Welcome To Egungwu Chukwuka Benjamin's Journalism Archive

  N igerian actor,  Chimezie Imo  in this exclusive interview shared his experience in the entertainment industry, including a transformative time on the Nigerian talent show, ‘The Next Movie Star Reality Show’, in 2014. He revealed how he felt when he won the Trailblazer Award, the challenges he faced in his acting career, and how he overcame them. The actor, who became more famous after starring in the popular movie ‘The Breath of Life’, clinched the Trailblazer Award at the recently held Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA). He was nominated for Best Promising Young Actor in the 2020 Movie Academy Award, and nominated for The Future Awards Africa Prize for Acting in 2020. In 2023, he received another nomination for Best Actor in a Drama at the AMVCA Awards, before finally bagging one at the 2024 AMVCA Awards.  EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN  brings excerpts.   Tell us about yourself, your educational background.  I am a graduate of Applied Ecology ...

  N igerian actor, comedian and OAP,  Michael Uba  popularly known as  ‘OGBOLOR’,  in this exclusive chat with  EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN,  discusses his background, offers a glimpse into his acting journey. He also reflects on the challenges in the movie industry as an actor. The actor gained popularity for portraying the character ‘James’ in the popular Television series ‘Jenifa’s Diary’, and as a presenter on Wazobia Max TV, hosting the program ‘Ogbenge Show’. Excerpts:   T ell us about your background.  I am an entertainer, a comedian, an actor, and a producer of my own events and shows. I’m also a content creator and training to become a professional relationship coach.  I hail from Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State, Nigeria. I was born a twin, and I have a BSC in marketing from the Lagos State University.  What motivated you to pursue a career in acting? Nothing in particular. I have always just been a good actor. I have always ...

P opular Nigerian guitarist, Ifiok Effanga , known by the stage name ‘Fiokee’, expressed his feelings of not getting the due credit for his contributions to the growth of Afrobeats in this exclusive interview with  EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN . Despite collaborating with popular singers in the industry, he feels he hasn’t received the recognition he deserves for playing a significant role in shaping the sound of Afrobeats. In 2008, the guitarist-cum-singer emerged the winner of ‘Star Quest’, a reality talent TV show hosted in Lagos. He played guitar in songs like: “Pick Up” by Adekunle Gold (The Guitar Version), “Ferrari” by Yemi Alade, “God Over Everything” by Patoranking, “Woju” by Kizz Daniels and many more. Excerpts.     How did you start your music career, and what inspired you to become a guitarist and singer?  I started in the children’s choir at my parents’ church in the late 1980s. Then, in the year 2000, I began learning to play the guitar from a taxi driver....

  In this exclusive interview, award- winning Nigerian singer and songwriter KOREDE BELLO opens up about the unexpected ways his journalism education has shaped his music career. He also shares the inspiration behind his latest single and how personal experiences have influenced his writing. EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN brings excerpts. In what ways has your journalism educa- tion supported your music career? Very much. I always say I under- stand how the media works in a way and that has kind of kept me out of the wrong side of the media. I know people are just looking for entertain- ment and bad news spreads faster, but besides that, I know what makes news, and I know what’s newsworthy. I know how to engage people, and the audience, and I know how to interact on a social level. On digital media, it helps me to understand what the audience’s mind is like. I know what my demography is like. I understand howtospeaktoalotof peopleatonce and how to make someone feel like I’m talking to...

  I n this exclusive interview, Popular UK, multi-award-winning DJ and pro­ducer, ‘ DJames ’, shares his journey, from starting out organically to becoming an international DJ. Due to his ability to in­fuse Afrobeat with other international sounds, DJames has been able to create a fan base across Europe, North Amer­ica, and Africa, specifically in Nigeria, through his mixtapes, songs, and live concerts. He has also DJed for popular singers like Burna Boy, Drake, and Chris Brown, et-al. EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA brings excerpts. Can you share with us what inspired you to become a DJ, and how you started? Honestly, I was never inspired to be a DJ, it just happened organically over the years. I always loved music and I would be the one making compilation CDs for all my friends to play in their cars. Then at University some friends of mine start­ed running campus events and needed a DJ. I said I’d do it to help them out and it really took off from there. Being an international DJ, how do you c...

  BY – EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN   ✓ Freedom Of Speech VS Defamation: Farotimi’s Arrest Ignites Firestorm   On Tuesday, December 3rd, National newspapers reported about the shocking arrest of renowned Nigerian legal partisioner and activist, Dele Farotimi by police officers from the Ekiti State Police Command. The officers traveled to Lagos to apprehend Farotimi, who was taken down to Ekiti state and held in custody until his court appearance. According to reports, Farotimi was arrested and detained following a petition filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Afe Babalola. This triggered online chaos, as many condemned the arrest and referred to it as an abuse of power. It led to call for his release with the hashtag #FreeDeleFarotimiNow by netizens on X (formerly Twitter), and many notable individuals, including Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), the 2023 Labour Party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi, and non-profit associations like the Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afen...

BY – EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN ✓ Emefiele Embroiled In Corruption Scandal   First week of December, a shocking revelation erupted, as former central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele was linked to a massive estate with 753 duplexes and apartments in Lokogoma, Abuja. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seized the property, and the news sent shockwaves across the country, with alot of buzz on online and offline. The EFCC’s investigation alleged that Emefiele and his associates acquired the properties with proceeds from forex kickbacks. The estate which covers 150,462.86 square meters, was abandoned after Emefiele’s arrest in June 2023. On Tuesday, 3rd December, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), secured final forfeiture of the duplexes in Abuja, but stated that no individual or organisation accepted ownership of the properties. Though in the court papers, they claimed that they discovered the property while investigating the former CBN govern...