tansali paparazzi

By Samuel Olatunji
Sunday, March 14, 2010

As ShowBizNow exclusively reported that contestants threatened to pull out of GUS celebrity edition because Genevieve emerged the host, three of the original contestants billed for the show eventually pulled out.

Star actor, Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic and ex-beauty queen, Omowunmi pulled out. A source said one of the contestants pulled out on medical grounds as her doctor did not certify her fit for participation.

“The doctor was not privy to the activities they would be doing as the contestants were not told. If they had asked for medical report before the contract was signed we would have known what to do. She pulled out because her doctor did not certify her fit”. However, people on the side of NBL, Bate and Cosse, the company in charge of the event insist that some of the contestants started raising questions immediately they got wind of the fact that Genevieve would be the host of the reality TV show.

Ramsey was said to have pulled out of the show as he got wind of the fact that Genny was hosting it due to the fact that he and Genny do not enjoy the best of relationship. Ramsey who was once very close to Genny fell apart with her when he called the actress and told her that colleagues in the industry said she is too proud. He consequently advised her to stop giving diva-attitude to fellow actresses as it won’t help her career. We learnt that one thing led to another, the two argued, exchanged hot words on phone and consequently fell apart. However, a source insisted there is more to the feud. The source said it was a romantic affair gone sour that actually caused the fight and that the exchange of words on phone was as a result of a feud they both had before Ramsey placed a call to her using the industry complaint against her as excuse.

From that time on Ramsey and Genevieve have not been on talking terms, and Ramsey is not hiding it. When we spoke to Genny on how she felt that some of her peers pulled out of the reality show, she said, she was not disappointed but surprised. “I am not disappointed but surprised that they did what they did” she said. When pressed further to elaborate she said she won’t speak more on the matter.

But Ope Banwo, the CEO of the company that manages Genevieve said Rita and the rest that pulled out should be sued for breach of contract if they pulled out because Genevieve was chosen as host. If it is true they signed a contract to appear at a show, I don’t think it will be right for them to pull out simply because they don’t like the hostess. And I think that’s part of the problem we seem to have in this country where artistes don’t seem to respect contracts. If you are a professional and you signed a contract then you honor it .

It doesn’t matter who they bring. It will be different if when you negotiated the contract you reserved the right to have a say on who the hostess is going to be. That did not happen because I know that was not in the contract, I have some starson the show. I think this is wrong except of course there are other reasons why she withdrew. If the third party did not breach their side of the contract which to the best of my knowledge didn’t happen , then it would have been wrong for any professional not just Rita now, to pull-out because from what we are hearing they do not like the person that was chosen as hostess for them. But of course we do not know the full story, so I cannot speak for her or the other side. If she pulled out because of the hostess, then it will be wrong .

It is unprofessional and I think it’s the problem in the industry where people sign contracts and they just feel they can walk away from it because they don’t like something. Once you have signed you are stuck. That’s the way it works in the US and that is what they do in any other country. They will be sued for that, you don’t sign a contract and walk away because you don’t like something. You should think of all of that before you sign and once you have signed you are bound, even if you don’t like some of the issues that came up after. We are not babies here , we are professionals and when you sign a contract you need to honor your contract. I think somebody should start holding stars accountable for their contracts.

That is why the industry is not developing, that is why foreigners are afraid of signing Nigerian artistes-on because they don’t know what they are going to get. So I am very passionate about this, a contract is a contract. But when we sign contracts we should honour them and those who do not should be made to face the law. What I’m saying here is that if a professional signs a contract and without the consent of the other party, he walks away from it, an example should be made of him and this is what I’m advising the organizers to do. When you make an example of one, they will learn to honour contracts. There is too much of it in Nollywood and I think they should be sued by the organizers. I will like to be quoted on that. I think they should be sued by the organizers because it costs them money and they have to do a last minute run around to get them replaced. They didn’t get the kind of people they thought they would get.

When we explained that some pulled out on medical grounds, Ope dismissed the talk as cheap. “Well you can read between the lines yourself, at least my artistes that were there all went through the medical test and I was even there when they evaluated two of my artistes. It was nothing invasive. They just checked their blood pressure to ensure they were fit to go into that kind of event. So you cannot pull out when they have not told you you’re not medically fit. After all they said they were going to get them insurance and do you know an insurance company that will insure people without testing them?

