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Popular Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, aso known as Davido, has donated an oil truck to Lateef Biola, his personal assistant of many years.
In his Twitter post, Davido displayed a photo of the truck and urged Lateef “to go get his money”.
The gift, according to him was to celebrate the birthday of of Lateef, who plans to go into oil and gas business.
On his Instagram page, Davido however explained what Lateef has meant to him since he was twelve years old.
As part of activities lined up to celebrate its centenary anniversary this year, Union Bank yesterday hosted its customers and other stakeholders in Rivers State to a classy dinner at the Novotel Hotel, Stadium Road, Port Harcourt.
The dinner which was witnessed by government dignitaries and customers of the bank saw speakers spotlighting Union Bank’s commitment to the development of its customers and Nigeria over the past 100 years.
Speaking at the event, Emeka Emuwa, Chief Executive Officer, Union Bank, appreciated the bank’s loyal customers and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to providing a simpler and smarter banking experience for them.
“We are proud of our relationship with our customers as this is very important to us. As a bank, we have been able to achieve this height because we have customers who didn’t stop believing in our services, and because of them we promise to do more,” Emuwa said.
“We believe the best way to celebrate this milestone is with our customers, and over this year we have a number of activities outlined across the country to celebrate them including this celebration in Port Harcourt. While here we are also launching three upgraded branches to ensure our customers enjoy improved service delivery,” he concluded.
Emeka Woke, the Chief of Staff of the Government House, commended the Bank on the celebration of its centenary anniversary and for its commitment to its customers and the people of Rivers State. Woke who represented the Governor of Rivers State, H.E Governor Nyesom Wike, emphasized that Union Bank has played a fundamental role in the development of the Nigerian banking system.
According to him: “Union Bank has been in existence for a century helping Nigerians and has contributed immensely to the development of the economy and the country in general. A lot of us have been customers for many years and enjoyed their services. The people of Rivers State have also directly benefited from the financial institution through job creation and other initiatives in the state. We celebrate them and congratulate them on the good work they are doing.”
One of the highlights of the event was a grand performance by Port Harcourt’s finest artiste, Duncan Mighty, who thrilled the audience with his music. The evening ended with several testimonials from satisfied customers.
“33” Export Lager Beer, the number one friendship beer, today unveiled ‘City of Friends’ at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
The City of Friends is a platform to encourage friends to celebrate one another, and highlight the time-tested values of friendship. The three-day event will bring together friends from across the country to celebrate the values of friendship in an atmosphere of music, dance and fun.
The celebration which is scheduled to open on July 28, will culminate with the grand finale on July 30 – a day set aside by the United Nations to promote the role that friendship plays in promoting peace in many cultures across the world.
“We are taking advantage of this globally recognized day of friendship to deepen the brand’s core proposition to its consumers by unveiling the City of Friends,” said Franco Maria Maggi, Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc., while speaking at the launch. “For three days, consumers and friends of “33” Export will come together to celebrate the values of friendship – loyalty, fun, companionship, and goodwill – in a festive atmosphere courtesy of the number one friendship beer.”
Artistes billed to perform at the City of Friends include Femi Kuti, 2face Idibia, Orezi, 9ice, MI Abaga, Wande Coal, Cynthia Morgan, Seyi Shay, YCee, Phyno, Flavour, Small Doctor, and many others.
Chibest David yesterday emerged winner in the grand finale of the Hi-Life Fest competition organized by Life Continental Lager Beer. Hi-Life Fest is a talent competition aimed at discovering, training, and coaching upcoming artistes using key music industry players.
The grand finale which held at Sonia Resorts in Onitsha, Anambra saw several regional audition winners vying for top spot as the new Highlife sensation.
The grand finale follows five regional auditions held in Owerri, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Aba and Nnewi with contestants Umunakwe Nwayiaku, Roseline Akpan, Chibest David, Onuoha Kingsley and Ogbonaya Stephen emerging winners.
Judges such as Highlife legend, Bright Chimezie, On Air Personality (OAP) Tony Mbeki, and music composer, David Jones selected the overall winner of the Hi-Life Fest after watching the contestants perform.
Chibest, a student from Enugu expressed his joy after winning the competition saying: “I am so elated right now. I auditioned just like every other contestant and I still can’t believe I won. I am grateful to Life Continental Beer for this opportunity to showcase my love for Highlife music.”
