CONFUSION OVER GHANA MOVIE AWARDS

After several failed attempts to come to an agreement to make the Ghana Movie Awards scheme a successful one, no consensus was reached and this has resulted in the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) parting ways with Ghana Movie Awards Foundation: organizers of the annual Ghana Movie Awards.

To make their position clear on whether they are still in good standing with the awards or not, both FIPAG and the Actors Guild of Ghana have issued a press release dissociating itself from the awards and this has been discussed on several platforms in our entertainment industry. The leaders of these two associations, have been questioned as to whether they will change their position with the awards but they have remained resolute and stagnant on the fact that they will not associate themselves with the awards and that none of their members will permit the organizers to use their movies for the awards.
 
As if that has not been heard or read by the organizers, we woke up one fine morning to see a press release from Ghana Movie Awards Foundation announcing the 2014 edition of Ghana Movie Awards. In the statement, they confirmed that preparations are on going to bring to patrons another edition of the awards slated for 30th December 2014. Another twist which is also being developed by the organizers was the introduction of associate organizers and producers of the awards scheme like Blaq Qode and SEA (Seyi Emmanuel Adebayor) Foundation. According them, they are bringing on board their proficiency and this is a huge plus for Ghana Movie Awards.
 
What is disturbing in this press statement is the person who signed the release. Victor Adeyemi works with Ghanaweb as their entertainment reporter and he has told Flex newspaper that he has been employed by the three organizations above to work as their external public relations officer. Even with his current position as the PRO, he is not abreast with information that organizations like FIPAG and GAG have dissociated themselves from the awards. Again, he could not even ascertain whether Fred Nuamah, who happens to be the founder and CEO of Ghana Movie Awards was aware of the press release before it was being put out by the external PRO.
 
Meanwhile, FIPAG has threatened legal actions should the organizers use any of their movies without their awareness in the organization of the awards.

ARREST ASAMOAH GYAN - JANET BANDU'S FATHER

The Father of Janet Bandu, the lady who allegedly drowned with hip-life musician Castro in the Volta Lake at Ada, Staff Sergeant Joe Bandu (rtd), has asked the Ghana Police Service and the Military to arrest Ghana Black Stars Captain Asamoah Gyan.

According to him, “I don’t care if my daughter is dead or alive; all I am asking is that he bring me back my daughter”

Mr Bandu suspects Asamoah Gyan had a hand in the disappearance of his daughter; hence he must be arrested.

This comes barely a week after Baffour Gyan, Asamoah Gyan’s elder brother assaulted a journalist, Daniel Kenu for asking his brother (Asamoah) to clear the air concerning the allegation that he has a hand in the supposed death of Castro and Janet.

The assault case which is currently in court has generated a lot of controversies as many suggest that Asamoah Gyan and his brother should have known better.

But speaking to news team from UTV, Mr Bandu thinks the accusation is not misplaced and that Asamoah Gyan must be made to respond to it.

“We don’t have the full details of how everything happened. They keep tossing us from one place to the other. Formerly, Asamoah Gyan will tell us that he will come and see us but anytime we call him on his phone he doesn’t even answer to his calls at all…

I don’t know what to do. I can’t eat and I can’t sleep either; I don’t want to take the law into my own hands and so the Police and other authorities involved must help me by arresting Asamoah Gyan for interrogation.” Mr Bandu told UTV in an interview.

It’s been three months now since Castro and Janet went missing at Ada while jet skiing at a beach resort.

The two were holidaying with Asamoah Gyan and some other friends. According to reports, Castro drowned while trying to save Janet from the lake.

The rest of the story remains mysterious as it not clear if indeed Castro and Janet are dead or missing.

SPIRITUALIST WARNS TINNY...USE SOMEONE'S CALAMITY AS A LESSON

According to a prophet, award-winning musician, real name Nii Addo Quaynor aka Tinny, has been warned by a spiritualist for exhibiting gross ungratefulness to the said spiritualist who happens to be the spiritual father of the artist.

