Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg updated his status to married, 2face finally settled down and Psquare had their best year ever…
2012 was an eventful year but some would say they couldn’t wait for it to end. It was like helplessly watching a time bomb count down, hoping it wouldn’t explode, no thanks to the Mayans…
It was a year of the good, bad and ugly – the many flamboyant weddings, the monumental protest strikes, billions of Instagram photos captured with #filter and the unwanted flood.
So while we still ponder on who next will be abducted by the faceless kidnappers or what grammatical blunder Victor Ikpeba would commit on TV, here’s our list of 300 of people, places, thin.
2CHAINZ: It was a big year for the Def Jam recording artiste, who released his solo debut ‘Based on a T.R.U Story‘, debuting at number one on the Billboard Charts. He was nominated at the BET Hip Hop Awards, bringing home four awards and was named the ‘Man of the Year’ by Source Magazine. He also released collaborative merchandize with ADIDAS and Beats by Dre.
2FACE: The pop icon released his fourth solo album ‘Away and Beyond,’ staging a four-hour ‘Buckwyld and Breathless‘ concert in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. But it wasn’t only the music that made his name pop up in the headlines. The 37-year-old finally tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Annie Macaulay after publicly proposing to her on Valentine’s Day.
The 2pac hologram5
2PAC HOLOGRAM: Although it became an open secret days before the show, the 100,000 fans that attended the concert were surprised to see the hologram of the late rapper. The concept of the ‘re-creation’ was master minded by Dr Dre and produced by Digital Domain, who have in the past made images of Brad Pitt, Jeff Bridges and Rooney Mara.
50 CENT: The Hip Hop entrepreneur/rapper and actor continued his acting career with his appearance in Freelancers starring Robert De Niro and Forrest Whitaker. As usual, 50 couldn’t stay away from beef, as he exchanged words several times with Bad Boy rapper Entourage. His entourage was caught on camera fighting Maybach Music rapper, Gun Play. Thankfully, he didn’t forget his music career despite squabbles with Interscope. He dropped a mixtape and singles from his 2013 album Street King Immortal.
9ICE: Adigun kicked off 2012 with his Bashorun Gaa/Versus concert at Eko Hotel and Suites in March. A few months later, he made his first Nollywood appearance, in the Laide Bakare produced Jejere. Then his personal life reared its head as 9ice denied his Abuja lover and babies. He later went on to deny that he was also dating an undergraduate. Later in the year, he announced he was dropping another double LP.
ABACHA LOOT: His five years reign as president was characterised with countless cases of human rights violations and corruption. Fifteen years after his death, the Swiss government confirmed this, returning $ 700 million of the money stolen while he was in power.
AFRICA FASHION WEEK LONDON: The second edition of the high profile show took place at the London’s Spitafields Market Halls with popular designers like the late Remi Lagos and Adebayo Jones showcasing their work.
Wizkid and Akon
AKON AND THE NIGERIAN CONNECT:Nigerian music has never enjoyed such a great relationship with an American star as it did this year with Senegalese-American singer, Akon. The Konvict Music boss did not only collaborate with three Nigerian musicians, he also spent time in the country, breezing in and out at will.
ALIKO DANGOTE: Forbes released the list of rich Africans, and Nigeria’s own Dangote sat comfortably on the number one spot, with a net worth of $11.2 billion. The 55 year old father of fifteen led the likes of Mike Adenuga, South African, Patrice Motsepe and Oprah Winfrey.
AL MUSTAPHA: The battle for justice for Kudirat Abiola was laid to rest in January, with the pronouncement of a ‘death by hanging’ sentence for the main culprit, Hamzat Al-Mustapha. Many who had lost respect for the judicial system in the country rejoiced, citing the case as a victory in the face of corruption and a reason to have hope in the legal system.
ALUU 4: In what turned out to be one of the most devastating incidents this year, four young students who were accused of robbery – Ugonna Ubuzor(18), Lloyd Toku(19), Tekena Elkanah(20) and Chiadika Biringa(20) from the University of Port Harcourt, were ruthlessly beaten and burnt alive.
