Connect with us

Entertainment

Pere, Gaaga, Chief Priest Become Gulder Brand Ambassadors

Published

on

Three showbiz personalities— actor and a former Big Brother Naija contestant, Pere Egbi; music producer and record label executive, Larry Gaaga; and creative entrepreneur, Pascal Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chief Priest— have become brand ambassadors of Gulder Lager Beer.

According to a statement sent to The PUNCH, the trio will serve as the faces of the ‘Senior Man Campaign’, an initiative designed to recognise, celebrate and reward excellence in craftsmanship in different fields that cuts across all socioeconomic strata.

Pere, who is also a United States of America-trained nurse, came to the limelight in 2021 after he took part in ‘Shine Ya Eye’, the sixth edition of the popular reality TV show, BBNaija.

Advertisement

Gaaga, who is also a singer, songwriter and producer, has several hit songs to his name as well.

Cubana Chief Priest is a familiar face on social media as he regularly engages with his teeming followers.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the new ambassadors that took place in Lagos on Friday, November 4, 2022, the Portfolio Manager, Flavoured, Non-Lager and Craft, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Maria Shadeko, said the partnership would serve as an inspiration for those who aspire greatness in their different professions.

Advertisement

“We want to put everyday people on the pedestal. We want to make them feel noticed for the immense contributions they make in society through their craft by telling the stories of their confidence and willingness to take on new adventures.

READ ALSO: ASUU To Hold NEC Meeting Over Half-salary, Academic Activities May Be Truncated

“Celebrating them unlocks another level of greatness. We hope that during the ‘Senior Man’ campaign, more and more people are elevated. Done collectively, we, in many ways preserve our identity as people of great will and discipline,” Shadeko said.

Advertisement

Expressing excitement at the new deal, Pere said, “I am very happy about the initiative that celebrates everyday working people, making them more visible in their various lines of work. Initiatives like these should be encouraged and picked up by other corporate bodies.

“The government also has a major role to play in this respect. I believe when people are celebrated, they are inspired to be better to improve. This campaign alone will have a profound effect on the general well-being of everyone in society.”

 

Advertisement

Entertainment

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

Published

on

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.

Advertisement

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

READ ALSO:UK Unveils Record-breaking Bid For 2035 Women’s World Cup

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

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Russia Insists Ukraine Must Cede Land Or Face Continued Military Push

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

– ‘You’re wrong’ –

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Tinubu Appoints Non-Career Ambassadors For US, UK, France

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”.

Advertisement

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)

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

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

Published

on

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.

Advertisement

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

READ ALSO:Meta Suspends Activists For Showing Election Killings

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

Advertisement

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

Advertisement

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”.

READ ALSO:‎Osaze Urhoghide Wins FC Dallas MLS Defender Of The Season

Advertisement

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)

Advertisement

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)

READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: Why Neymar Didn’t Win Award – Gerard

Advertisement

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)

Advertisement

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.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

TikTok Temporarily Restricts Late Night Live Feature In Nigeria

Published

on

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.”

Advertisement

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.

READ ALSO:Why I’m Yet To Marry Tiktoker Peller —AI Robotic Content Creator, Jarvis,

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.

Advertisement

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.

READ ALSO:Why I’m Yet To Marry Tiktoker Peller —AI Robotic Content Creator, Jarvis,

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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

READ ALSO:Community Violations: TikTok Removes Over 3.6m Videos in Nigeria

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending