners in a demonstration in Accra said the group will continue to mount pressure on government to stop the proposal.

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Mahama pledges jobs

                               
A bullish President John Mahama yesterday pledged more jobs for Ghanaians through his government’s plans this year to boost public investment in infrastructure -- mainly transport, housing, energy and new secondary schools that are the flagship of his educational sector projects.

Seizing on the opportunity of a first-anniversary address and interview with the media at the Flagstaff House in Accra, the President rejected the gloom that some have expressed over the economy because of the spiralling cost of living, saying he is positive about the outlook for 2014.

“I believe 2014 is going to be a good year and the beginning of good things to come. We have the bright hope for a great future...building on the foundation of 2013,” Mr. Mahama told an audience that included journalists, advisors, and ministers.

The President’s words of optimism stand in sharp contrast to the widely-held view that the current year will be financially stressful for consumers and firms because of the impact from government’s fiscal adjustment policies.

The policies, which aim to slash the budget deficit and increase revenue to keep up infrastructure investment, have led to tax hikes, increases in utility costs and petroleum prices -- after subsidies were trimmed -- and a proposal to freeze the salaries of government workers this year, which would imply a reduction in their real wages.

Mr. Mahama defended the measures, likening them to every ordinary family’s efforts to cut back its expenditure when faced with soaring household debt. He said his government seeks to balance-out its expenditure and income, the gap between which was 12 percent of GDP at the start of 2013.

He added that the higher-than-expected deficit in 2013 -- 10.2 percent of GDP as opposed to a target of 9 percent -- shows “the challenge of governance” or the difficulties of having to reconcile the needs of the country with the revenues available to achieve them.

But he insisted that despite the missed targets -- GDP growth was also slower in 2013 than expected -- government laid a good foundation on which it is set to launch major initiatives this year.

He said public works projects to expand the ports, build new roads, revamp the parlous rail lines, increase housing provision, and construct 100 new secondary schools will create more jobs for Ghanaians.

He also promised support for youth start-ups through the Youth Enterprise Centre project that will be launched “in the coming weeks” with GH¢10million funding. The centre will finance the business plans of young entrepreneurs and guide the progress of their enterprises.

The promise of jobs seemed however to rely almost entirely on public investment plans, with little said by the President on how the private sector will be supported by his government to create more jobs -- the route seen by most people as the most sustainable way to expand employment.

And on the question of how his government will address the scourge of graduate unemployment, Mr. Mahama’s style of rhetoric changed from what his government will do, or is doing, to what universities and employers must do to solve what he suggested was a more complex kind of joblessness.

The private sector featured, however, in his strategy to increase housing for workers, as he said he will seek advice from financiers and mortgage providers on how to deepen the mortgage market in Ghana.

The President, who has promised at least 8 percent GDP growth per annum up to 2016, also spoke about restructuring the economy and hinted that this will be the main thrust of the government’s upcoming medium-term development plan to consolidate Ghana’s middle-income status.

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Airlines gear up for World Cup bonanza

 
Airlines flying from Accra are gearing up for increased travel to Brazil during the summer, as fans make plans
to go and witness the football World Cup in the country that has had the most success in the tournament.

Ghana will be making a third straight appearance at football’s biggest event, alongside Cameroon, Nigeria, Côte D’Ivoire and Algeria representing the African continent.

Airline chiefs who spoke to the B&FT said the expected boost to travel in the summer will add dynamism to Ghana’s upwardly rising aviation market, which continues to grow as economic expansion increases incomes and boosts foreign direct investment.

Lufthansa, British Airways, Tap Portugal, KLM, Ethiopian and its partner Asky have all announced an increase in flight frequencies to the various destinations in Brazil.

Lufthansa is introducing an Airbus A330-300 on the Accra route to offer flights from Accra to two destinations in Brazil, via Frankfurt. Ethiopian is deploying its Boeing 787 on the Accra-Brazil route via Lomè, the hub of its partner Asky, which is expected to provide the feed. TAP Portugal, which has a large presence in Latin America, has increased its flight frequency from Accra to Brazil via its hub in Lisbon.

British Airways will also operate a Boeing 747 on the Accra-London route with onward connections to the South American country.

“Together with Iberia, we will be offering lots of flights to Brazil. That’s where the action is going to be during the World Cup period. We stand ready to fly Ghanaians to Brazil,” said Moran Birger, British Airway’s Country Commercial Manager.

“There are direct connections with Iberia in Madrid to Brazil, and direct connections in London too,” he added.

Mr. Kevin Markette, Lufthansa’s Country General Manager, told the B&FT that the airline will offer flights from Accra via Frankfurt to Sao Paolo and Rio de Janerio in Brazil. “Together with our Star Alliance partners we are able to offer an extensive network to major cities in Brazil that will enable Ghanaian fans to experience a variety of matches.”

In anticipation of the increased travel during the month-long football showpiece, he urged groups and individuals to book their flights promptly. “Due to the high demand during this time seats are limited and customers are encouraged to book early.”

Domestic carriers are also positioning themselves to benefit from the expected upsurge in passenger throughput in the summer to the Latin American country.

One notable quest is the resolve of Africa World Airlines (AWA) to operate flights from Accra via Lagos to Brazil in the summer. “For our intercontinental routes, we are planning on getting a bigger aircraft, possibly an A319, which we can use for flights to Brazil during the World Cup,” said Michael Luo, the Chief Executive Officer of the airline.

Antrak and Starbow, two other domestic operators, have indicated they have plans to bring football aficionados from Kumasi, Tamale, Sunyani and Takoradi to Accra for onward connection to Brazil.

“We plan to offer very good promotional fares to football fans who will be travelling from the various domestic destinations to Accra en route to Brazil,” Kwaku Antwi-Boasiako, Chief Commercial Officer of Antrak, said.

Eric James Antwi, the Chief Executive Officer of Starbow, also stated: “We have plans of carrying soccer-loving passengers from Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale to Accra en route to Brazil for the World Cup tournament.”

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Who truly loves Kwadee: his mum, management, fans or critics?

                              
To those who wanted to chop off my head for writing in Flex newspaper last two weeks that beleaguered musician Jerry John Anaba aka Kwadee should quit music if he sought not to revert to his former mentally challenged state, his mother has said on Peace fm in Accra last week that she wanted her son to bail out of music.

Maybe, I was wrong for writing that he should quit music. Maybe the mother was also wrong for saying so. Maybe we both just wish to asphyxiate the talent of Kwadee because we hate him.

Sometimes, I get flummoxed by the fact that some people would want to wax hypocritical about certain issues when in fact they know it bodes ill for whom it may concern. I am not a doctor and haven't done any medical test to ascertain the fact that Kwadee is mentally ill at present but we are all privy to information that he has been mentally sick before and was even admitted at a mental hospital.

It was said in the news that followed his ill-health that the young man's state was as a result of smoking 'weed.' Marijuana is a contributory causality to mental disorders like schizophrenia (a mental illness in which a person becomes unable to link thought, emotion and behaviour, leading to withdrawal from reality and personal relationships), scientists say.

I am not a relative of Kwadee. I am not his friend. I have not met him before so what is my problem? You are stranger in the world of showbiz if you don't know that a majority of people in the industry, especially the musicians smoke marijuana and use other drugs. If you happen to go to shows especially at back stages, you will realize that they smoke chimneys to 'high' themselves before going on stage.

This is one practice that can make it dangerous for Kwadee to get back into music. Yes, I accept that he can as well be influenced even outside music but let us face fact; he will be greatly predisposed to 'wee' should he get back to music because he will be found in the midst of a lot of his friends who smoke.

I have spoken so much about Kwadee's situation since it started but I don't want to be seen as a prophet of doom. However, to prove the verity in the basis of my proposition of him quitting music, I would wish we intentionally do an experiment of cause and effect on Kwadee: He should be allowed to do music for one year, so we all RECORD our conclusions as to how his mental health will be affected.

After that, I am sure those badmouthing me will realize that it is better for Kwadee to be out of music and be mentally healthy than be in music and be mentally derailed. For if Kwadee does music and loses his mind, what will he gain?

He cannot have a successful career if he is not well. There is a cause to every effect and it will be advisable that we all help find solutions to Kwadee's problem and make sure he is well than force him to do music and predispose him to unfavorable conditions that will make him go back to his former mentally derailed state.

Now to those who say, I wish to see Kwadee's talent die out, hence my write ups enjoining his family to pull the reins on his music career, I thank you so much. I guess you are right. I really wish that Kwadee get out of music, otherwise my employers will not pay me again.

I am saying Kwadee should quit music because, if he doesn't, he may be predisposed to marijuana which when he smokes will make him very fit and healthy than he is now. He will then be able to churn out great hits that will place him on higher pedestals and that will disable me from writing articles again in my life.

Similarly, Kwadee's mum, I guess, per people's comments, doesn't wish her son well by saying he should not do music again. Ironically, when it happens that Kwadee still stays in music, it will make her mum poorer that is why she wants him out of the music trade.

Have those insulting the woman thought of why she doesn't want the son to do music again now and not earlier? Did anyone hear her say that Kwadee should quit music when he was in his insouciant stage at the beginning of his career?

While some of us are saying he should stop doing music, others think we will be killing his talent if he does, and he will have no other source of livelihood. They claim Kwadee is very strong and sound now and don't believe that someone who has been on and off a couple of times anytime he stepped the threshold of music can veer off again. So which of us love Kwadee the most?

Dear reader, let us all pray for our brother Kwadee and let any other musician who does drugs take lessons from Jerry Anaba's situation. It can happen to anybody so let's us show true love when it happens and stop being mischievous.

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Guru makes way into Ghanaian parliament

                           
Popular Ghanaian musician Guru might be proud and at peace with himself now after his popular catch phrase “Boys Abr3” made it to the Ghanaian parliament on Tuesday November 19th 2013 during the presentation of the National budget by Minister of Finance Honourable Seth Tekpeh.

Guru, who despite huge uproar by a cross section of Ghanaians including members of the Ghanaian parliament and the clergy stood firm to defend on all media platforms the use of Akayida in his popular song “Boys Abr3? was on Tuesday honoured as his catch phrase “Boys Abr3? which is now used to express the economic hardships of the youth in the Ghanaian society was on display on A4 sheets in the Ghanaian parliament to describe the budget presented.

It somehow sounds ironical when the same song which had at first been disregarded with its catch phrase “Boys Abr3? was not only popular on the streets but even in the Ghanaian parliament.

Congrats Guru, more ‘controversies’ on the way.

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Sarkodie is most searched Ghanaian musician in 2013?

                                             

Google has released their 2013 Zeitgeist of most searched items. Sarkodie takes the number one spot for the most trending musician in the last year.

Google says in a recent release that, “2013 could also be said to be the year of hiplife and Afropop, with the top 10 most searched for musicians all coming from the hiplife and Afropop genre. Occupying the #1 top trending Ghanaian musician positions is the fastest rapper in Ghana Sarkodie.

He beat EL, Shatta Wale, R2bees and Guru to retain the title as the most popular musician of Ghana.

Also featured on the list are Samini, Kwabena Kwabena, Edem Efya and Fuse ODG.

There weren’t much surprises in the top trending Ghallywood celebs with Nadia Buari, Yvonne Nelson and Jackie Appiah at the top with the first three 3 positions

In the sport category, Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona remained the top 3 most searched football clubs.

For the first time, the Ghanaian Black Stars featured on the top 10 most searched football teams list, coming #7 ahead of AC Milan.

Other Ghanaian-specific lists include Top 10 most searched cars, Top 10 Most searched Mobile Gadgets and Phones, Top 10 “How tos…”, and Top 10 “What is…”.

Globally, the #1 trending search of 2013 was an international symbol of strength and peace: Nelson Mandela.

Global search interest in the former President of South Africa was already high this year, and after his passing, people from around the world turned to Google to learn more about Madiba and his legacy.”

Zeitgeist - German for “spirit of the times” - is Google’s yearly look at the billions of searches performed throughout the year.

Google’s Year-End Zeitgeist uses data from multiple sources while filtering out spam and repeat queries, to build fascinating top-ten lists across pop culture, sports, music, politics, news, and more.

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Sarkodie launches 30-track SARKOLOGY album

                                                                

Multiple award-winning hiplife artiste Michael Owusu Addo a.k.a Sarkodie has launched his long awaited SARKOLOGY album which was to be released in August this year.

The album was launched on Saturday, December 21 at the Accra Sports Stadium with a show dubbed ‘The Sarkology Release Concert’.

The concert which started around 10pm saw many hiplife artistes on stage dishing out spectacular performances to the audience.

Among the tall list of artistes who supported Sarkodie on the night were Stay Jay, Kwaw Kese, Efya, Fuse ODG, Joey B, Raquel, Ephraim, Donzy, Dee Money, Buda, Mr. Silver, Phoot Printz, Scizo and many others.

The BET award-winner who performed almost all his hit songs climbed the stage to make his fans feel the new ‘Sarkology’ album around 12:45. His performance was prefaced with a documentary to launch the ‘Sarkology’ album.

After performing close to 40 tracks, he finally called the Ghanaian-UK based artiste Fuse ODG to join him perform their hit song ‘Down On One’ which was the last performance from the two-times artistes of the year bringing the event to close at 2:40 Sunday morning.

Sarkodie on the night gave Ghanaians reasons to buy his Sarkology album with his energetic performance which kept the audience on their feet for close to two hours.

“Thank you Ghana. Sarkology is out” are the last words the ‘Illuminati’ hitmaker said at the event hosted by Mc Coaches.

By special request from the fans, Joey B’s hit single ‘Tonga’ was performed two times on the night after they couldn’t stand the heat of listening to it for once. The whole stadium shouted in chorus “repeat, repeat, repeat” after Joey B and Sarkodie finished performing the track for the first time.

Sarkodie’s 3rd album ‘Sarkology’ has 30 tracks and features over 20 top African artistes like Banky W, Davido, Efya, Raquel, Joey B, Efya, Tiwa, Savage, Sian, Fuse ODG, Vector, Aka, Burna Boy, Obrafour, Mugeez (R2bees), Kwaw Kese, J-Town, Viviane, Lil Shaker, Timaya, 2face and Stonebwoy.

The album has hit songs like Illuminati, You Already Know, Down On One, Elija, Once Chance, Wobaadanaa and many others.

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I leave my audiences to God - Nadia Buari

                                                   

Popular actress Nadia Buari has displayed a part of her that majority of Ghanaians are not privy to, as she has dropped hints about her Christian faith.

The ‘Beyonce’ actress told a section of Ghanaian media at her press conference at the Golden Tulip weeks ago that she believes in God and as a result she would leave issues of whether people would be attending the premiere of her first produced movie or not, to God.

The beautiful actress would be premiering her movie titled, ‘The Diary of Imogen Brown’ on December 23, at the Accra International Conference Centre, the same day the popular and controversial duo, FOKN Bois, made up of Wanlov the Kubolor and Mensa are also premiering the sequel to their ‘Cos Ov Moni’ movie at the National Theatre.

However, the actress who was last Saturday captured being dragged away from media cameras by her rumoured boy lover, Jim Iyke, during the Ovation Carols and Awards Night, sounded unperturbed about the competition for audiences.

“I’m leaving that to God to decide,” she said.

‘The Diary of Imogen Brown’ is directed and produced by Nadia Buari and it is a true life story themed on the usage of drugs. It stars Nadia Buari, Jim Iyke, Soraya Mensah and a host of other names.

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Jim Iyke’s nasty brawl over $ 10,000 was all fabrication?

                                                       
Just after news broke in the media that Nigeria’s celebrated movie star, Jim Iyke, was involved in a brawl at the Crave Cafe at Adjiringanor, East Legon, Accra, Nigeriafilms.Com made an effort to investigate the story to find out the details of what actually happened at the said place involving the movie star.

Speaking to one Nana Kwesi who invited Jim Iyke to the Cahaya lounge where the incident happened, he told Nigeriafilms.com, Correspondent in Ghana Mustapha Ayinde Inusah, “how funny people twist and turn stories around.”

He added that all the details given in the publication about Jim Iyke fighting over $ 10, 000 was fabricated.

“There was an issue between Jim Iyke and his business partner (name not disclosed to us) at the Cahaya Lounge just opposite ex-President J. J. Rawlings house and not Crave Café as the media reported it. The issue had nothing to do with Jim Ike fighting over $ 10,000. Also, Jim Iyke never attempted to pull a gun,” Nana Kwesi revealed.