AFRICA MAGIC: In April, the management of the entertainment channel, announced the birth of four new additions to the bouquet. The four channels included AfricaMagic Entertainment, AfricaMagic family and AfricaMagic Movies. MNet management said the move would ensure better programming for the audience. They’ve also set up a viewers’ award that will kick off next year.
AMAA: The massive red carpet had stars from all walks of life, who gathered to celebrate the movie industry, and for the eight time, organisers of the awards did not disappoint. A total of 27 awards were given out to deserving talents, including Nigerian films, Phone Swap, Adesuwa, Alero’s Symphony and talents, Rita Dominic, Ivie Okujaiye.
AMADI OGBONNA: Gone too soon, the late veteran entertainment editor’s death came as a shocker to everyone, including the ardent readers of his column in The Vanguard. Amadi died after an asthma attack in August. He left behind a wife and three children.
Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose
AMBER ROSE – Kanye West’s curvy ex made headlines several times in 2012. She released 2 singles; ‘Fame’and ‘Loaded’ in early 2012, got engaged to rapper Wiz Khalifa in March, and announced in September that she and Wiz were expecting their first child in January 2013. They later revealed they are expecting a son. Rose, who became well known as Kanye’s girlfriend, seems to have settled down now, with Wiz saying they plan on getting married before the baby is born.
And Murray wins the U.S Open
ANDY MURRAY: Murray became the first British man to win the Olympic Singles gold medal in tennis since Josiah Ritchie in 1908, defeating Roger Federer at the finals. Murray also defeated Novak Djokovic at the US Open, making him the first British man to win a major final since Fred Perry in 1936, and the first Scottish-born player to win a Grand Slam final since Harold Mahony in 1896. Murray also became the first man ever to win an Olympic gold medal and the US Open in the same year.
APPLE AND SAMSUNG PATENT FIGHT: It started like a joke when Apple Inc. filed litigation against Samsung Electronics for patent infringements. By July 2012, the two companies were embroiled in over 50 lawsuits globally, with Apple winning the case in U.S and losing in Korea and Japan.
ARISE 2012: Although technical challenges delayed its scheduled kick off date, when the fashion week eventually started, it was a delight to watch, with MAI, Toju Foyeh, Kola Kuddus, Davido and Naeto C opening the show. The days that followed were nothing short of dazzling, as the likes of Bridget Awosika, Okunoren Twins, David David and Ozwald Boateng took turns to show off their latest designs.
ARSENE WENGER: It was a troubled year for the Arsenal football club boss. After finishing the 2011/2012 season without a trophy, he lost the clubs’ MVP Robin Van Persie, who was traded to rivals Manchester United. He didn’t fare better in the first part of the 2012/2013 season, with fans clamouring for his resignation.
ASA: The Soul singer took time off her music to focus on a lawsuit she had earlier slammed a Nigerian tabloid over the publication’s release of an article insinuating that she was gay. Asa appeared in court once. The trial is still on.
The AVENGERS: The Marvel Comics superhero action movie gained so much hype and delivered up to expectation, shattering box office sales with $1.5 in sales
AY SHOW/AY LIVE: Ayo Makun staged one of the biggest comedy concerts ‘AY LIVE’ in April, featuring top comedians, actors and artistes including Funke Akindele, Tiwa Savage and Wizkid. But it wasn’t just the show that got us laughing hard. The build-up featured skits with Nadia Buari, Kate Henshaw, Tonto Dike and Stella Damasus. He also began recording his new sitcom ‘AY’s Crib,’ which will air in 2013.
AZONTO-ETGIHI DANCES: The Ghanaian and Calabar dance moves became the official dance trends of 2012, with a notable governor and ex-president even trying it out.
AYO ORITSEJAFOR: Oritsejafor is one of Nigeria’s most influential preachers and Christian administrators. As leader of CAN and PFN, he was in the public eye more than ever before. So, naturally, when he celebrated his anniversary with a gift of a plane (reportedly given to him by church members), tongues wagged, birthing a fiery conversation about the lavish lifestyles of Pentecostal pastors and what many term exploitation of unsuspecting church-goers.
BABA SUWE: From tribulation to triumph, Baba Suwe’s story made for good entertainment. The actor is still in court with the NDLEA, following a court action after he was detained, embarrassed and accused by the drug agency of allegedly trafficking in drugs…
EME -Wizkid, Skales, DJ Xclusive, Niyola, Banky W and Shaydee
Banky W/EME: The Banky W led EME crew scored big in different ways this year. Apart from signing on two new acts, Shaydee and Niyola, the crew kicked off their first ever UK& US tours in June with Wizkid, Skales and DJ Xclusive. However, things got messy when the California leg of the show was cancelled, as fans demanded a hundred percent refund of their money. Better days came with the release of their compilation album, an a December concert that took over Lagos.
BATMAN PREMIERE KILLINGS: More than 10 people were killed and 59 injured during the screening of the Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises, in Aurora, Colorado. An unidentified gunman made his way into the cinemas and shot sporadically, killing members of the audience, including a 24 year old girl and a four month old baby.
BELLA NAIJA: The notable fashion and lifestyle blog expanded to accomodate more news, gossip and features, as competition became crazy. But with a soaring ranking and impressive revenue, BN continues to show it’s a leader by miles.
BEYONCE – King B, as she likes to call herself, gave birth to Blue Ivy Carter on January 7, 2012, but didn’t let being a mum stop her from being a global pop icon. She performed at her husband Jay-Z’s concert at the prestigious Carnegie Hall and during the opening of the Barclays Center, co-owned by Jay-Z. She gave in to the online world as she opened her Tumblr account. During the heat of the presidential election, Beyonce, alongside her husband, hosted Barack Obama to a fundraising dinner at the 40/40 Club. As the year wound down she inked a $50 million deal with Pepsi.
BEZ: The Cobhams Asuquo protégé tasted success in 2012, taking his music outside Nigeria, performing at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film-music festival in Texas, amongst other shows. His duet ‘Stupid Song’ with singer Praiz was the first ever Nigerian music video to be premiered worldwide, via international network channel BET.
BIG BROTHER AFRICA: The continent’s most watched reality show continued to bring in the high ratings. After three years of dominance, a Nigerian failed to win this edition. However, Nigeria’s representative Goldie had a lot of people talking, with her on-screen romance with Prezzo.
BIG FRIDAY SHOW: Sponsored by telecommunications giant, Globacom, the show kept its viewers entertained every Friday with the many antics of the host, Basketmouth, and the celebrities that came on the show.
BISI IBIDAPO-OBE: We can’t remember which movies (if any at all) Yoruba movie actress Ibidapo-Obe starred in in 2012, but claiming to not only have had a sexual relationship with former House of reps member Hon. Dino Melaye and having a child for him was far more intriguing. Melaye, a married man with three kids denied all of Ibidapo-Obe’s claims.
BLUE IVY: Many who thought her baby bump was fake were shocked when on Saturday, January 7, 2012, American singer, Beyonce delivered a baby girl, Blue Ivy Carter. The birth of the baby was a popular event around the world, especially among Bey’s legion of fans. It was further reported that the baby’s name, Blue Ivy, was coined from the titles of albums released by the couple, JayZ’s The Blueprint and Beyonce’s IV.
BOBBY BROWN: Brown’s name was dragged back into the media when his former wife Whitney Houston died in February. He later continued his music tour, even making a stop in Nigeria. He was arrested twice for drunk driving in the latter part of the year.
BOKO HARAM: It’s getting clear, with each attack, that the Boko Haram sect is a political struggle wearing the mask of religion. And while those in power remain confused and clueless about how to save the nation from the disaster, the sect continues to wreak havoc, with hundreds of deaths recorded this year alone.
BOVI: Bovi belongs to the new set of comedians taking the game to a new level, along with colleagues,Buchi, Elenu, Akpororo and others. The fast rising stand-up act is taking over in an industry where it seemed creativity had taken a leave of absence.
BRYMO: The Chocolate City Music act released his much awaited ‘Son of a Kapenta’ album after dropping videos for ‘Ara’ and ‘Good morning’ months earlier. Brymo also bagged the ‘Most Gifted Pop’ award at the Channel O Awards in Cape Town.
CALABAR FESTIVAL: This year is the 12th edition of the annual festival, but it’s still going strong. With its usual display of colours and excitement, the 2012 edition ran for 32 days, with performances from musicians Dare Art Alade, Naeto C, Akon and comedian Akpororo, among others. Activities like a talent hunt, poetry competition, parade, and beauty pageant were also included in the festival.