In an exclusive interview with 'Razz' Newspaper, Prophet Samuel Baffoe, Founder of Elshadai Prayer Ministry, located in Spintex, claims he saw in the spiritual realm, an old man warning Tinny to be careful else tragedy would befall him.

“First, I must admit that I don’t know Tinny. If he is standing in front of me right now or he’s on a TV, I won’t be able to make him out. But this is what happened; I was praying for someone and in the process, the revelation came. I saw a very old man warning Tinny to use someone’s calamity as a lesson. The old man was very serious about what he was telling Tinny.

Tinny only looked on without uttering a word.”

Prophet Baffoe, who is said to have the gift of interpreting spiritual matters, explained in plain terms that the old man is actually a spiritualist – Tinny’s spiritual head.

“The old man is Tinny’s spiritual head or father. In other words, Tinny goes to him for spiritual assistance in many forms.

However, Tinny has jilted that spiritualist for another spiritualist - which is a very bad conduct. It’s an act of disrespect and gross ungratefulness.”

“The spiritualist is telling Tinny to use someone’s calamity as a lesson. That someone in this sense is Castro who is feared dead. So, the spiritualist is warning Tinny to be careful, else a mysterious misfortune like that of Castro, does not befall him. Calamity in this sense is death”.

On how he got to know that the Tinny he saw is the popular musician, he said: “Personally, I don’t follow your showbiz industry so what I did was that, I called someone who follows showbiz and the fellow confirmed to me that Tinny is a musician.”

Prophet Baffoe further stated that, there’s more mystery to the revelation about Tinny but he wish to withhold them in order not to cause too much panic to the artist or his fans.

“I would like to meet him and advise him. If I meet him, I will ask him a lot of questions to see how best we can avert things,” he revealed.

I NEED MONEY TO PAY MY CHILDREN SCHOOL FEES ...ACTRESS CRIES OUT

Nollywood actress, Omoni Oboli, has called on Nigerians to come out and watch her recently released movie, ‘BEING Mrs Elliot,’ to enable her recover her money.

Omoni says she is praying and hoping with all of my heart and soul that the movie do well in the Cinemas so that she can be able to pay her children school fees.

She further explained that she expects the movie to yield returns of about N200 million, which she says will be her biggest money.

Meanwhile, the movies will start showing in cinemas

WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME:PEOPLE JUST ASSUME I’M A SNOB – ACTRESS

In recent years, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde has featured in hit movies such as ‘Last Flight to Abuja’, ‘Ije’, ‘Private Storm,’ and ‘Ties That Bind’, among others, which are getting good reviews and have earned impressive awards.

A recent survey by Playhouse Communications confirmed she’s Nigeria’s most popular female entertainer on the internet with the highest number of followers on Facebook and Twitter. Omosexy, as she is fondly called, can be said to be a complete woman. Talk of good shape and pretty face, she’s got them all. Even at 36 and after four children Omosexy is still as sexy as a 16-year-old girl.

If you are one of those wondering how this Ondo State-born actress has been able to keep her sexy shape even after going to the labour room four times, then hear her: “First and foremost, I use the power of the tongue. I look at the mirror and say to myself ‘You are slim; you are losing weight in all the right places.’ It’s funny, right? But then, also, I try to eat healthy, and I’m very active. I have just started working out with a trainer, but prior to that I just stay active.”

Yet, one could hardly believe the talented actress actually got married when she was just 18 years old! “I got married in 1996, but we had a plane wedding in 2001. People were thinking, ‘why just do the usual wedding, let’s do something really different.’ We were thinking of a destination wedding and we thought about the logistics. But my husband just suggested, ‘what if we did it on a plane on destination to somewhere?’ People asked if we were crazy. At every level we got to they would look at us and start laughing. But at the end of the day, it was a beautiful wedding. We flew from Lagos to Benin. We couldn’t get approval for anything farther. We actually wanted to have an international flight, but the procedure was tough. We had to insure everybody on that flight. So, we could only go as far as Benin.”

Even after marriage, Omosexy still wears those revealing and sexy clothes. When asked if her husband does not raise eyebrows, she replied: “My husband is extremely in support. I can’t even wear some clothes my husband approves of. People would think I’m crazy, they would read meaning into our relationship. He is a very enlightened person and someone who believes in his heart. Even with our kids, he trusts them so much.”

Omotola would go ahead to tell how it has been with her husband since they were married for many years: “I bless God, it’s been wonderful. God has been very good and I give the glory to Him. And secondly, I’d give credit to my husband. Because, I think I’m the difficult one, because of the demands of my career and because I’m the woman. But he’s been extremely supportive.”

One would wonder that despite her tight schedule Omotola still has time for her children, even to discipline them. “I am a very hands-on Mum. My kids would tell you I’m extremely strict also, because I was trained by a very strict Mum. My Mum was an Egba woman; she used to sit on me. When they say I’m very strict, I say ‘You’re lucky I don’t sit on you.’ I use most of the doctrines in the Bible; I’m always in their business.

Omosexy also speaks on her involvement in the hit movie, ‘Last Flight to Abuja’:

“I pick my projects very carefully, hopefully thinking it might add some value to the time we are in, movie-wise. I saw this as a very risky project, not only because of the story line but also because of the circumstances surrounding the project. Even at the time the Dana Plane crash had not happened, it was based on a true story, the 2006 plane crash. So, I thought it was something we could relate to. I felt it was an opportunity to lend my name to a project that would encourage people to tell stories that are not just fictions, but stories that mean something to us.”

For an actress married to a pilot, one would wonder if she ever had a near tragic experience on a plane, she replies: “Luckily, no. And I hope never to have such an experience in Jesus name! I remember my husband had something similar the year of the Sosoliso crash. He flew that day and dropped the plane, which our friend, Captain Adebayo, took away and unfortunately crashed. That is the closest shave I’ve had. I remember, anytime there is a plane crash people always call, tweet or write me to say, ‘Are you not scared?’ And I’d say, ‘We all fly, are you not scared, too?’ People think because my husband is a pilot I should be more scared than they are. We all fly some day, so it’s also an awakening call to the Aviation Industry, because once that plane takes off, you really can’t change anything.”

Omotola says her husband’s type of job does not prevent him from watching movies. “He watches every one of my movies. And if truth be told, there are some he is not comfortable with. If the movie is becoming intense, he would say ‘I’d rather not watch’. But he would never say I’m going to stop you from doing movies. He is like, ‘this is your image; this is what you do’. My husband would be watching my movie and say, ‘You people are kissing and you are cheating. Don’t people get turned off?’”

According to Omotola, losing her father when she was 12 really affected her. “I’m the first of three kids. My father was the manager of Lagos Country Club, but I lost him when I was 12. I was extremely close to him and it really affected me because, for a long time I was thinking I would die, too. I felt so much grief and it was a lot of strain on my mother because she had three kids to cater for and didn’t want our standard of living to drop. I wanted to help her, so after I left secondary school I started modelling.”

Though she got married when she was 18 in 1996, yet Omotola feels she has not missed anything as a result of her teen marriage. “I haven’t missed anything. I think it’s also because of the kind of person I’m married to. He’s very adventurous and playful. I don’t think there is anything I want to do that I am not doing. I’ve never said I wanted to go somewhere and he says you can’t. I can do anything, go anywhere, and he would be okay with it.

Is Omotola really a snob?

“I guess I have this demeanour that makes me look like I’m in my own zone. People just assume that I’m a snob. Sometimes I really could enter into my own zone, and it depends on where I am. If I’m in a place where the air is too stiff for me, I just become very quiet. But if I get to a place and feel the vibe and it’s free and fun, you are virtually going to beg me to sit in one place. I’m too extreme; I can be overly bubbly and overly quiet. I’m never really in the middle and I can’t pretend.”

Now, there are many upcoming sexy, well-shaped, beautiful and talented actresses in the industry. Does Omotola feel threatened?

