I CAN'T BE FORCED INTO MARRIAGE - ACTRESS SPEAKS OUT

Nollywood actress, Bimbo Akintola, has cleared the air about her relationship with Afrobeat mystro Dede Mabiaku, stating that it did not cause her career downturn.

The actress stated that whatever happened in the relationship was not Dede’s fault as he has always been a good person.

She said that Dede was a good person but Nigerians just love to blame him for things because of his “bad boy image” being an Afrobeat musician.

Bimbo admitted that she was in a relationship but maintained that she would not be coerced into marriage as it was an important aspect of human life that she could not afford to rush.

She refused to disclose the identity of the man in her life or her marriage plans.

I'M NO LONGER ‘LIVING IN BONDAGE’—ACTOR DECLARES

Kenneth Okonkwo, who played the character of Andy in ‘Living in Bondage’, a movie widely acclaimed to have given birth to what is called ‘Nollywood’ today, has declared that he's no longer living under the shadow of the character he played in that film.

The actor-turned-lawyer made this declaration while speaking at an awards ceremony held recently. Dressed in white Safari, Okonkwo said, “thank God, I am no longer ‘Living in Bondage.”

The film, which signaled a new dawn for the Nigerian film industry, brought Okonkwo into limelight. He is one of the respected actors in the country.

BIG BROTHER AFRICA IS BACK!...HITS SCREENS SEP 7

Are you ready for the drama, loads of laughter and tears?

Big Brother Africa will never disappoint! Get ready to be dazzled when Africa’s biggest reality series hits the screens on 7 September 2014!

It’s Big Brother Time and since the first season, the reality series has attracted some funny, dramatic, weird and wonderful characters that have kept viewers glued to the screens 24/7.

Some housemates who have been part of this huge show have had their talents realized and have gone on to grace TV screens; newspapers and have their profiles trending on every social media site, blog and website.

Season 9 is no different; in fact, housemates and viewers alike will be pleasantly surprised at how Biggie intends to rise to this one.

And in true Big Brother fashion, fans of the show and potential housemates will have to wait and see how he will turn dreams of some deserving and eager youngsters into reality and transform them into household names.

Entry is open to the same 14 countries with the only exception being Angola which will be replaced by newcomers Rwanda.

As a result of the change, participating countries this year are: Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Entries are only open to persons over the age of 21, who are citizens of one of the participating countries and must have a valid passport. Producers are looking for persons who are entertaining and passionate about the Big Brother experience; and they have to be fluent in English.

Big Brother Africa is produced by Endemol SA.

Audition dates will be finalized in June and more information on BIG BROTHER AFRICA 9 will be made available over the next month, so stay tuned to DStv, follow the action on Twitter and Facebook and keep checking the website; www.africamagic.tv/bigbrother.

SPEAKING PIDGIN ENGLISH IS NOT EASY-YVONNE OKORO

Popular Ghanaian actress Yvonne Okoro has described her role in an upcoming Nigerian movie she is currently filming as hilarious and very difficult at the same time.

The beautiful actress, who is known for her award-winning performances, is well remembered for her hilarious roles in ‘Why Marry’ and ‘The Game’.

She also wowed with her performance in the movie scene last year with her first produced movie titled ‘Contract’, which won several awards at the last AMVCA.

Yvonne is presently busy in Nigeria, where she has been shooting movies this year, aside working on her Desamour produced TV programme, ‘Dinning With’.

She was this week on a location in Owerri for her first waitress role. She is playing an armed robber who disguises herself as a waitress to extract information from a detective.

The role demands that Yvonne speaks Pidgin English extensively. Before going on set, she took some time to get acquainted with the language.
“It is very funny. I suffered with the accent but I got it later,” she said yesterday.

It is her first time taking up a Pidgin English role, having been tagged as one of Ghana’s few actresses who speak impeccable English language.

EVANGELIST DIANA ASAMOAH ACCUSED OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

One of Ghana’s sensational gospel musicians, evangelist Diana Asamoah might be heading to court soon for copyright infringement.

A gospel music producer, one Uncle Fiifi, known in the music scene as Abepe Show has accused Diana Asamoah who is credited with award-winning songs like ‘M’abo Wo Din’, ‘Akoko Abon’, ‘Woda Mu Fua’, ‘Pentecost’, among others, for stealing one of his songs titled ‘Anopa Hemaa’ recorded in 1990 which is on Diana’s current album.