CARROT JEANS: The skinny jeans gradually took a back seat, giving way to the birth of the Carrot pant, which soon found a place in many wardrobes. What seemed worrisome however, is why it was preferred by guys rather than girls.
CHANNEL O AWARDS: In all, thirteen Nigerian acts were nominated for the awards and six awards were won. D’banj carted away two awards and Davido, Brymo and P Square won one each. Expectedly, it was met with mixed reactions from non-Nigerians, who thought it was an arrangement to promote Nigerian music in South Africa.
CHARLY BOY: Being a 61-year-old man or grandfather does not matter in a man’s quest to be talked about. Charly Boy gave the media a lot to write about this year, starting with his self-arranged lying-in-state. Weeks after, he discovered his alter ego, Ms Linda, whom he flaunted at every available opportunity, dressing up to look like a woman. His deal as a Nigerian Idol judge came to an abrupt end when some of his naked pictures hit the internet.
CHINUA ACHEBE: There is no excuse not to know who Chinua Achebe is, not with the release of his much talked about novel, There Was A Country, which got a lot wondering what his true intentions were. While some Igbos cheered the book for revisiting a topic like Biafra following the death of Biafran leader Ojukwu, others condemned it, accusing it of being capable of causing unrest, especially at such a sensitive period in the nation.
CHARLES TAYLOR: The former Liberian president was found guilty of charges leveled by the Special Court in the Hague, including terror, murder and rape, and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
CHARLES NOVIA: Mr Novia, the Nollywood director and label owner released his memoirs this year, taking us into Nigeria’s movie industry through a personal account that ruffled a few feathers. Although criticized by those not comfortable with its openness, ‘Nollywood till November‘ was a welcome project, and is about the first Nollywood publication by a major Nigerian player.
THE CFRs: Pioneer stand-up comedian and TV host Tee A had a splendid year staging one of the biggest comedy shows Tee-A Live with the likes of D’banj, Daddy Showkey and Sir Shina Peters as performers. He also ran two seasons of his Tyme Out with Tee-A TV show. Gbenga Adeyinka on the other hand kept himself busy hosting the STAR TREK and Globacom events concerts around the country and launched his Yoruba-themed TV show Gbamu-Gbamu.. Others include MC Abbey, Gandoki, I Go Dye, Klint d Drunk, Princess amongst others
CHELSEA FC: The England based football club shocked their fans when for the first time since joining the Champions League, they lifted the trophy. The team, under the supervision of Roberto Di Matteo, knocked other teams out of the game. Unfortunately, they didn’t qualify for the 2013 edition.
CHIDI MOKEME: The 40 year old model, actor and TV presenter finally waved goodbye to life as a bachelor, tying the knot with Jean Chinwe Olumba, a U.S based doctor, in April 2012. The wedding, which reportedly cost N100m, was a lavish affair, attended by several celebrities and well known Nigerians from many sectors. Later in the year, Mokeme returned to TV screens as the anchor of popular reality show, Gulder Ultimate Search, which he hosted for its’ first two seasons in 2004 and 2005.
CHIDINMA: The ever smiling singer dropped her self-titled debut album early in the year, fulfilling her contract with Ultima Studios – producers of the Project Fame music talent show. Her ‘Kedike’ video, which she released in January, got her a spotlight light feature on BET International. She is now signed under CAPital-Goretti Company.
CHINA’S WENXIA (MISS WORLD 2012): The 23-year-old was crowned as Miss World in August, beating over 70 other beauty contestants including Nigeria’s Damiete Charles-Granville, who failed to make the semi-finals.
CHIOMA AJUNWA: The Olympics gold medalist who’s also a divisional Police officer (DPO) made the headlines with the arrival of her triplets in September, after waiting to have children for many years.
CHRIS AND OLA: These two were regular guys until they were selected as Nigeria’s representatives at the Big Brother Stargame. However, due to health challenges, one of them had to exit the show, and the other followed, since the show was a game of pairs. Meanwhile, their short stay in the house did not only fetch them fame, it got them an opportunity to display their humorous characters for their fellow housemates, for which they were greatly missed.
CHRIS BROWN: Where should we start with Chris Brown? His off and on relationship with his famous ex Rihanna, and his other girlfriend, aspiring model Karrueche Tran? Or allegedly engaging in a club brawl with Drake? Or getting some of the weirdest Tattoos, or being investigated for beating up a fan? It might have been a controversial year for him, but Chris’ music didn’t suffer, as he released his fifth studio album ‘Fortune’ to much acclaim, winning the BET Award for ‘Entertainer of the Year’.
CHRIS LIGHTY: The music executive’s controversial death in August was a blow to the American music industry. Reports claim a gunshot was heard a few minutes before his body was found, with a pistol beside his corpse. Born Darren Steven Lighty, he started with Russell Simmon’s Rush Management before floating his own company, Violated. He managed Sean Combs, Mary J Blige, Nas and few more before his death.
CHRIS OKOTIE: The Pastor dragged his marriage with ex-wife Stephanie into the public eye when he told his congregation at his Household of God Church that he had ended the four-year union.
CHRISTIAN OBODO: The Super Eagles footballer became the first footballer to fall victim to the hands of notorious kidnappers back in July. The kidnappers abducted Obodo, whom they had been trailing from a night club in Delta State and immediately demanded a sum of N27.5m as ransom. He was rescued 24 hours later by the Nigerian Police Force, with some of the culprits arrested.
CRISTIANO RONALDO: Ronaldo in May became the first player ever to score against every team in a single season in La Liga. Off the pitch, he became the first sportsperson to reach 50 million followers on Facebook.
CLARENCE PETERS: Mr Peters has been there. He’s done that. Now, he’s out-doing himself and breaking all the boundaries he broke before. The music video director has never had it this good. And, like most musicians and labels will tell you, the young man has moved from his days as DJ’s sidekick to become the ‘enfant terrible’ of his industry. Still in doubt? Take a look at this year’s top videos and tell us whose signature’s on them.
CLIFFORD ORJI: The alleged cannibal was reported to have died after his long battle with a psychiatry related illness. Orji, 46, passed away in his sleep in August, as confirmed by the Ag. P.R.O of Lagos State Police Command, Biyi Jeje.
COSON/MCSN/NCC: There’s still a long way to go to resolve the battle over collective rights administration. And it doesn’t seem the NCC handled it well in 2012. A bitter and burnt MCSN fought hard, as a wounded animal would, while COSON, enjoying government recognition (and monopoly) had a field day reorganizing the royalty system and making sure its slogan ‘let the music pay’ was not just a slogan…
COSSY ORJIAKOR: Yeah, we’re also wondering what she’s doing on this list. But, no jokes, Ms Orjiakor provided entertainment all year, with her soft porn activities on social media and elsewhere. Let he who doesn’t know the shape and size of her boobs throw the first stone.
CONNECTICUT SHOOTING: On December 14, 20-year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, before going on to kill 20 pupils and six other adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newton, Connecticut. After killing the students and staff members, Lanza committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. The shooting is the second deadliest in US history, after the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.
CYNTHIA OSOKOGU: The case of Cynthia Osokogu started out as a ‘Missing person’ story, only for it to unfold into a bigger conspiracy; apparently the Abuja-based fashion dealer had been lured to Lagos to buy goods at a cheap price, only for her to be kidnapped by two men (Echezona Nwabufor and Ezekiel Eloka) who robbed, drugged and killed her. Her death turned into a high profile, case with the killers and other suspects connected to the murder arrested and charged.
D’BANJ: We haven’t stopped talking about his bitter battle and separation from former partner Don Jazzy.But D’banj has since moved on – topping charts all over Europe, signing major deals here and abroad, and warming up to become a bonafide international artiste.
D’PRINCE: He might have started the year a tad unsure of plans as he watched his Mo’Hits label get torn apart, but aligning with elder brother Don Jazzy, he signed onto his MAVIN Records label, released one or two hit songs and finally dropped the long delayed debut album ‘Frenzy‘.
