New Music: Donna Diva - Go Gaga

Donna Diva real name Donna Adja is
Nigeria’s first female artiste and producer,
she started off her professional career as the
leader of an in- house band at the Sheraton
Hotel Ikeja, Lagos in 2006. But in 2011 she
left the job to go solo as a recording and
performing artiste.
A model, actress and a fashion designer,
Donna is also a successful clothing label
owner. With her blend of reggae, pop, soul,
r&b, rap and African musical flavour.
GO GAGA is the second official single of this
multi- talented artiste. Its a feel good song
that would make everyone dance.

A commercial motorcyclist, identified simply
as Ifeanyi, has been arrested for allegedly
handing over a nurse, Mrs. Helen Ilonge
(picture above), to ritual killers after
collecting N10, 000.
Punch Metro learnt that Ilonge had on
Tuesday last week took Ifeanyi’s motorcycle
on her way to Igoli along the Ogoja-Ikom
Highway in Ogoja LGA. Ilonge, the
coordinator of Primary Health Care in
Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross
River State, was coming from a programme
at the Assemblies of God Church, Abakaliki in
Ebonyi State, and had alighted from a vehicle
at Okpongrinya junction before taking the
bike.
It was gathered that Ilonge (51) was
beheaded while her other vital reproductive
parts such as breast and vagina were
removed for ritual purposes.
Ilonge’s neighbour, Mrs. Theresa Idagwu, on
Sunday said, “Ifeanyi took the lady from
Okpogrinya Junction on the pretence that he
was taking her to the village, which is 10
minutes drive from the point. But along the
way, he stopped and handed her over to
kidnappers at Ukpe. Meanwhile, the woman
had called her daughter, Victoria, around
9pm that she had taken a bike at Okpogrinya
Junction on her way to Igoli.
She said when she gets to her destination;
she would call again so that Victoria would
boil water for her to take her bath. That was
Ilonge’s last call.” Repeated calls made to the
woman’s line, according to Idagwu, indicated
that it was switched off. She said Ilonge’s
family became worried when the woman did
not return home. “We went everywhere-
police stations, hospitals and even her friends
in Igoli, thinking that may be an accident had
occurred along the road but we got nothing,”
Idagwu added. Two days later, Idagwu said
someone called Victoria on her phone and
informed her that her mother had been
kidnapped. The caller demanded a ransom of
N50, 000 to be remitted in form of recharge
cards.
She said, “Since her daughter could not raise
the money, she rushed to the Bekwarra LGA
headquarters where the head of
administration, Mr. Bisong Bogbo, and the
chairman, Mr. Linus Edeh, provided the
money with which she bought recharge
cards and sent to the caller. “The voice
claimed that he needed the recharge cards
so he could sell and run away from his master
who is a ritual killer. He claimed that he had
been serving his master for a long time and
wanted to run away. He said once he gets
the cards, he will break the door where the
nurse is being kept and release her.” The
LGA’s head of administration, Bogbo,
confirmed that the cards were sent to the
kidnapper through Victoria’s telephone.
He said immediately the alleged kidnapper
confirmed receipt of the cards; he switched
off his telephone. Luck, however, ran out of
Ifeanyi. Policemen tracked his telephone line
and discovered that he called Victoria from
Abuochiche. Further investigations, it was
gathered, showed that Ifeanyi had been
selling the cards in the village immediately he
got them. When he was arrested, Bogbo told
our correspondent that Ifeanyi led the police
to one of the ritual killers identified simply as
Elvis. Elvis, according to Bogbo, confessed
that the nurse had already been killed and
some of her vital organs removed before
Ifeanyi asked for the recharge cards. Elvis
also said the remains of the woman were
buried in a swamp. At the council
headquarters, one of the late nurse’s
colleagues, Mr. Gabriel Ogar, said she was
probably the kindest woman he ever worked
with.
Ogar said, “I have worked with five
coordinators, but I know that she is just the
best so far. She worked to the admiration of
Governor Liyel Imoke and now she has been
killed leaving her five children without a
helper. “Her husband died 12 years ago and
since then she has been the one taking care
of the children and only one has graduated.
Please let the government do something for
those poor children.” When contacted on
Monday, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Osita Ezechukwu, said the police were still
investigating the matter. He said four
suspects had been apprehended by the anti-
homicide unit, adding that when the
investigation was completed the suspects
would be prosecuted. “We have taken
confessional statement from them. Those
who are not involved have been allowed to go
while those who are involved are still in
detention,” Ezechukwu said.


