Entertainment

Why Women Should Dance More — Dancer Kaffy

Published

3 years ago

March 4, 2023

Editor

A Nigerian dancer, Ms Kafayat Shafau, popularly known by her stage name, Kaffy, has urged women to cultivate the habit of dancing regularly.

She said this was helpful in reducing stress, keeping fit and being more productive in their various walks of life.

Kaffy, who is also a dance advocate, gave the advice at the 2023 Lagos Women Dance, the fourth in its series, held on Saturday at the National Stadium in Lagos.

The programme was organised by two organisations, Jela Projects Limited in conjunction with Seed Rehabilitation Foundation.

Kaffy said the organisers wanted to give women empowerment for business, help with education, and so on, but there was more to this.

“A wellness mind is a productive mind; also, a full belly is productive, but you can have a full belly and still be worried or stressed; I think both should go together.

“Whatever we are doing for women, we should not forget that the stress of being a woman in Africa is enough to break a woman

“So, my message here is to encourage women to understand that health is wealth, but the mind that carries the body is actually the vault of where productivity lies and we need to protect that space, “ she said.

Kaffy said that the backbone of human living was continuous movement, and dance, as a way to move, was fun..

According to her, the body, mind and soul benefit immensely from dancing.

“So, if the body moves, the mind cannot tell the difference between a body that is moving positively or negatively.

“Therefore, we always encourage people, even when we use dance as therapy, no matter your negative condition, when you get up and dance, you can never return angry or sad.

“Dance melts that sadness, tension and also, your physiology: cardiovascular system, digestive system, muscular system. every part of your body is benefitting from dance.

“So, when I talk about being an advocate for dance, it is not only for entertainment but for human excellence; we need to move in order to live, “ she said.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer and Convener of the dance, Mrs Angela Tony-Iji, said her passion for dance was the driving force behind the programme.

She said she also had a passion for strong and hardworking women.

According to her, this cuts across women from all walks of life, including professionals, grassroots women and businesswomen.

“Many women hardly have time to socialise, stress out, exercise and carry a lot of burdens like physical, emotional, and financial stress.

“Some are slumping, dying of depression, having no one to talk to,” she said.

The convener said that women love to mingle, network, learn from fellow women and build very good relationships.

“So, out of this passion for dance, singing, mingling, having fun is what birthed this programme, “ she said.

Tony-Iji urged men to support their wives and partners to partake in dance and other activities that could reduce the stress in daily living.

She also called on the government and corporate organisations to partner with others to support the well-being of women in the society.

Tony-Iji said: “Gone are those days when they say women are not heard but seen.

“These days, women should not be relegated to the background and stereotyped to keep them in one place, dying in silence; no man should push his wife to that point.

“We call on the government and well-meaning Nigerians to invest more in the well-being of women in the country.”

A participant and a mother of four children, Mrs Gladys Umokoro, said that dance had become part of her lifestyle, urging fellow women to develop the habit.

Umukoro said, “I see dance as a way to unwind and relax myself; I have a dance club that I attend and I have also made more friends in the process.

“Women in Nigeria suffer a lot due to pressure from the home front; however, women can still do a lot to care for themselves by dancing or doing whatever can make them feel relaxed and stay healthy.”

Entertainment

Why I Prefer To Raise Kids In Nigeria – M.I Abaga

Published

1 day ago

October 15, 2025

Editor

Nigerian rapper and music executive, M.I Abaga, has revealed that he would prefer to raise his future children in Nigeria because of the country’s strong sense of family and community.

Speaking in a recent interview, the hip-hop star said Nigeria offers a more supportive environment for raising children compared to some Western countries.

According to him, the communal lifestyle in Nigeria makes parenting easier, as relatives are often available to help.

He said, “There are a lot of things appealing about home, especially because we’re already ingrained in that system. There’s a lot of support as well. I feel it’s very difficult for parents here.

“But if you have family, now you have enough people that can stay at home and support you. But it’s not easy, man.”

M.I contrasted this with life abroad, particularly in the United States, where many people work long hours and family members may not be available to offer help.

He added that while he understands the appeal of raising kids overseas, Nigeria provides a stronger foundation for children to understand their roots and culture before gaining exposure abroad.

Although M.I noted that he is not yet making concrete family plans, he emphasized that Nigeria’s close-knit culture remains one of its greatest advantages when it comes to raising children.

Entertainment

Oscar-winning Actress Diane Keaton Dead At 79 – Report

Published

5 days ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

Actress Diane Keaton, known for her Oscar-winning performance in 1977’s “Annie Hall” and her role in “The Godfather” films, has died at age 79, People magazine reported Saturday.

Details were not immediately available, and Keaton’s loved ones have asked for privacy, a family spokesperson told People, which confirmed that the actress died in California.

Keaton, a style icon, was a frequent collaborator of director Woody Allen, portraying the titular character in “Annie Hall,” the charming girlfriend of Allen’s comic Alvy Singer.

The film also garnered Oscars for best picture, best director and best original screenplay, cementing Keaton’s place as one of the industry’s top actresses and an offbeat style icon as well.

The actress made her mark co-starring in eight Allen movies, from “Play in Again Sam” (1972) to “Manhattan” (1979) and “Manhattan Murder Mystery” (1993).

As the Hollywood sexual harassment scandals detonated in late 2017, cascading from producer Harvey Weinstein to heavyweight actors like Kevin Spacey, old accusations of child sex abuse against Allen by his adoptive daughter Dylan, resurfaced.

“Woody Allen is my friend and I continue to believe him,” Keaton tweeted in January 2018.

A BAFTA and Golden Globe winner, Keaton scored Oscar nominations three other times for best actress, for “Reds,” “Marvin’s Room” and “Something’s Gotta Give.”

In “The Godfather” films, she played Kay Adams, the girlfriend and eventual wife of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone.

Late in her career, Keaton starred in two movies about ageing women: “Book Club” (2018), with its message that love has no age, and “Poms” (2019).

“Poms” is the story of Martha, a terminally ill woman who moves to a retirement community to die, but winds up forming a cheerleading squad made up of female senior citizens.

As for ageing, Keaton said in a 2019 interview with AFP that life actually got easier.

“I think so, because what have you got to lose? It’s like it’s the truth. That’s what it is. You face it, we talk about it,” she said.

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on January 5, 1946, Keaton was romantically involved with Allen, Pacino and Warren Beatty, but never married.

“Most people in the movies get married at some point, and then they divorce. But I’ve never even got married. I am (a) failure,” she joked in the 2019 interview.

Did she regret it? “I don’t think about it a lot, but I’m aware of the fact that I’m unusual in that regard, and maybe I did miss out on something — but then, nobody can have everything, right?”

She is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke.
AFP

Entertainment

Why I Can’t Quit Music – Erigga

Published

6 days ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Nigerian rapper Erhiga Agarivbie, popularly known as Erigga, has revealed that he can’t quit music, stressing that he is doing it for passion and not for financial gains.

In an interview with Hip TV, Erigga noted that every year, some of his colleagues leave the music industry due to various circumstances.

However, he said he can’t quit because music is his life.

The rapper emphasised that his passion for music supersedes the financial and social benefits.

“Every year, people leave music for real-life issues. But I can’t stop. Music is life. It’s what keeps me going. Take the business and everything out of it, it’s more of a passion. I can’t disappoint my fans,” Erigga said.