The contract says they will be given a comprehensive insurance policy for the duration of the event, so if the insurance company now says they want to do testing to be able to insure them I think as a professional you should not have a problem with that, and nobody else had that problem except those people. It will be different if after they tested them and they said they were not fit. Then, that is a ground under which they can pull out; but that is not what happened here, they were never tested from what I know”, he said.

Mildred Okwo, Rita Dominic’s Manager also had some comments on the issue:
Sam, I don’t understand the need for people to grandstand when there is absolutely no reason to. Our country has become a place where people cheaply market themselves on the pages of a newspaper as opposed to gathering facts and advancing proper solutions for real problems based on those facts.

Rita Dominic did pull out of Celebrity GUS but not before we explained the reasons to those with whom she had a contract . We took out time to explain to the head of the brand and the COO of Bate Cosse why she had to pull out. She pulled out for unavoidable reasons. To the best of my knowledge, they accepted my explanation and aside from those two gentlemen, every other person is speculating for their own ulterior motives and we will not dignify them with a response. It is unprofessional for any person to make sweeping statements when they are not privy to both sides of the story.

A close source to the Chief Operating Officer of Bate Cosse, the agency that handled the reality show, told us that one of the contestants pulled out of the show on medical grounds, but denied that Ramsey, Rita or Omowunmi pulled out because of Genevieve. “We spoke to over 20 celebrities, and some said yes, some said no. Some people who indicated interest earlier later pulled out because of the scope of the programme. That can’t be said to mean pulling out” the source disclosed.

One way or the other, GUS Celebrity edition is generating so much interest that the viewers cannot wait to start watching by end of March or early next month.

No one saw this coming, not even me. Music Crooner, Dapo Oyebanjo a.k.a Dbanj in an exclusive chat with Encomium's Stella Dimiko Korkus revealed his true feelings for Nollywood Mega Star, Genevieve Nnaji and how he feels for her and doesnt want to hide his feelings anymore as he would love to take her out and not mind who sees them together. Here is that interview.




You were spotted secretly and publicly at different places with Genevieve Nnaji and we heard you both are in some kind of relationship. Is this true?
D’Banj “Yes, yes, yes. We have been trying to keep this quiet but yes, I am dating Genevieve Nnaji.

Okay. We heard you recently featured her in your music video, ‘Fall in Love.’ Is this a publicity stunt or is it a real relationship?
D’Banj “This is all so funny because beyond the personal feelings I have for Genevieve, on the business side, she is the only one who represented what we were looking for to shoot the video. She represents Africa. She represents the African Queen. She is the biggest and was even profiled on the Oprah Winfrey Show. So it was a mixed feeling for me. She was the perfect person to use for the song ‘Fall in Love’. She even was my perception of someone you would want to fall in love with and have in your life. I believe the average African man wherever you are, if you want to think of whom you would want to fall in love with, if you close your eyes and take a deep breath, it’s Genevieve that will come to mind. So business-wise, she represented everything we were looking for to make the video.”

You must have been looking at her whilst you were singing. Were you really telling her your feelings?
D’Banj “I am in love with Genevieve. It’s been long I felt this way about anyone. I don’t know what other words to use to qualify my feelings. But when you see the video, you will know that it’s not just a video, it was me talking to my girl for real.


So is this a marriage-headed relationship?
D’Banj “Like I just told you, Genevieve is my girlfriend. In fact, I don’t like using that word girlfriend. She’s my baby, she’s my every thing and I love her. We are both very mature and also very private. We would like to take it one step at a time right now and would appreciate if people will respect our need for privacy at this time.

When the news of this relationship hits the streets, we are sure you both know what will happen next. Are you ready for this?
D’Banj “Well, what can I say? Like I said, Genevieve is the biggest African star that I know and I am in the public eye, so it is to be expected. But I personally do not care about any news that wants to come out. I am proud of whom I am with. When I met Genevieve I knew what I wanted and I went after it and I am still with what I want and she’s the one I want. Right now the only woman in my life is Genevieve and she knows that. We want to be together and we don’t want to hide it any longer. I want to be able to take her out, walk into anywhere with her and not have to hide. I’ve found my kokolet, my woman. Please pray for us.”