Culled from Punch

Motorcyclist Sells Nurse to Ritual killers for N10,000

A commercial motorcyclist, identified simply
as Ifeanyi, has been arrested for allegedly
handing over a nurse, Mrs. Helen Ilonge
(picture above), to ritual killers after
collecting N10, 000.
Punch Metro learnt that Ilonge had on
Tuesday last week took Ifeanyi’s motorcycle
on her way to Igoli along the Ogoja-Ikom
Highway in Ogoja LGA. Ilonge, the
coordinator of Primary Health Care in
Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross
River State, was coming from a programme
at the Assemblies of God Church, Abakaliki in
Ebonyi State, and had alighted from a vehicle
at Okpongrinya junction before taking the
bike.
It was gathered that Ilonge (51) was
beheaded while her other vital reproductive
parts such as breast and vagina were
removed for ritual purposes.
Ilonge’s neighbour, Mrs. Theresa Idagwu, on
Sunday said, “Ifeanyi took the lady from
Okpogrinya Junction on the pretence that he
was taking her to the village, which is 10
minutes drive from the point. But along the
way, he stopped and handed her over to
kidnappers at Ukpe. Meanwhile, the woman
had called her daughter, Victoria, around
9pm that she had taken a bike at Okpogrinya
Junction on her way to Igoli.
She said when she gets to her destination;
she would call again so that Victoria would
boil water for her to take her bath. That was
Ilonge’s last call.” Repeated calls made to the
woman’s line, according to Idagwu, indicated
that it was switched off. She said Ilonge’s
family became worried when the woman did
not return home. “We went everywhere-
police stations, hospitals and even her friends
in Igoli, thinking that may be an accident had
occurred along the road but we got nothing,”
Idagwu added. Two days later, Idagwu said
someone called Victoria on her phone and
informed her that her mother had been
kidnapped. The caller demanded a ransom of
N50, 000 to be remitted in form of recharge
cards.
She said, “Since her daughter could not raise
the money, she rushed to the Bekwarra LGA
headquarters where the head of
administration, Mr. Bisong Bogbo, and the
chairman, Mr. Linus Edeh, provided the
money with which she bought recharge
cards and sent to the caller. “The voice
claimed that he needed the recharge cards
so he could sell and run away from his master
who is a ritual killer. He claimed that he had
been serving his master for a long time and
wanted to run away. He said once he gets
the cards, he will break the door where the
nurse is being kept and release her.” The
LGA’s head of administration, Bogbo,
confirmed that the cards were sent to the
kidnapper through Victoria’s telephone.
He said immediately the alleged kidnapper
confirmed receipt of the cards; he switched
off his telephone. Luck, however, ran out of
Ifeanyi. Policemen tracked his telephone line
and discovered that he called Victoria from
Abuochiche. Further investigations, it was
gathered, showed that Ifeanyi had been
selling the cards in the village immediately he
got them. When he was arrested, Bogbo told
our correspondent that Ifeanyi led the police
to one of the ritual killers identified simply as
Elvis. Elvis, according to Bogbo, confessed
that the nurse had already been killed and
some of her vital organs removed before
Ifeanyi asked for the recharge cards. Elvis
also said the remains of the woman were
buried in a swamp. At the council
headquarters, one of the late nurse’s
colleagues, Mr. Gabriel Ogar, said she was
probably the kindest woman he ever worked
with.
Ogar said, “I have worked with five
coordinators, but I know that she is just the
best so far. She worked to the admiration of
Governor Liyel Imoke and now she has been
killed leaving her five children without a
helper. “Her husband died 12 years ago and
since then she has been the one taking care
of the children and only one has graduated.
Please let the government do something for
those poor children.” When contacted on
Monday, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Osita Ezechukwu, said the police were still
investigating the matter. He said four
suspects had been apprehended by the anti-
homicide unit, adding that when the
investigation was completed the suspects
would be prosecuted. “We have taken
confessional statement from them. Those
who are not involved have been allowed to go
while those who are involved are still in
detention,” Ezechukwu said.


Culled from Punch

I Am Ready To Fall In Love Again – Kate Henshaw Opens Up At Last

Face of Onga, ex-Glo ambassador and now, a
judge for Nigeria’s Got Talent reality show,
actress Kate Henshaw can be rightly referred to
as multi-faceted and successful.
In this exclusive chat with NET, Henshaw talks
about her passion for acting and the many
challenges she has dealt with, including her
broken marriage.
It’s been a while, where have you been?
I’ve been around in Nigeria. You don’t have to
come out all the time. I can’t do that because it
will water down my brand and I want people to
have an expectation when they see my face on
posters. That ‘Oh I have not see Kate in a while,
for her to be in the movie, I must see it’ feeling
and that alone is enough for me.
You are an actress with an appeal that cuts
across different generations. What do you
think is responsible for your relevance after
almost 20 years in the business? I just try to
be myself and I do a few other things; I don’t
only act, I MC and I have business that I do on
the side, because acting alone cannot sustain
you. Again, I think my ability to smile and laugh
at every situation. People tell me when I smile,
it’s as though I don’t have any problems, some
even ask if I ever get angry but I tell them I
choose to be happy, and that is the most positive
attitude to grow through life. Life is hard,
especially in Nigeria, things are hard, [but
there's] no need carrying it on our faces as
though the world is on your shoulders. A lot is
happening and I ought to be grateful.
Now that you are over 40 and have spent
over 19 years in the industry, how many
more years do you plan to continue acting?
If I can reach 100, it won’t be bad. Besides, 40 is
a number and people say life begins at 40, which
means I am only a baby, and life has just begun
for me.
Still on your acting career, as someone who
has been in several movies and played
diverse roles, are there roles you still wish
to play? A mad woman. Someone who is
impaired physically or mentally. I want a case
where people will see the movie and ask
themselves if I really am the one in the movie.
What’s the most memorable movie you’ve
done?
My very first movie, When the Sunset. I also
loved the role I played in Stronger Than Pain,
with Nkem Owoh. That role was different for me.
In the beginning, I was really doubtful if I could
play it well, but I did it and it worked out.
As someone who had a medical
background, how easy was it for you to
blend into the movie industry at first? It was
hard. I was scared. The script was as thick as a
bible. I was with Franca Brown, Bob Manuel, the
late Funmi Martins, and Sandra Achums. I didn’t
think I could do it, but they were all so nice. That
was when we really treasured doing movies
properly, we paid attention to detail, countless
rehearsals. I remember spending a lot of time
with Bob Manuel, people thought we were going
out.
Having spent considerable time as an
actor, what’s next? Are you considering
going into music?
You people should leave me. I don’t want to
disgrace myself. Acting is my stronghold, I will
stay there. I don’t want to veer into something
and get stuck in it. I might do a collaboration
soon, you never can tell.
A lot of your colleagues are beginning to go
into roles behind the scenes. Will you be
doing the same anytime soon?
Everyone doesn’t have to produce or direct
movies, some people just want to remain in front
of the camera. I have tried my hands in
production. I produced a documentary for the
Lagos State tax advert, I shot that one as my
own contribution for them to help conscientious
Lagosians on the need to pay their taxes. I also
did one for the Akwa Ibom State government. I
am more of someone who can plan and all that,
but movie is plenty money.
Was acting something you always wanted
to do?
Funny enough, I have always wanted to be a
musician. I wanted to sing but my father
objected strongly.
So when did acting set in?
It just happened. It’s just few years ago that I
started doing it professionally; when I started it
was just a case of trying to see what it will bring
out for me. The late JT Tom West, I will always be
grateful to him for taking me to my first audition.
After my first movie, different people started
coming with different jobs and I was like ‘Yeah,
money is coming.’
Nollywood producers have a knack for
stereotyping actors. How did you manage
to avoid this?
You have to be picky. If the script comes and it’s
the same thing, you ask if they can change it,
because nobody will do it for you. However, if it is
a case where the director has foresight and
wants to see how the actor can manage the role,
only then will they call you back, otherwise, the
typical Nollywood producer will give you what
they think people like you for.
What challenges did you face as a young
actor in a budding industry?
For me, my first audition got me so many roles,
so I won’t say I had lots of challenges. Once I
surmounted working with the various stars on
set, I started learning and heeded to advice I got
from some people. I also made a promise to
myself to be professional about everything and
always be on time. I don’t do lateness at all. This
is because Uche Obi Osotule and I were up for
the same role from Opa Williams in the movie
Onome. He said he was going to give it to the
first person that arrived. I got there ten minutes
past eight and lost the role because Uche got
there before me.
Having spent almost two decades in the
industry, what would you say are the
challenges faced by players in the
industry? Money. Lack of cohesion between
guilds and associations. Inability to use certain
structures to be able to shoot our films; for
instance, getting the airport is not easy, and
other places, they charge. We pay taxes as
citizens of this country, and as film makers, we
should have a deduction or access to places.
While Dora was the Information minister, she
complained we were portraying the police in the
bad light, wearing slippers and all, but when
they did not give us the needed thing, what
were we to do? They need to give us the right
support to achieve this.
The trend in the industry is cinematic
movies and home videos. This has
negatively affected soap operas, for which
you are popular. What is your take on this?
There will always be a place for the different
aspects of the entertainment industry. Whether
you go to the cinemas or you buy a DVD. I have
not done soaps in a while, it remains something I
love doing, but because of the frequency, you
have to be available to do a lot of recording.
There is always room for soaps, but it has to be
something that will attract people like Check
Mate, or Candle Light. I can’t pick just one. I
have done TV, soap, and stage, and I love all of
it. I wanna do everything.
You strike people as a happy-go-lucky
individual. Share with us some low
moments in your life.
Generally, when life gets you down. The issue of
the break-up of my marriage will get any one
down, having being through 12 years and you
had plans for the marriage and all of a sudden,
everything stops, but then, that’s life. It hits you
with a lot of things but you shouldn’t let it get
you down.
Tell us more about your former marriage.
How were you able to deal with it?
It’s God. He makes things beautiful in His own
time. The slightest bit of strength is all is needed
to rise up. People have died in marriages, some
have lost body parts while in it, and others have
spent years in it. It all depends on individual, it’s
just to make the most of every situation and
move on. I have so much that I want to do. I
have no time to be wallowing in self pity.
Marriage does not define who I am, neither does
it define anybody. I came into this world as an
individual, two people meet and decide to make
it work but if it doesn’t, let it go. I wish you well,
you do same, especially when there are children
involved, because they are the worst hit. My plan
now is to ensure that my daughter has the best
in life, no matter what.
Why did you break up?
It wasn’t working anymore. It’s good to leave,
rather than continue to manage it and live in
strife and rancour.
A lot of Nigerian women have recently
shared their stories of physical violence in
the hands of their husbands. Did you
experience this? No, not at all.
What then was the cause of the break up?
Personal.
Any regrets?
No regrets at all. My daughter came out of it and
she is the most beautiful thing ever.
Any possibility of reconciliation?
No. My daughter is the most important person
and she has to be taken care of. As far as she is
concerned, we are for better, for worse.
Are you making plans to give love a chance
again?
I don’t have anything against love. I want to love
again, after all, God gave us his son to love us.
Away from your marriage, let’s talk about
the new leadership of the Actors Guild of
Nigeria. What is your take on this? Hopefully,
Ibinabo Fiberisima will turn things around for
AGN. Basically, without the actors, there will be
no films. We are like the biggest body ever, so I
am praying she can turn things around and
make us more unified, because the division is
what has caused us to not to be where we ought
to be. We have a lot more to do to better
ourselves as a body. We need to get our acts
together and pull this through together.
What’s your opinion on Emeka Ike, who
seems displeased about the election?
Emeka should join forces with I.B and stop all this
rancour because it doesn’t make us serious at all,
which is unnecessary. He should drop whatever
suit or case he has, marry his plans and support
IB. Enough is enough!
What is your beauty regimen?
I work out regularly, everyday. I have my facials,
massages. I love to rest, travel and I eat right. I
do exercises too. I do aerobics, weight lifting,
dancing; everything that will make me look good,
I do it, and am very diligent with my exercises.
How do you unwind?
I relax, I go out with friends, I travel on holidays
and take a rest.
Where was your last vacation spot?
Miami, and it was great, because the weather
was just like what it is in Nigeria..
Let’s end this conversation with this. Tell
us what you think of Aluu 4 murder…
It should be condemned. It’s like every day, we
sink lower into the ground as human beings as
Nigerians. Our humanity is totally lost. There are
no longer the days when we see someone in
trouble and we play the good Samaritan and try
to help. These days, everybody will just stand
and look, nobody wants to help. The security
level is so low and a lot of similar killings have
happened in Mubi, Boko Haram attacks and all. It
is terrible.

‘I Want To Keep Doing Dirty Characters’ - Rita Dominic

Petite in stature yet a powerhouse in her field,
actress Rita Dominic tells NET about her
experience as a first time producer, the many
challenges she has had to face since becoming
an actress, and how she feels about the growth
of Nollywood.
You’ve been off the scene for a while now.
Where have you been?
Rita Dominic: I was working, re-inventing myself,
shooting my films and starring in different films
for other people, and now is my comeback.
You have spent over 12 years in the
industry, building a reputation as an
actress, what made you decide to veer into
production?
Rita Dominic: I just wanted to give something
back to an industry that has done so much for
me; that’s why in the movie, I didn’t play the
major role. We have Linda Ejiofor and Femi
Jacobs, two up and coming actors, who played
the lead roles. These are people who are very
talented and need to be encouraged. Again, after
acting for so many years in the industry, one
wants to try other aspects of film making. I knew
I always wanted to try production and I felt last
year was the best time to.
How do you respond to speculation that
you went into production because acting
roles weren’t coming as they used to?
Rita Dominic: No. If I was going into production
to make sure people keep seeing me, I would
have cast myself as the lead role in the movie. I
have a passion for the arts, I have always wanted
to try out all the aspects of production. It is my
way of giving back to the industry by
encouraging new talent. A lot of people have the
notion that people in the industry don’t want to
give the new people an opportunity, but that is
not true.
What was it like, producing and acting in a
film?
Rita Dominic: Difficult. Very difficult, and this was
made worse because I also played a complex
character in the movie. I didn’t want to do it. I
argued with my business partners, because I
didn’t understand how I was going to play a
character that was that complex, and at the
same time, concentrate on making sure the
production was of standard, but I sat down and
thought about it, and decided to do it.
With the success of your movie, are you
likely to dump acting for production?
Rita Dominic: I will produce more films and I will
act in more films as well, but I will still be picky
with the kinds of scripts I do.
Is the next thing on your plate directing a
movie, maybe?
Rita Dominic: I am not sure, but who knows?
Never say never
Or perhaps, singing?
Rita Dominic: Never. I am not a singer but all the
parts of production, I might try.
Both your parents are medical practitioners
as parents. How easy was it convincing
them about acting as your choice of
profession?
Rita Dominic: Funny enough, I had all the
encouragement I needed since I was a kid,
because I started this since I was like five or six
years old. I remember her [my mother] getting
me prepared for all the variety shows for the
weekend.
The teaser and poster of your upcoming
movie shows that you went through a lot.
Would you say this is your most
challenging role yet?
Rita Dominic: In the last year, I have done a lot of
challenging roles, one of which was the Kenyan
film that won me the award of Best actress in
Africa. Before I shot that film, I had never been
challenged like that in my 12 years in Nollywood.
I played a woman who was a drug addict, and
had mental degradation. I had to learn to speak
a little bit of Swahili and speak like a Kenyan and
not a Nigerian. Another one is the film, Streets of
Calabar, which I won’t say much about. My role
in the movie, The Meeting is also a very
challenging one, a fifty year old woman. What I
have been doing in the last two years is to
concentrate on my career and do certain kinds of
films. I just needed to show the ugly side, I think
I have played the beautiful side of life for years,
and I wanted to show people this side exists, and
do something completely different. I hope I
succeeded in doing that.
What is your dream role?
Rita Dominic: I just want to keep doing dirty
characters. I want to keep dirtying myself as an
actor. I want to keep pushing the box.
When you say dirty, what do you mean?
Rita Dominic: When I say dirty, I advise you
watch the movie Shattered, and you will
understand. I’m talking about the characters
people in the society look at with a feeling of
disgust.
Looking at you and the way you have been
responding, you strike me as an introvert.
Am I wrong?