Nana said he invited Jim Iyke to Cahaya Lounge to discuss a water treatment project with him - clean water and chemical treatment of water. When Jim Iyke got to Cahaya Lounge with his car and parked, another car drove in and parked just behind Jim Ike’s car.

He continued that after the gentleman parked, he got out and started behaving funny. The gentleman wanted to attack Jim Iyke so he Nana intervened and prevented the man from attacking Jim.

The man went back to his car and pulled an amount of $ 10,000, haranguing that he wanted to give it to Jim Iyke if the latter had signed a particular document.

Perplexed Nana Kwesi inquired what the real issue is and why the man said that he wanted to give Jim Iyke $ 10,000 if he Jim had signed a document. The man, who alleged that he is a business partner to Jim Iyke, said he invited Jim Iyke into a meeting at Royal Fiesta hotel.

Jim Iyke got there and he was asked to sign a contract but because the contract was not too clear, Jim requested that there is a need to involve a lawyer or legal brain to peruse the document before he could append his signature on it.

Because of that, the man got fumed, accusing Jim Iyke of wasting his time and also spoiling his business because there were other people involved who wanted Jim to sign so they can carry on with the business.

After everything was settled at the Lounge, the man reported to the police that Jim Ike had attacked him. When the police got to the scene, the people around who was also hob-nobing and were eye witnesses to what ensued, narrated to the police that it is the man who rather attacked Jim Iyke and not the converse. The police left without causing any arrest.

All attempts by NigeriaFilms.com to get the name as well as the other side of the story (the man), proved otiose as at the time of making this publication. We promise to follow up on this story so stick and stay with us.

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Is Becca slowly fading from the Ghanaian music scene?

                           
Becca's management team - EKB Records, headed by business mogul , is undoubtedly one of the best artiste management outfits Ghana is blessed with.

From the time of picking Becca from Mentor 1 through to recording her, organizing Becca's Ball, winning of awards for her songs and music videos, and the deluxe annual Girl Talk concert; EKB Records has indeed done what Napoleon couldn't do.

The latest marketing and branding strategy for the artiste was stitching Becca's CDs to Graphic Showbiz so that anyone who buys the said newspaper gets the artistes CD for free; a strategy never done before in Ghana's music industry's history.

Kiki Banson really deserves an award for Artiste Management and Character Development. I say this because in Ghana, we don't have much of 'Kiki Bansons.' The so called artiste managers we have rarely identify true talents talk less of developing characters.

They always wait for someone to take the risk of developing a talent and after, jump unto the artiste and make capital out of him/her. That is not what Kiki Banson did with Becca. He took a risk and today it has paid off.

We need more of 'Kiki Bansons' in our showbiz industry. In spite of the above, Becca seems to be dying slowly. In order words, her brand and presence is fading at a steady rate.

The last time Flex newspaper spoke to EKB Records, they told us RLG sponsored the stitching of Becca's CDs to Graphic Showbiz by purchasing 50,000 copies for her fans.

However, we listen to radio and Becca's songs are not played! Go to the pubs, night clubs and spots and Becca's songs are not played! Watch the various television screens and Becca's music videos are not shown! Visit friends and relatives and Becca's CDs are not played! I spoke to some arts writers and they have even vowed never to write anything about Becca.

Currently, Becca is getting gigs from other African countries so her management may not see the need of investing money into Ghana's media as far as Becca's brand communication is concerned.

Though that may be a cost-effective alternative, the naked truth is that by the time Becca's management team turns to resuscitate her image/brand or career, it might have been too late

Ghana recognized, invested and made Becca who she is before the outside world got to know of her. Ghana and for that matter Ghanaians should not be taken for granted. A word to the wise...

Meanwhile, her manager admitted in an interview with Channel R 205 that they are doing more promotions outside Ghana currently. . As the old Akan axiom says, “ofie ne fie” (literally - home is home or home sweet home). 

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Nana Ama McBrown now prefers ‘Yellow Cece’

                                                   
 Talented Ghanaian actress-Nana Ama McBrown has been busy at work, shooting and producing her 7th movie-Yellow Cece, which will hit the market on Monday-23rd, December, 2013.

Nana Ama McBrown has in the past successfully produced hit movies like Alicia, ‘Diee Adie Wono’ and ‘Asofo Awarie’, featuring the likes of Lil Win, Jackie Appiah and Kofi Adjorlolo in her productions.