“I’m not the most intelligent, I’m not the best actress either, and I don’t think I have the best attitude, but I always ask God for His grace. There are new challenges everyday and I ask God to teach me. You have to always remember there is nothing special about you, it’s just His grace. What you think you have somebody else probably even have double. There are younger, new, hotter, more aggressive people around now. I just try to be myself, work hard, and rely on what can take me far.”

SHATTA WALE TO GIVE FREE EXERCISE BOOKS TO DEPRIVED SCHOOLS

Reigning artiste of the year, Shatta Wale, is expected to distribute exercise books to students early next month.

His manager, Bulldog, who disclosed the news to Abrantepa on Radio Univers said that the distribution is to help support needy students in deprived schools.

“Shatta Wale believes that education is the key to everything. You will be confused with many things if you are not educated.

Lets not think that education is only in the classroom but the larger part of it is taken in the classroom that is why we are doing this in schools. It is to encourage students in the deprived schools,” he elaborated.

According to him, Shatta Wale who believes in education will start the supply with only exercise books in Accra and will later add other educational materials and extend it to other regions.

Bulldog further indicated, “currently, we are doing everything on our own so we are sharing the books for now. We will later add other materials to it because we are going for sponsorships to help this project."

"E.L IS BETTER THAN ME"

In Ghana, there are legion of rappers but few can be chosen as the best. E.L and 'Tonga' hitmaker, Joey B will not be excluded when naming few of the nation’s best rappers.

It becomes hard to choose the best when two equally good rappers are presented for the most excellent to be chosen.

But the Discovery of the year award-winning artiste at the 2014 VGMA, Joey B has stated emphatically that award-winning music producer and rapper, Elorm Adablah known by his stage name E.L is better than him in the world of rap.

Joey B revealed this on the EFGH show with Peace Hyde when he was hit with the question “who would you say is a better rapper, Joey B or E.L?”

“This is going to be hard because I believe in myself and there is noway I’m going to leave myself out. E.L should take that,” he responded.

On why E.L is better than him, Joey B said, “he can sing and rap, play the beat, and he produces as well. I mean its El.L, trust me.”

MISSING CASTRO SAGA: I'LL REVEAL THE WHOLE TRUTH AT THE END OF THIS MONTH

Legal practitioner, Dr. Maurice Ampaw has exclusively disclosed that come the end of this month, he'll reveal the whole truth surrounding the whereabout of popular hip-life musician, Theophilus Tagoe aka Castro.

He also added confidently that he is aware the skipper of the Black stars, Asamaoh Gyan also knows.

In an interview with the XYZ Breakfast Show host, Moro Awudu, lawyer Ampaw said that he is surprised the police service has still not arrested Asamoah Gyan for questioning and interrogation.

The hip-life star got missing on the Volta estuary when he and a friend of his, Janet Bandu went jet skiing in the waters at Ada on 6th July.

Castro and Black Stars captain, Gyan aka ‘baby jet’ were at the Peace Holiday Resort at Ada, together with some friends, for recreation when the unfortunate incident occurred and despite intensive rescue operations they are yet to be found dead or alive.

Maurice Ampaw said upon his own investigation, he found out that a necklace worn by Castro was later found in a dustbin hours before he and his lady friend got missing.

“You cannot hide the truth, the truth is only one and I promise by the end of this month, I will come out with more revelations.

“If Ghana were a serious nation, we wouldn’t have allowed Marine Police to go and have fun on the sea, with the intention of searching for Castro's body. Asamoah Gyan also picked a boat saying he was going to search for Castro, these will not happen in a serious country," the ace lawyer opined.

BE BOLD AND DECLARE YOUR SPOUSE – ADJETEY ANANG

With the many issues that crop out of celebrity marriages , many have frowned upon and given many admonitions against celebrity marriages but wait, not everybody has negative views on celebrity unions.

Ghanaian actor Adjetey Anang, popularly known as ‘PUSHER’ who has been married for seven (7) years is suggesting to his fellow actors who are contemplating marriage to man up and pursue it while those in relationships should be bold enough to declare their spouses.

According to the ‘Devil in the Dress’ Actor , there are so many advantages in celebrity Marriages and certainly not as bad as people portrays it to be.

In an interaction with Razz Newspaper, he stated that, some celebrities shy away from marriage because of the class of people they associate themselves with.

Stating some of the advantages in celebrities getting married , he said that, as a celebrity marriage makes them more responsible , keeps them on their toes on how they (stars) behaves in public especially when as a role models, their actions may affect the many people who look up to them.

He added that , marriage offers the new generation love, protection, peace of mind and productivity.

‘In homes where there is a single parent, where one parent is always away from home due to work or otherwise , social vices seem to be high in the kids, so you can imagine what kids will be exposed to in broken homes’ he queried.

Talking about celebrities who hide their wives or girlfriends from the public , he said that, they may have their personal reasons , but to him , everyone should be proud of whom he or she is dating and should feel free to go anywhere with him or her.

The possible reasons some celebrities would not be comfortable declaring their spouses, according to ‘Pusher’, is the media attention and FrontPage reportage that will shroud such private issues.

Speaking about his dear wife, Elorm Anang , he said that, she understands his line of work and also knows him very well, so she doesn’t get worried about his movie roles , but sometimes she gets uncomfortable especially when he is involved in very intimate roles.

‘Fortunately, before we got married , I usually shy away from very intimate roles .that’s a personal choice . But sometimes when she watches me play a role close to intimacy , she will pinch me, especially when we watch such movies together , but of course , nothing major’ he revealed.

He also confirmed that, some very ambitious and enthusiastic female fans do propose love to both the single and married actors but he has and still remains much disciplined.

‘I stay disciplined. we certainly can be acquaintances but there are limits we cannot cross. some immediately back-off while others simply appreciate my stance as a married man’ he voiced out.’

AYIGBE EDEM GRABBED

POPULAR HIPLIFE and afro pop artiste, Ayigbe Edem, was last Monday apprehended by the Tema Regional Police Command for failing to stop when signalled to do so.

The Ewe rapper, known in private life as Denning Edem Agbeviadey, who was said to be driving on the Tema-Accra Beach Road, and heading towards Tema, was signalled by the police commander, DCOP Mrs Beatrice Zaakpa Vib-Sanziri, for a routine check, but failed to stop.

After persistent beckoning by the police for him to stop, he drove a few metres away and was given a hot chase by the police until he was accosted.

A routine check on his vehicle revealed that some documents which were supposed to be on him, were not found. He was subsequently arrested and asked to produce the documents, which he was said to have done.

He was issued with a warning letter and released. When asked why he failed to stop when he was signalled to do so, he indicated that he had an emergency issue to attend to at the Tema Women’s Hospital and that that was why he was in a rush.

The police operation was part of a nationwide exercise to help check road indiscipline and ensure that motorists comply with road regulations.

The operation took place at Ashaiman, Tema, Accra-Tema Beach Road, Afienya, Kpone, Prampram and Dodowa. Vehicles were stopped randomly and various offences were identified in the course of the operations. Some of the offences ranged from driving without drivers’ licence, driving with expired drivers’ licence, worn-out tyres, expired or no road worthiness certificates, expired or no insurance certificates, driving with underweight licences, no side mirrors, defective indicators, brake and head lights.

At the close of the exercise, the Ashaiman police had impounded 40 vehicles and processed drivers of 28 of them for court after a careful screening, while the remaining 12 were issued with warning letters and released.

The Community 1 police had seized 42 vehicles and processed 25 drivers for court; seventeen were issued with warning letters and released. In Community 2, 40 cars were impounded, 14 offenders were processed for court and 26 were warned and asked to go and rectify their documentations.

The remaining were, Prampram, where 22 vehicles were seized, out of which 12 were released after their respective drivers were warned, whiles 10 drivers were processed for court. The Kpone police confiscated 10 and processed all the drivers for court, whiles the Dodowa/Afienya police commandeered 25 vehicles, processed 18 offenders to face the law, whiles seven were warned and released.