What can i say? I never would have predicted them together but he seems happy to be with her. He sounds like a man who has found what he has been looking for. I am so happy for them if this is really what they want. 


http://simplyhabeeb.blogspot.com/2010/03/news-of-yeardbanj-is-dating-genevieve.html

Few months after recording a resounding success with When The Heart Lies, leading female filmmaker and honcho of Purple Pine Productions, Vivian Ejike, is set again to hit the local and international movie scenes with another box office.


Entitled Silent Scandal, the thought provoking flick, according to cerebral Vivian, would be released on VCD and DVD soon in Nigeria, Europe, US and the rest of Africa.

The dramatic love story that revolves around the hidden and triangular love lives of a strict mother, her spoilt daughter and an indigent ‘playboy,’ has top actress, Genevieve Nnaji, as the lead act. Uche Jombo, Ebele Okaro, Ghanaian import –Michael Majid and a host of other emerging acts.

Shedding more light, pretty Ejike, who just returned from the UK where she went to tidy up some movie-related deals, disclosed that Silent Scandal was painstakingly shot with hi-tech production equipment and thoroughly manned by tested professionals within and outside Nigeria.

“It’s a contemporary movie that will blow away the minds of movie buffs. It’s also an emotional story, where a mother and her only daughter, unknowingly, are torn apart by the true love and lust of an indigent young man. Silent Scandal is full of intrigues and suspense from start-to-finish. With all sense of modesty, it’s another plus for Nollywood, especially now that the nation is preaching the gospel of re-branding.

We believe so much in quality films and productions at Purple Pine and that is what this movie stands for,” disclosed Vivian, a former top banker.

The movie, which was directed by a Nigerian filmmaker based in Los Angeles, US, also featured a live Fashion Show by award winning designer, Zizi Cardow and her leggy models.

Gathered that Cardow’s cameo appearance in the fast-paced movie was well applauded by the cast and crew.
Aside producing and financing the big budget project, Vivian, with over 13 years experience in Nollywood, also wrote and screen played the forthcoming movie

SATURDAY GOSSIP
Source: www.punchontheweb.com   
By Saturday Life & Beat
Nonye Ben-Nwankwo

Since the news of the collapse of the marriage between actress Monalisa Chinda and her estranged husband, Victor Dejo-Richards, broke, more sordid details have been unfolding.

Monalisa’s acquaintance, Florence, who Segun said was his link to Monalisa, told Life and Beat during the week that while she actually did the introduction, she never supported the idea of the two getting married.

Recalling how the whole thing started, Florence said, “We used to attend the same church in Isolo. Yes, he saw the picture of my friend, Monalisa with me and he said he wanted to see her. “He actually drove all the way from Isolo to Lekki to see Monalisa.”

Giving an insight into Dejo-Richards’past, Florence said “Victor was married to one Kemi before then. There reception was held in one fast food centre in Lagos. But the marriage did not last up to six months before they divorced.”

She also disclosed that Dejo-Richards got engaged to one other Lady in their church after his divorce.  “He got engaged to Sister Ann. Their plan to get married was announced in church. People knew them as an item. That was before he went to England. Nobody knew why he ended up not marrying Sister Ann.”

But if she knew all this, how come she didn’t tell Monalisa, Life and Beat queried. To that Florence said, “I was on my own when Lisa (MonaLisa) called me fro England and said I should guess who she was with. She told me she was with Victor. I told her all I knew about the guy, but she said she was an adult and I should leave her alone. She asked whether I was the only one who knew that Victor had been married. When I saw that her mind was made up, I left her.”

Life and Beat called Dejo-Richards to confirm the story, but he said, “Is that the matter on hand now? I had those relationships and the people have moved on with their lives. They are happily married with children. I want to make up with my wife and have my kid home. You people don’t seem to help matters. I have vowed not to talk about this any longer. What has what she said got to do with what is happening now? My marriage is what is important. I don’t want my marriage to break.”