In order to make the Christmas a special one for her fans, the fans of Lil Win, Kofi Adjorlolo and Ghanaian Movie lovers in general, Nana Ama McBrown has tackled one of the most crucial issues in our societies in her latest movie-Yellow Cece.

In Yellow Cece, a young obstinate village girl-Cecelia, who had no respect for education stole from her mother and escaped to the city, in search for greener pastures - leaving behind her education, family and boyfriend-Lil Win.

In the city, she went through hell each day so to make it to the next, joining a gang of street girls who introduced her to smoking and a debauched lifestyle.

Then, Cecilia landed a job as a house help whose madam’s husband-Kofi Adjorlolo genuinely wanted to help her fix her life. But that was not enough for her, so she did something shocking.

With Cecilia in love with someone else, Kofi Adjorlolo deeply in love with her and Lil Win having come to the city to find his old village girlfriend, the story gets complicated and extremely funny.

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Nadia’s Jim Iyke in a nasty fight at East Legon

                                                        
Nigerian movie star Jim Iyke was involved in a brawl yesterday, at the Crave Café at Adjiringanor, East Legon in Accra.

According to an eyewitness account, some people were eating at the café, at about 5pm when a stout-looking gentleman in a black Range Rover with a Nigerian number plate, came to the café.

Jim Iyke also arrived about 20 minutes later in his Sports Chevy with a Nigerian number plate, and engaged the man in a heated argument over $10,000 which later turned into a nasty brawl on the street.

The eyewitness further explained that it became difficult for those around to separate the two, and at a point, Jim Iyke wanted to get into his car to pull out something which was suspected to be a gun, but he was prevented by those at the café.

The other man left but returned shortly with two policemen, one in mufti and other in uniform who arrested Jim Iyke and took him away.

But the eyewitness told The Ghanaian Times newspaper that barely 20 minutes later, the actor resurfaced at the venue, which created the impression the case had been ‘settled’ by the two policemen.

The Legon Police Commander in a telephone conversation, with The Ghanaian Times said, the men he dispatched to the venue had information of the scuffle, but those at the scene were reluctant to give the police in-depth account of what actually transpired, and so they were unable to bring the two men to the police station.

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Scientific has a new dream

                         
Scientific has been on a whole different level now and keep releasing classics After classics.

He just raised the bar a step further by featuring Quincy B who is the next Liberian artiste. His amazing voice will make you marvel!

"As they say, you can buy a school but you can’t buy class. With that I say there is a lot of good music out there but takes great artiste to put out a classic song. This song is for those who think their dreams are dead because people say they can’t make it in whatever they want to do", well Scientific is telling you it’s more than possible to get beyond your dreams.

This is another inspirational classic made for all! The song was produced by Infectious Michael who is also a Liberian and responsible for all the top hit songs in Liberia, and worked with a lot of European and American artistes. (I guess the name Infectious plays a big role in music productions.

After listening to this, It makes you get curious about what Is next on Scientific’s next song.

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Ghana Movie Awards need to grow in the right direction - Leila Djansi

                                                                   

Leila Djansi, has called the 2013 Ghana Movie Awards’ credibility into question, stressing that organizers need to do things right.

The film maker’s comment came after actress Joselyn Dumas was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie, ’Northern Affair’ in the just released nominations for the 2013 Ghana Movie Awards.

Joselyn Dumas is competing that category with Lydia Forson, Lisa Nana Yaa Awuku, Rose Mensah (Kyeiwaa) and Roselyn Ngissah.

Leila took to social networking site Facebook to vent her displeasure with the nominations. According to Leila, who directed and produced ‘Northern Affair’, she finds it difficult to come to terms with the nomination of Joselyn Dumas in that category, when she played the lead role in the movie.

Well, we do agree with her. We have not yet seen the movie but all publicity on the movie so far has suggested that Joselyn Dumas is the lead character in the movie.

“Ghana Movie Awards, what on earth? How can Joselyn Dumas be nominated in supporting actress, when the entire story of A Northern Affair was told from her point of view?,” she questioned.