Community 7 police impounded 56 and processed all the drivers for court.

In all, 235 vehicles were confiscated for various offences and after careful screening, 161 drivers were processed for court.

Drivers, who stated that they had left their driving licences at home or had them with their bosses, were asked to bring them for their vehicles to be released to them. Others, whose insurance and road worthiness certificates expired a few days before the operations, were asked to go and renew them and report to the police later with proof of renewals.

ASAMOAH GYAN ‘MURDERED’ OUR DAUGHTER & CASTRO – ANGRY JANET BANDU’S FAMILY CLAIM

After several weeks of staying incommunicado, the family of missing Janet Bandu have finally broken their silence alleging that Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan may have murdered their daughter and Hiplife musician Castro.

According Janet’s family, even though Castro disappeared with their daughter, Asamoah Gyan and his management have totally neglected them and they have deprived them of vital information regarding the disappearance of Bandu.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Neat FM’s “Entertainment Ghana”, family head Mr. Badu called on Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and Inspector General of Police to intervene in the matter.

“It is Asamoah Gyan and his girlfriend called Alberta and other people who took Janet to Ada. Asamoah Gyan and all the other people have returned home but my daughter and Castro never came back and nobody has come to narrate what really happened. So I am therefore appealing to CDS Rear Admiral Quashie and the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Alhassan to come to our aid by arresting Asamoah Gyan so that we can question him because he is the one who sent them there”.

Mr. Bandu also called for the arrest of one Alberta, who he alleged, is Asamoah Gyan’s girlfriend because it was Alberta who invited his daughter Janet Bandu to Ada and she was with her before they disappeared. He also claimed that, he suspects his daughter-Janet Bandu and Castro were murdered by Asamoah Gyan and his group of friends.

“If they murdered her, they should tell me so that I go and get her body and bury her. After all, I am not the only person whose daughter has died....because I think they murdered Castro and Janet. I am not concluding so but I am suspecting something like that”.

Ask why he was making such wild allegations against Asamoah Gyan and his friends; he said “Because they are not saying anything and they are not telling us anything. So wherever they are they should come out and tell us what happened because I don’t want to take the law into my hands. There are laws in this country so if someone does something which is not good the authorities are there and they are supposed to take action”.

Mr. Bandu who is a retired army officer also complained that since the incident happened everybody keeps mentioning Castro’s name even though there are two missing people.

“Every day when they are talking they keep mentioning Castro. Are they saying that my daughter is not a citizen of this nation? So I am appealing to the whole nation and those in authority to help me. Why should Asamoah Gyan go with my daughter and Castro? They came back and my daughter and Castro are behind and they told us he fell inside the water and up till now we have not heard anything and nobody is questioning Asamoah Gyan and Sammy (Gyan's errand).

Janet Bandu’s mother also spoke on the same platform calling on all Ghanaians and authorities in charge to look for Janet’s friend Alberta and question her.

“They must look for my daughter for me because her friend cannot take her somewhere and will return without my daughter...and we call her on phone, she refuses to answer...I am therefore pleading with all Ghanaians to help us look for Alberta for her to tell us where my daughter is. If she doesn’t help me find my daughter she will never have peace”.

Janet Bandu’s sisters, Theresa and Gifty Bandu, also spoke on the same program calling for the arrest of Alberta and Asamoah Gyan. They disclosed that Janet’s friend Alberta (Asamoah Gyan’s alleged girlfriend) have visited the Bandu’s family house only once after the incident with some family members.

The family strongly believes someone is hiding something and the stories coming from those who went to Ada appear to be inconsistently consistent.

Theophilus Tagoe, known in showbiz cycles as “Castro De Destroyer” and Janet Bandu of “I am in Love with Bomaye” fame went “Missing” on Sunday July 6, after a jet skiing incident on the Ada-Volta estuary.

The two are suspected to have drowned but families of the two, music lovers and friends are still keeping hope alive.