Entertainment

My Life As A Model, Actress, Singer – Legit Queen, Angela Okorie Opens Up

Published

2 years ago

August 12, 2023

Give your best shot and be at peace with the outcome ” is the philosophy that has kept actress-turned-singer, Angela Okorie going in her chosen career.

Fondly called Legit Queen, Okorie might not have been the best actress or songstress in this part of the world, but the light-skinned mother of one has surely come a long way on her own to register her strong presence in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

From modelling to acting and now, singing, Angela Okorie has cemented her enviable place in the industry, which now gives her the leverage to blow her own trumpet.

Despite her hard work, it wasn’t an easy ride to fame for the actress. While everyone has his or her days of little beginning, the beautiful diva’s story resonates with emotions, determination and resilience.

For the first time, Okorie opens up about her life journey, recalling in an Instagram live session with Sam how she was able to weather the storms of life to become what she is today.

She also confessed that she wasn’t born with silver spoon in her mouth, recalling that she grew up in a family where hustling was the order of the day.

Looking back after 20 years in the industry, the Legit Queen gave herself a pass mark, saying “I have done very well in my chosen career which many people can acknowledge.”

According to her, she started out as a model before venturing into acting . But music was inborn in her as she began singing way back in the church at the age of 7.

Okorie revealed that she used the money she earned from her modelling career to pay her school fees while she was an undergraduate at the Lagos State University, where she studied Business Administration. She also assisted her siblings too.

Sharing her grass to grace story, the actress said “I have worked so hard to be where I am today. But a lot of people don’t know that I was once a model. Some people knew me as an actress while many others knew me as a model. I modelled for Delta Soap, MTN among other big brands.’

Recalling how she ventured into modelling, Okorie said it happened while she was in the university.

“I joined a modelling agency that secured jobs for me. So, while I was studying for my degree programme, I was also modelling to put food on my table. This is because I was using the money I made from modelling to pay my school fees as well as those of my siblings.

“I lost my dad at some point but I am not the lazy type. That was how I saw myself through education. I was 16 years old when I started modelling for Delta Soap,” the actress added.

Speaking further, Okorie said she started singing way back in the church at the age of 7, having had a Christian background.

On how she delved into acting, the Legit Queen said she had many friends then who were making waves in Nollywood. Among them were actor Chigozi Atuanya, who was regularly inviting her to a movie location.

She recalled that, “each time he was on location, he would invite me to come and see what they were doing. Then I was residing at Festac town. So, one day when I showed up on the location, the director of the movie they were shooting, Mr Ifeanyi was looking for a beautiful girl to play a particular role. He told me that I’d fit into the character but inquired to know if we could act well”.

That was how she gave acting a chance and since then, Okorie has been on top of her career

She said, “When I started acting, I realized I was making more money from it than modelling. I came from a poor family where we couldn’t put food on our table. Then my parents were doing their business in Cotonou . At that point, acting started putting food on my table and I had to take it seriously. After I did my first movie , producers started coming after me to the extent that , I was invited to America to star in a movie over there.”

Okorie, who started playing music professionally in the late 2019, described her kind of music as amapiano and RnB, adding “music is my own way of expressing myself .”

Interestingly, the Legit Queen said music at the moment was putting food on her table than acting and modelling despite the ugly experience she had at the early stage.

According to her, she got broke when she delved into music and released her debut song.

“I had to push my acting career and my music at the same time to the point that the world must hear it. Like my song, Legit is being played in over 80 countries around the world. But I didn’t recoup the money I invested in the song”, she said.

Okorie who has been missing on screen, said she will return for the love of her acting career. She began her career in music in the late 2019, after releasing her debut single ‘ E pain Dem’ followed by her popular 2020 song “Legit”. Others include, Ije Life, Vibes, Lift Me Up, Light In The Dark, Aradite, and her latest single, “Gain’ featuring Naira Marley.