We gathered that when Diana Asamoah and her producer, Anane Frimpong of Frimprince Music Production were contacted by the owner of the song, Abepe Show, they indicated that they have nothing to give Abepe Show as compensation.

According to them, before the release of the song, they contacted the Church of Pentecost music committee chaired by Apostle Abraham Lincoln and they were given the green light to use the song which belongs to the church.

According to Anane Frimpong, “We were proven beyond reasonable doubt that the song belongs to the Church of Pentecost so if Abepe Show has something to say about the song, he should rather contact the Church of Pentecost which gave us the right to use the song.”

BULLDOG GRANTED BAIL, LAWYER CONFIRMS

Nana Asiama Hanson (Bulldog), manager of dancehall artiste Shatta Wale who is standing trial for allegedly murdering Fennec Okyere, a music producer has been granted bail Tuesday.

Bulldog, who is also the CEO of Bull Haus Entertainment, was picked up by police on May 15 in Kokomlemle, a suburb of Accra, as a prime suspect in the murder of Fennec Okyere who was murdered at his residence on March 13 by unknown assailants. The deceased was the manager of hiplife artiste, Kwaw Kesse.

ASP Joseph Benefoh Darkwa, the Public Relations Officer of the Police CID, had told Joy News Bulldog had sent threatening messages to Fennec prior to his death.

Bulldog made his first appearance in court on Monday, May 19 and was remanded into police custody to appear in court on June 2.

The prosecution asked permission to remand the suspect to enable the police continue with their investigations. According to the prosecution, his detention would go a long way to assist the police's investigations due to the sensitive nature of the case.

But lawyer for Bulldog, Gary Nimako objected to calls for his client to be remanded in police custody. He had argued that the charges leveled against his client – conspiracy to commit murder and committing murder – cannot hold because the prosecution has not been able to link his client to Fennec’s murder.

Lawyer for Bulldog confirmed to Myjoyonline.com that his client has been granted bail: "He (Bulldog) has been granted bail."

Myjoyonline.com has gathered that, lawyers for Bulldog took the matter to the Human Rights Court after the District Magistrate Court refused to grant him bail on May 19.

The Human Rights Court granted him bail Tuesday on the basis that the facts as the police presented and upon which they were holding Bulldog are "speculative" and do not link him to the charges that have been preferred against him.

On that basis, the court ruled that, Bulldog deserves his freedom and should not have been held even for a day.

The police ought to have granted him police enquiry bail, the court added.

MY LATEST ALBUM IS READY- AMANDZEBA

The much-awaited latest musical album of the celebrated highlife musician, Amandzeba Nat Brew, is ready and will be released soon for public consumption.

Amandzeba, who is one of the greatest highlife musicians in Ghana today with international recognition, told BEATWAVES that “I am currently putting finishing touchings to my latest album which has well educated and interesting songs.”

His music style is influenced by the Ga sounds of kpanlogo, the West African Francophone styles, Nigerian juju music, highlife and reggae. He sings in Fante, Twi, Ga, Hausa and many other languages.

Some of the stakeholders who had the opportunity to listen to some of the songs on the album have described Amandzeba as one of the few talented highlife music icons whose talent goes beyond the borders of Ghana and Africa.

They claimed that Amandzeba’s songs on his yet-to-be released album were motivating, soul-touching and the rhythms and beats in all the songs could easily compete with those on the international music market.

Known for his unique delivery, Amandzeba Nat Brew always leaves an impression with the kind of words he uses in his all his songs. All his songs carry very touching messages which focus on changing the attitudes and lifestyles of the people.

A source close to the highlife icon told BEATWAVES yesterday, “We could make the world stand up and notice Africa in a different light, culturally” adding that Amandzeba’s lyrics “are very educative and he has groomed himself into a complete entertainer.”

He said most of the songs on the album have mid-tempos with good traditional highlife beats. The instrumentation and the backing vocalists make the songs on the album exceptional.

According to him, the album which is yet to be played on all the local radio stations throughout the country has the potential of becoming a big hit on the music market.

Having sung for several years, Amandzeba has the voice that appeals to every living soul. His music is basically a combination of traditional gospel rhythms and other danceable gospel tunes.