Rita Dominic: That is me o. What you see in the
movies is totally different. I am a very shy
person, people don’t believe it because I am an
actor. Even the biggest actors are shy people,
and I feel it is because they can hide behind the
characters they play, but when it is time for
them to be themselves, they are very shy. When
I am on the red carpet, I am a different person
and I just wear that character.
You were quoted to have once said that
you never thought you would be still
relevant. Did you actually think so?
Rita Dominic: I don’t actually remember that
interview but it’s actually true. I never really
believed I could still be relevant in the industry,
because if we look at what makes me and my
colleagues special, it’s the grace of God. There
are people who are talented around, and we are
still relevant. It’s God’s grace. We have people
like Linda Ejiofor, Tonto Dike and others who are
talented, but still I’m here and still relevant, it is
the grace of God.
Does that mean you planned a short stay in
the industry?
Rita Dominic: I didn’t, I just felt I was going to do
my job as an actor and leave the rest to God. To
be honest, there are many actors and actresses
who are more talented than I am, may be they
are not relevant anymore, so what makes me
different?
After spending over 10 years acting in
Nollywood, your first Kenyan film won you
‘Best Actress’ at the AMAA; does this
bother you?
Rita Dominic: I am not surprised, because of how
thorough AMAA is with the criteria. I always felt
when you do a good film, you will be recognised
for it, be it in Nigeria or anywhere else. The only
thing I would say is, I put a lot of work in that
film because of the character and the story, so it
could have actually been a Nigerian movie, I just
felt that at that point in time, that was the first
film I had done after my hibernation, and AMAA
thought it was time to award me, and I am
grateful for that.
But do you not feel cheated, spending over
10 years without an award?
Rita Dominic: I have always been nominated for
AMAA, but I don’t even mind. I always said to
myself I want to win AMAA for a film I worked
hard for, and Shattered was one of such films, so
I was elated when I was announced winner. I felt
like I was given a pat on the back for a job well
done.
Does being Africa’s best actress put you
under pressure in anyway?
Rita Dominic: Yes it does, because I am
constantly looking to do a better film than the
film that won me the award.
After a long time, there is a female
president for the AGN. How do you feel
about this?
Rita Dominic: I feel really excited, she is a friend
of mine. She is the first female president, maybe
we just needed to have the change and see what
the change can do.
How about the controversy going on about
the election being unconstitutional?
Rita Dominic: I don’t know about that. All I know
is IB won it and I am willing to support her.
You are on top of the list of celebrities
expected to get married this year, but you
still haven’t said anything till date. When
do you plan to get married, Rita?
Rita Dominic: Very soon.
How soon?
Rita Dominic: Don’t worry, very soon.
Has it been difficult finding the right
person or you have found the right person
Rita Dominic: Leave it like that. You are not
getting that answer.
What is your take on Nollywood actors who
see Hollywood as the next thing and aim to
be part of it?
Rita Dominic: I feel it is important that we build
our industry to a point where the international
colleagues are tempted to want to come to
yours. We should also give it that respect, so it
gains respect from other international film
industries. Now Hollywood has built theirs to
attract other people to their industry, I feel we
should do the same.
Finally, what is your own evaluation of
Nollywood?
Rita Dominic: We have what we call the new
Nollywood, which tends to shoot very high
quality films. It started with the movies of Kunle
Afolayan, Ego Boyo, Emem Isong, Obi Emelonye.
It can only get better from here on. The quality
has improved. You will be surprised at the quality
of films that will be released next year.

Picture Of the Day- Osita Iheme (Paw Paw) In A Bathtub

The picture just surfaced online and it is said to
be from the photoshoot by South African based
TV network, VUZU TV to announce Osita Iheme
as her new ambassador.
The actor popularly known as Paw Paw would be
making a reported sum of eleven million naira
($70,000) from the deal. Small man with big
money.....