Entertainment

Amy Winehouse’s Father Fues Her Friends For Auctioning Late Star’s Clothes

Published

5 days ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

The father of late British singer Amy Winehouse Tuesday defended his UK lawsuit against two of her friends after they sold some of her clothes at auction for around £730,000 ($970,000).

Mitch Winehouse told the High Court in London that Naomi Parry, the star’s former stylist, and her friend, Catriona Gourlay, did not have the right to sell dozens of items in auctions between November 2021 and May 2023.

Lawyer Henry Legge, acting for Winehouse, told the court on Monday, the first day of the trial, that the two women sold 150 objects which had belonged to Winehouse, including dresses which she wore on her last tour in June 2011.

The British singer-songwriter, who enjoyed meteoric global success, died a month later from alcohol poisoning, aged just 27.

Winehouse was a distinctive figure with her beehive hairdo, heavy black eye makeup, multiple tattoos and smoky voice.

She shot to international fame with her Grammy Award-winning 2006 album “Back to Black” which included the track “Rehab”, charting her battle with addiction.

According to court documents, Winehouse believed that any sums collected from the sales organised by Los Angeles-based Julien’s Auctions would be due to him.

The auctioneers had also been told that a third of the proceeds would be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation — a charity set up in the singer’s name working with young people to foster hope and self-reliance.

However, Winehouse’s team accused the women of failing to donate the share of proceeds to the foundation.

– ‘You’re wrong’ –

Ted Loveday, lawyer for Gourlay, said that most of the objects had been given or lent to the two women by the singer, even if there was no proof.

“If a 19-year-old gives a scarf or a pair of earrings to their friends, no one signs a contract,” he told the court on Monday, stressing the singer’s generosity.

Gourlay and Parry met Amy Winehouse in the early 2000s, before she shot to fame. Parry went on to create some of the singer’s most iconic looks — including the green bamboo dress worn on the June 2011 tour which sold at auction for $243, 200.

Beth Grossman, the lawyer for Parry, said the two “women are not thieves and they are not dishonest”.

She accused Winehouse of bringing the lawsuit against the women out of “petty jealousy”, which he strongly denied on Tuesday, saying “you’re wrong”.

Grossman also highlighted the financial differences between the multi-millionaire Mitch Winehouse and the two women who are “living pretty much hand to mouth”.

The hearing is set to last until Friday, with a judgement due at a later date.
(AFP)

Entertainment

FULL LIST: Shallipopi, Belove Olocha, Malumfoodie Win Big At TikTok Awards 2025

Published

6 days ago

December 8, 2025

Editor

TikTok has announced the full list of winners for the 2025 TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigerian stars Shallipopi, Belove Olocha and South Africa’s Malumfoodie taking home some of the biggest honours of the night.

The ceremony held on December 6 in Johannesburg and attracted top creators, performers and industry figures from across the continent. The theme for this year’s event was New Era, New Icons.

The show featured performances from Ciza, Lord Kez, Thuli P, DJ Fif Laa and Thabsie. South African entertainer Bontle Modiselle Moloi hosted the event while Keegan Gordon and Zayaan Noorani handled the red carpet. Influencer Mihlali Ndamase made a surprise appearance to present the Video of the Year award. Olympian Akani Simbine also presented the Sport Creator of the Year category.

Brands including NIVEA, inDrive, Coca-Cola, PEP and Dis-Chem supported the awards.

TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba, said the platform is recognising creators who are shaping global conversations.

She said, “Tonight’s ceremony was a gathering of the trailblazers who have redefined what it means to be a creator in Africa. From Sokoto to Nairobi, and Accra to Pretoria, we honoured the creators who turned 60-second clips into cultural movements. We are honoured to celebrate them as they amplify their voices and take their stories from Africa to the world.”

The ceremony will be rebroadcast on December 11 at 20:00 SAST on TikTok LIVE through the @tiktok.africa account.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Creator of the Year
Raja’atu Muhammed Ibrahim @diaryofanortherncook (Nigeria)

Storyteller of the Year
Brian Nwana @briannwana (Nigeria)
He said, “Every single creator is a storyteller. We all tell stories that help drive the local communities, our cities, and our countries, and when we do that we change the perception that the world has about us”.

Video of the Year
Fanuel John Masamaki @zerobrainer0 (Tanzania)
He said, “I am truly grateful to my fans and the love I have received from Tanzanians. Thank you so much . This win was for all of us.”

Rising Star of the Year
@tunero_animations (Kenya)
Runner up: Esther Francis @estherfrancisbackup (Nigeria)

Social Impact Creator of the Year
Dejoke Ogunbiyi @noositiwantiwa_ (Nigeria)
Runner up: Sinethemba Masinga @ufarm_julia (South Africa)

Food Creator of the Year
@malumfoodie (South Africa)
He said, “From my humble beginnings of Haamanskraal, to Soshanguve and to all of South Africa, now we are in Africa!”

Runner up: Abena Amoakoaa Sintim Aboagye @chefabbys (Ghana)

Sports Creator of the Year
John Maingi Mbugua @zozasportscast (Kenya)
He said, “Winning isn’t the finish line, it’s fuel for the next chapter. Every piece of content, every discussion, every moment captured was driven by passion, and receiving this recognition means that passion is resonating far beyond my expectations.”

Runner up: Victor Ademola @ademolavictortv (Nigeria)

Entertainment Creator of the Year
Belove Olocha @beloveolocha (Nigeria)
Runner up: Jabulani Macdonald @jabu_macdonald (South Africa)

Education Creator of the Year
Izzi Boye @izziboye (Nigeria)
Runner up: @michelle_expert (South Africa)

Artiste of the Year
Crown Uzama @theycallmeshallipopipp (Nigeria)
He said, “Thank you, TikTok, for supporting all upcoming artists and giving them a spotlight to shine.”

Entertainment

TikTok Temporarily Restricts Late Night Live Feature In Nigeria

Published

6 days ago

December 8, 2025

Editor

TikTok has restricted late-night LIVE access for Nigerian users, as the platform now blocks the feature during peak night hours.

The restriction started on Sunday at midnight when the app quietly shut down all LIVE activities across Nigeria, leaving accounts unable to host or even watch late night streams.

According to an in-app message sent to creators, TikTok wrote, “We’re temporarily limiting LIVE late at night in Nigeria as part of our investigation to ensure our platform remains safe and our community stays protected.”

Many affected users shared that their screens showed a “No Access” label between 11pm and 5am, confirming that the shutdown was nationwide and not a technical glitch.

Reports showed that only creators with at least 1,000 followers received the notice, since they are the only ones allowed to host LIVE sessions on the platform.

Several of them confirmed that all LIVE activities stopped throughout the night, and no one could even view broadcasts from other countries during the restriction.

TikTok users who earn money through LIVE gifting said their balances were not touched, easing fears of sudden financial loss.

By Monday morning, LIVE access returned, but the whole situation triggered long conversations on social media as Nigerians questioned why the company picked late night hours, which usually record the highest traffic for match streams, entertainment shows and interactive trends.

TikTok’s latest move came a few weeks after the platform released fresh safety figures for West Africa at its Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal.

The company revealed that in the second quarter of 2025, it took action against 2,321,813 LIVE sessions and 1,040,356 creators worldwide for breaking LIVE monetisation rules.

It also disclosed that Nigeria alone recorded 49,512 banned LIVE sessions within the same period.

TikTok added that it removed 3,780,426 Nigerian videos between April and June 2025 for violating Community Guidelines, noting that 98.7 percent were deleted before anyone viewed them, while 91.9 percent were taken down within 24 hours.

TikTok LIVE remains a popular feature among young users because it allows real time broadcasting, comments and gifting, unlike pre-recorded videos.

To go LIVE, a creator generally needs at least 1,000 followers, must be above 16 years to stream and above 18 years to earn money.