Speaking at the grand finale, Emmanuel Agu, Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout, NB Plc. reaffirmed the brand’s commitment to the progress and culture of the people of the South-east while expressing his delight at the successful completion of the competition.
“We are happy to have organized a successful Hi-Life Fest competition. This competition started in April with over 150 contestants vying for the top prize, and today we are happy to say the best contestant has won. Highlife music remains an essential part of the Igbo culture, and we believe it is important to constantly remind ourselves and the younger generation of this,” Agu said.
One of the highlights of the grand finale was a performance by Life Continental Lager Beer brand ambassador, Flavour who thrilled the crowd with his music.
Cash prizes were later presented to the runners-up in the competition.
Denrele Edun, Ashionye, Ayoola Ayoola, Daniel Effiong and others star in a new drama series “Everything In Between” – a drama series that explores issues of sacrifice, love, sexuality, and societal pressure.
The series tells the stories of three young professionals; Emma Okoye, Dayna Elliot and Demola Ogunjimi, and their struggle to conform to what is considered the norm in the Nigerian society. All characters faced similar challenges – judged on the basis of who they are and who they love.
Everything In Between is produced by The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERs) in association with Alleykat Media.
See first episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2TJBolJAo
Voxafrica TV has launched the second season of the highly rated flagship TV show, in French Speaking Africa.
The show, which is officially sponsored by Orange, will be broadcasted every Saturday from October 14th 2017 on Voxafrica TV’s Francophone Africa and Europe platforms. The Voice Afrique Francophone will also be replayed on partnering TV channels.
Music fans will once more discover new talents that will be competing for four months until the big final, which is due to air on January 27th 2018.
The winner will have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the show’s first winner Pamela Baketana, and walk away with a record deal courtesy of Universal Music.
The second season of the Voice Afrique Francophone will be staged for 16 weeks and bring together 4 judges made up of African and international music stars, as well as a charismatic master of ceremony. Their mission will be to reveal the best voice amongst contestants from 16 French speaking countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroun, Congo, The Ivory-Coast, Gabon, Guinee, Equatorial Guinee, Mali, Niger, Central African Republic, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Chad and Togo).
The show will run over 16 episodes and feature 6 blind auditions, 4 battles, 2 knockouts and 4 live shows from 06th January 2018.
As part of its 100th year anniversary celebrations Union Bank Plc. has announced the kick-off of the Union Bank Centenary Art Challenge, a competition designed to promote works of professional and amateur Nigerian artists across the country. The competition is coordinated in partnership with the Nigerian Guild of Artists and will run from June to September 2017.
The competition challenges artists to interpret the iconic Union Bank stallion which has been the mainstay of the bank’s identity over the past century. In 2015, Union Bank redesigned the stallion to reflect a more agile and energetic institution following its transformation. Artists have been given reign to interpret the stallion using all forms of art.
Speaking at the launch event on Friday, May 26, 2017 at the MyDrim Gallery in Lagos with invited guests which included renowned artists, patrons, and art critics, Union Bank Chief Executive Officer, Emeka Emuwa said: “Union Bank has a storied history in Nigeria and our 100th anniversary is a unique opportunity to tell our story to different audiences. Artists are storytellers and this competition presents an opportunity for this community to help us tell our story from the vantage of our iconic white stallion. We are excited to celebrate the many stories that will come across through the works that will be entered in the competition.”
Also at the event, Head of Corporate Affairs & Corporate Communication, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem said: “Talent development is one of our social responsibility focus areas and this competition is another initiative for Union Bank to impact in this area. We strongly believe that through the arts we can spur creativity and innovation in young people.”
Entries will be accepted across the country in various regions and a distinguished panel will shortlist the final hundred works which will compete at the finale. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the finalists and the ultimate winners will receive N1 million naira in the professional category and N250,000 in the student category. More details on the competition and how to enter can be found here www.unionbankng/100.
Union Bank is marking its centenary under three broad themes – Celebrate, Impact and Lead. In April the bank also announced the Union Bank Centenary Innovation Challenge, a nationwide competition to find and support young entrepreneurs developing sustainable business solutions to solve social problems in Nigeria was launched in partnership with Co-Creation Hub.
Life Continental Beer held its third regional auditions for its on-going Hi-Life Fest on Sunday, May 21, 2017. The event, which is part of the brand’s initiative to promote the culture and heritage of the people of the South East, was held at the New Berries Park in Enugu.
Registrations and auditions were held between May 15 and May 16, 2017 while the semi-final was held at the same venue on Friday, May 19.
A team of judges consisting of seasoned music producers and guest personalities witnessed numerous performances while they also engaged the audience in deciding the best acts at the event.
The winner of the auditions in Enugu, Chibest David expressed his excitement saying: “Being a part of this competition is a wonderful journey for me, and winning the Enugu regional auditions makes me exceedingly happy. When I auditioned, I wasn’t sure I would win and qualify for the grand finale. Life Continental Beer has authenticated my talent and I am thankful for that.”
David joins past winners, Roselyn Akpan and Umunnakwe Nwajiaku from Port Harcourt and Owerri respectively as they await winners from other regional auditions in the grand finale in Onitsha where the overall winner will be rewarded with the sum of one million Naira and a one-year recording deal.
Speaking at the regional finale, Emmanuel Agu, Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout, NB Plc., said Life Continental Lager Beer is using Hi-Life Fest to uphold the culture and tradition of the people of the South East and extend the boundaries of progress.
“The Igbo culture is strong, progressive and lively, and Life Continental beer recognises and represents those strengths. Hi-Life Fest, which is another way of showing Life Continental Beer’s commitment to the people of the South East, also provides them a platform to fully express their aspirations and dreams through music,” Agu said.
Cash prizes were also given to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th winners of the regional finals.
Auditions continue in Aba from June 5 to June 11 with the grand finale holding in Onitsha on June 18, 2017.
Union Bank partnered performance art production company, iOpenEye Production to present the stage play Love & Recession to creative arts lovers on May 9, 2017 in Lagos.
Inspired by Femi Osofisan’s popular stage play, ‘The Engagement’, Love & Recession serves to celebrate the dynamism and resourcefulness of Nigerians in times of economic slowdown.
According to the Head, Corporate Affairs/Corporate Communications, Union bank, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, “Union Bank has a history of supporting talent and creativity, because we believe that it is key to economic empowerment for Nigeria’s populous and highly enterprising youth. Through talent development, which is one of the strategic pillars of our community investment, we work to build capacity and foster individual and community creativity in areas including social innovation, sports, and creative arts.”
The cast of the highly captivating play included Keppy Ekpenyong, Ikponmwosa Gold and Omonor Somolu.
The play, which was produced by Ifeoma Fafunwa, was part of activities to celebrate Union Bank’s centenary anniversary which has ‘Celebrate. Impact. Lead’ as its theme.
Union Bank partnered performance art production company, iOpenEye Production to present the stage play Love & Recession to creative arts lovers on May 9, 2017 in Lagos.
Inspired by Femi Osofisan’s popular stage play, ‘The Engagement’, Love & Recession serves to celebrate the dynamism and resourcefulness of Nigerians in times of economic slowdown.
According to the Head, Corporate Affairs/Corporate Communications, Union bank, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, “Union Bank has a history of supporting talent and creativity, because we believe that it is key to economic empowerment for Nigeria’s populous and highly enterprising youth. Through talent development, which is one of the strategic pillars of our community investment, we work to build capacity and foster individual and community creativity in areas including social innovation, sports, and creative arts.”
The cast of the highly captivating play included Keppy Ekpenyong, Ikponmwosa Gold and Omonor Somolu.
The play, which was produced by Ifeoma Fafunwa, was part of activities to celebrate Union Bank’s centenary anniversary which has ‘Celebrate. Impact. Lead’ as its theme.
The exhibition boxing match between legendary five-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield, and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu will take place at The Landmark Centre, Lekki on May 25 by 6pm.
The charity event tagged “The Rhumble” which is the first of its kind on the African continent, will also feature Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
CEO of ACI Entertainment and promoter of the event, Mr. Wole Adeniyi said that the event will be celebrating the Center of Excellence at 50 and bring worldwide attention to health-related issues in Africa like Autism in Children, River Blindness, Mental illness among the elderly.
He also added that Evander Holyfield, who defeated Mike Tyson twice in the 90s, the second fight being famous for the ear biting incident when Tyson bit off part of his eyes will be donating $2m worth of medical supplies and equipment to the Lagos State Government and various charities across Nigeria.