NIGERIA
Lady Gaga backs gay rights in Trump’s America
Pop star Lady Gaga has called for an “harmonious” and “intelligent” response to Donald Trump's presidency.
Mr Trump's cabinet includes conservatives who oppose gay rights, and Gaga said she would work to protect advances made by the LGBTQ community.
“[We] are going to do everything that we can to protect the social progress we have made over the last eight years,” she told BBC News.
“Political progress cannot happen unless there is social progress.
“You can create lots of jobs, you can create new policy – but those things cannot work unless people like each other, unless people are kind to one another.
“We need to stay in a kind place and we need to bond during this time, and be as harmonious as possible, and intelligent in the way we approach this.”
Although Mr Trump has called himself a “real friend” of the LGBTQ community, several of his appointments have caused alarm within it.
Early in his career, vice President-elect Mike Pence opposed same-sex marriage and appeared to advocate diverting government funds away from HIV treatment in favour of gay “conversion therapy”. His spokesman recently denied this, telling the New York Times that Pence neither “supported or advocated” the practice.
More recently, he signed into law a controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Critics argue the law discriminates against the LGBT community by allowing businesses to refuse service over religious beliefs.
Under national pressure, he later signed an amendment stating businesses could not discriminate against gay people, drawing criticism from conservatives who said they felt betrayed by the revision.
There have also been concerns over the appointment of Jeff Sessions as attorney general. The Alabama senator opposed lifting a ban on openly gay people serving in the military and voted in support of banning same-sex marriage.
Role model?
Lady Gaga has long been an advocate for the LGBTQ community, and spent part of last week's Thanksgiving holiday visiting a shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth in New York.
The star, who campaigned stridently for Hillary Clinton during the election, also protested outside Trump Tower when the results were announced last month.
But she accepted that not everyone would see her as a suitable spokesperson on US politics.
“I've done a lot in my career,” she said. “I'm sure there's many people who would say ‘Lady Gaga's not role model. Did you see this performance? Did you see that performance?'
“But the truth is that when I was younger… I didn't quite understand the amount of attention that I had [or] the amount of people that would listen to me.
“I am older now and I am aware of my voice in the world and I want to be as much of a role model as I can be through my music as well as my performance.
“With my album, Joanne, the intention was to focus on family and focus on friendship and focus on kindness and vulnerability and the release of pain, the revealing of pain.
“This album, for me, is a reminder to care about one another, care about your family and heal the wounds of intergenerational tragedy.”
Gaga was speaking to the BBC ahead of a secret gig for 65 fans in London.
She performed from inside a giant “snow globe” on the roof of the Westfield Shopping Centre, playing acoustic versions of her songs Bad Romance, Joanne and Million Reasons.
“It's a very holiday-like, warm experience,” she told the BBC.
“I love my London and UK fans so much, and performing my new music for them in such an intimate and spectacular location was the perfect way to celebrate the holidays.”
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NIGERIA
AMVCA 2024: Full list of nominees for 10th edition unveiled
The nominees for this year's Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Award, AMVCA, were unveiled on Sunday. This will be the 10th edition of the event.
The event will take place at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos State.
The AMVCA is an annual award presented by MultiChoice recognising outstanding achievements in television and film.
Films like Jagun Jagun, Mami Water, A Tribe Called Judah and Breath of Life lead the way in terms on nominations.
Here is the full list:
Best Writing Movie Nominees:
1. A Tribe Called Judah (Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele, Collins Okoh and Akinlabi Ishola)
2. Mami Wata (CJ Fiery Obasi)
3. Jagun Jagun (Adebayo Tijani)
4. Breath of Life (BB Sasore)
5. Over The Bridge (Tosin Otudeko)
6. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (Tunde Babalola)
7. Afamefuna (Anyanwu Sandra Adaora)
Best Documentary Nominees:
1. Ormoilaa Ogol (The Strong One)
2. Lobola, A Bride's True Price?
3. Empalikino (Forgiveness)
4. The Water Manifesto: Osun (Water for Gold)
5. Sowing Hope
Best Documentary Nominees:
1. Ormoilaa Ogol (The Strong One)
2. Lobola, A Bride's True Price?
3. Empalikino (Forgiveness)
4. The Water Manifesto: Osun (Water for Gold)
5. Sowing Hope
Best MultiChoice Talent Factory Nominees:
1. Grown
2. Her Dark Past
3. Somewhere In Kole
4. Full Time Husband
5. The 11th Commandment
6. Mfumukazi
Best Scripted Nominees:
1. The Slum King
2. Half Open Window
3. Itura
4. The Passenger
5. Magic Room
Best Digital Content Nominees:
1. Layi Wasabi (Medical Negligence and Copyright Infringement)
2. Taooma (The Boyfriend)
3. Lizzy Jay (National Treasure)
4. Elozonam, Jemima Osunde & Angelina Idoko (Hello Neighbour)
Best Unscripted M-Net Original Nominees:
1. What Will People Say
2. Date My Family Zambia
3. Nwuyee Bekee (Foreign Wives)
4. Royal Qlique (Season 2)
5. The Irabors' Forever After
Best Indigenous Language (West Africa) Nominees:
1. Mami Wata (CJ Fiery Obasi)
2. Jagun Jagun (Femi Adebayo)
3. Ijogbon (Kunle Afolayan)
4. Orisa (Odunlade Adekola
5. Nana Akoto (Kwabana Gyansah)
Best Indigenous Language (East Africa) Nominees:
1. Where The River Divides
2. Wandongwa
3. Nakupenda
4. Itifaki
5. Ormoilaa Ogol (The Strong One)
Best Indigenous Language (Southern Africa) Nominees:
1. Service to Heart
2. Uncle Limbani
3. Motshameko O Kotsi
Best Costume Design Nominees:
1. Daniel Obasi
2. Demola Adeyemi
3. Bolanle Austin Peters, Ituen Basi, Folake Coker and Clement Effanga
4. Lola Awe
5. Bunmi Demilola Fashina
Best Indigenous M-Net Original Nominees:
1. The Passenger
2. Nana Akoto
3. Apo
4. Irora Iya
5. Love Transfusion (Kiapo Cha Damu)
Best Short Film Nominees:
1. Broken Mask
2. Eighteenth Year
3. Man and Masquerades
4. A Place Called Forward
5. T'egbon T'aburo
Best Supporting Actress Nominees:
1. Joke Silva (Over The Bridge)
2. Bimbo Akintola (The Black Book)
3. Fathia Williams (Jagun Jagun)
4. Genovevah Umeh (Breath of Life)
5. Tana Egbo-Adelana (Ijogbon)
6. Ejiro Onajaife (Madam Koikoi)
7. Eliane Umuhire (Omen)
Best Lead Actor Nominees:
1. Richard Mofe-Damijo (The Black Book)
2. Wale Ojo (Breath of Life)
3. Stan Nze (Afamefuna)
4. Marc Zinga (Omen)
5. Lateef Adedimeji (Jagun Jagun)
6. Gabriel Afolayan (This is Life)
7. David Ezekiel (Blood Vessel)
8. Gideon Okeke (Egun)
Best Lead Actress Nominees:
1. Funke Akindele (A Tribe Called Judah)
2. Adaobi Dibor (Blood Vessel)
3. Ireti Doyle (The Origin: Madam Koi Koi)
4. Kehinde Bankole (Adire)
5. Evelyne IIy (Mami Wata)
6. Omowumi Dada (Asiri Ade)
7. Segilola Ogidan (Over The Bridge)
8. Lucie Debay (Omen)
Best Supporting Actor Nominees:
1. Timini Egbuson (A Tribe Called Judah)
2. Alexx Ekubo (Afamefuna)
3. Demola Adedoyin (Breath of Life)
4. Itele D Icon (Jagun Jagun)
5. Gregory Ojefua (This is Life)
6. Levi Chikere (Blood Vessel)
7. Ropo Ewenla (Over The Bridge)
Best Cinematography Nominees:
1. Mami Wata
2. Jagun Jagun
3. Ijogbon
4. Blood Vessel
5. Breath of Life
6. Over The Bridge
7. Omen
Best Editing Nominees:
1. Chuka Ejorh and Onyekachi Banjo
2. Holmes Awa
3. Alex Kamau and Victor Obok
4. Dayo Nathaniel
5. Antonio Ribeiro
6. Nathan Delannoy
Best Sound Design Nominees:
1. Ava Momoh (Over the Bridge)
2. Daniel Pellerin and Amin Bhatia (Kipkemboi)
3. Grey Jones Ossai (Breathe of Life and Blood Vessel)
4. Samy Bardet (Mami Wata)
Best Art Direction Nominees:
1. Mami Wata (C.J Fiery Obasi)
2. Blood Vessel (Victor Akpan)
3. Over The Bridge (Abisola Omolade)
4. Breath of Life (Okechukwu Frost Nwankwo, Kelechi Odu)
5. The Black Book (Pat Nebo and Chima Temple)
6. Jagun Jagun: The Warrior (Tunji Afolayan)
7. Omen (Eve Martin)
Best Makeup Nominees:
1. Feyisayo Oyebisi (A Tribe Called Judah)
2. Francesca Otaigbe (Over the Bridge)
3. Campbell Precious (Mami Wata)
4. Hadizat Gambo (Mojisola)
5. Hakeem Onilogbo (Jagun Jagun)
Best Writing TV Series Nominees:
1. Skinny Girl in Transit (Season 7)
2. Wura (Season 2)
3. Visa on Arrival
4. MTV Shuga Naija
5. Volume
6. Masquerades of Aniedo
7. Slum King
SOURCE: Dklassgh.Com
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NIGERIA
Veteran Nollywood actor, Amaechi Muonagor, dies at 62
Amaechi Muonagor, a veteran of Nollywood actor, passed away at the age of 62 following a lengthy illness.
According to reports, Muonagor was receiving dialysis due to kidney failure.
It was only a few days after a widely shared video in which he raised money for a kidney transplant that the unexpected news of his death broke.
Muonagor, an Anambra native from Idemili, was born on August 20, 1962, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He was an actor and producer. In 2016, he was nominated for AMVCA 2017 Best Actor in a Comedy.
In 1989, after his youth service, Muonagor started working for the News Agency of Nigeria. He left his job a few years later for an acting role in his first movie as Akunatakasi in Taboo 1, a Nigerian movie.
SOURCE: Dklassgh.Com
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NIGERIA
Chris Brown has been very supportive of African artists – Ayra Starr
Grammy-nominated Nigerian singer Ayra Starr has said American star, Chris Brown has been very supportive of African artists.
Ayra Starr, who is billed to join Chris Brown as a special guest on his “11:11” tour of the United States and Canada, said she was elated when she found out about it during the Grammy week.
Speaking in a recent interview with Kiss FM, UK, the singer said, “I first heard about it [my tour with Chris Brown] during the Grammy week. I was super excited. No, I didn't cry. I would probably cry during my first performance at the tour when I see everybody [laughs]
“Chris Brown has been a fan of African music for a long time. He has been very supportive. He has always been supporting the culture and it is really beautiful to see.
“It is exciting to see African music get recognised globally. It has been a long time coming. African music has been popping. African music has been doing it in Africa. Actually, Afrobeats has always been the best genre in the world.”
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