“Guys guys guys, if we are going to do something let us do it right. Please. We can’t continue like this. Get it together and get it right. GMA is a laudable enterprise but it needs to grow in the right direction,” Leila appealed to the organizers of Ghana Movie Awards.

The 2013 Ghana Movie Awards night is scheduled for Monday, December 30th, 2013 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

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Tim Westwood will be in Accra for Ghana Rocks Concert on the 27th

                                               
He is a top DJ on prime time British radio living in London, and he is headed to Accra this Xmas season to headline a crack list of DJs and UK acts appearing at this year’s ‘Ghana Rocks’ Concert; GHOne TV’s annual urban rave, alongside a power-packed line up of top GH and Naija showstoppers who will rule the stage come Friday, December 27, 2013 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Tim Westwood, credited with helping to bring African music to mainstream British urban scene is the most recognized urban DJ in the UK and beyond.

It will be recalled that he recently hosted Ghana’s own Sarkodie for the second time in his London studios during his Crib Sessions show on BBC Radio 1Xtra, where the Obidiponbidi did a super fantastic freestyle delivery.

This year’s Ghana Rocks Concert itself has a super line up of Nigerian, UK and Ghanaian artistes, which list, though, yet to be revealed, promises to be a party-of-a-lifetime.

It will be an Afrobeats edition, and will seal the annual event as Ghana’s official hippest end-of-year rave. It has over the years witnessed amazing performances from both home-based and visiting international acts.

A multiple MOBO awards recipient, Tim Westwood is a celebrity DJ par excellence, and is regarded as the most influential figure in hip hop in Europe, and a promoter of the Afrobeats genre on the UK scene.

Last year’s concert recorded a phenomenal attendance with over 4000+ youthful music lovers thronging into the Dome for the jam, and thoroughly enjoying the thumping and pulsating tunes that was delivered by over 2000watts of sound power.

Closure of the Dome, our biggest indoor event venue, means, however, that the event will be held inside the auditorium of the Conference Centre, and will be as electrifying as has been over the years.

In its 6th year, the 2013 edition of Ghana Rocks is brought to by Vodafone and powered by Charterhouse.

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I am comfortable bleaching my skin - former GMB's Nasara

                                                           
Former Ghana's Most Beautiful winner Miriam Abdul Rauf popularly known as Nasara says she sees nothing wrong with bleaching her skin.

Nasara, who won the beauty pageant’s title in 2009 but was later stripped of it, speaking an interview with Deloris Frimpong Manson on the Delay show over the weekend confirmed that she has bleached her skin but insisted it was choice for which she has no regrets.

When she participated in and was crowned Ghana's Most Beautiful, a TV3 reality show, Nasara was dark skinned. But lately, the former Ghana Most Beatiful title holder, who is not new to controversy, has become fairer sparking speculations that she is bleaching.

The mother of twins confirms she is bleaching but explain that, "in life we are all entitled to what we want to do...I choose to tone my skin and I don't think it's a problem because if it were a problem to me, I won't do it." In fact "I love it," she added.

Nasara said she not "regret it." Unlike "those days when the creams were so harsh and cheap now there are better creams that will just tone your body...and will just befit you," she stated.

Reacting to assertions that prolonged bleaching could cause skin cancers, Nasara said "In life, everything comes with the bad aspects of it...when you are doing something, sometimes you don't really need to think about the bad part of it. I am just doing it because I am comfortable with it and I don't even think about the negative part of it."

Nasara made the headlines in 2012 when she was accused of stealing a mobile phone and make-up kit of Miss England during a beauty pageant outside the country - an allegation she denied.

She was consequently stripped of her Ghana Most Beautiful title.

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I’m not raising funds on Facebook - Lydia Forson

                                            
Africa Movie Award-winning actress Lydia Forson has announced to the general public that she is not raising funds on any social network.

The announcement follows claims that the she is raising funds on Facebook with a new account bearing her name, images and information.

But the bubbly actress has cautioned individuals who have given or may be lured to give money to anybody on the platform to block that account.

“If I ever need to raise any money in the future for a project, people will hear about it first in the news and the account will bare my name or the name of the organization,” she told NEWS-ONE.

“Anyone who sends money to someone on Facebook posing as me does this at their own risk. People should do a little bit more research before they agree to send money to someone they have never met,” Lydia added.

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