D’TIGERS: They may have been crushed by Argentina and America, but Nigeria’s basketball team at the London Olympics was remarkable in many ways. Apart from becoming the first African basketball team to win a game at the Olympics (they beat Tunisia), those who know will tell you that they worked against all odds, mostly without government support, to make it to the competition…their inspiring story has gained wings, attracting many media mentions, including a touching feature in the New York Times…
D’BANJ-DON JAZZY: What started as a mere argument in July 2011 degenerated into a mess that led to the split of the once happy ‘couple.’ As expected, the break wasn’t an easy one, with accusations from different quarters further causing a mess for the duo and their Mo’ Hits empire. Big wigs in the entertainment sector tried to intervene but it was too little, too late. After all was said and done, the group split in April 2012, and the aftermath was the birth of DB Records, owned by D’banj and with K-Switch as the only act, and the MAVIN crew which had Dr Sid, Wande Coal, D’Prince and later, Tiwa Savage.
Davido performing at the Expo Centre of the Eko Hotel and suites, July 23
DAVIDO: It’s been the best of both worlds for David Adeleke in 2012; tasting success at the highest level and also having his fair share of controversy to deal with. For every endorsement deal Davido got in 2012, a supposed lover leaked a nude photo of him while sleeping in bed with her.
DANA CRASH: It was a tragic day on June 3, when a Dana Airline plane carrying about 150 passengers crashed into a two-story building in Iju-Ishaga, Lagos. The McDonnell Douglas (MD-83) aircraft with flight number 9J-996, originating from Abuja, was approaching the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, with less than four minutes to land. Veteran broadcaster Levi Ajuonoma, who was aboard the flight, lost his life in the crash.
DAME PATIENCE JONATHAN: Till date, no one knows the real cause of the six week absence of the first lady, Patience Faka Jonathan. There were several reports about her being admitted to a German hospital, Horst Schmidt Klinik, for food poisoning. Other reports mentioned Parkinson’s disease as her ailment, while some said it was cancer of the uterus. All the while, her media man, Ayo Osinlu maintained that none of it was true, and when she returned on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, she denied knowledge of even the name of the hospital, but failed to say where exactly she had been.
DAVID OYEDEPO: Surprisingly, Oyedepo, a beloved evangelist and entrepreneur was in the news for unpleasant reasons in 2012. From slapping a church member, to facing multiple lawsuits and criticism over what many termed a lavish lifestyle, the billionaire preacher won’t forget the year in a hurry.
DEALDEY: The popular retail online store expanded their business into the 35 other states and the FCT and topped all other online stores with their enticing slashed pricing style.
DEBBIE (CANCER PATIENT): Definitely the most high-profile cancer patient of the year, 28-year-old Debbie Osarere Idiagbonya’s case was brought to the mainstream media by a few friends and bloggers who started a #SaveDebbie campaign on social media. The campaign received support from the likes of rapper Ruggedman, with pop singers Davido and Solid Star each making a million Naira contribution.
DECEMBER 21 DOOMSDAY: With the whole world panicking over a Mayan calendar which had predicted the world to end on December 21, it was relaxing to see it didn’t!
YORUBA ACTOR DENTO: Ahmed Oduola, popularly known as Dento, died at 58 on August 6, after battling the after-effects of a stroke. The stroke, which resulted in paralysis on his right side had rendered him bedridden for the last five years, taking him off stage and the camera. He was buried the next day.
DESMOND ELLIOT: The actor turned producer-director released his ‘In the Cupboard’ movie under his Royal Arts Academy brand, starring the likes Uti Nwachukwu, Ini Edo and Alexx Ekubo.
DJ CAISE: The BEAT FM DJ continued to wield his brand and skills, with support from his label Chocolate City. One of the results was his debut single ‘One’ with Waje.
DJ JIMMY JATT: The veteran turntable maestro kept it thorough as usual, with almost all show promoters employing his services. The DJ also spent 2012 working on his first ever movie, which features a number of Nigerian artistes including Sound Sultan.
DJ NEPTUNE: The popular disc jockey spent the year working closely with Storm Records rapper Naeto C in and out of the country, released a number of singles and videos off his ‘Ever Blazing’ mixtape and got married in December.
DJ TEE: In June, the popular video director was accused of stabbing 19-year-old upcoming artiste Osungade Tolani Alvin in the face and assaulting his two siblings while he was shooting a music video at the Daily Times factory in Ikeja. DJ Tee however denied the stabbing ever took place, saying that Tolani had hit his head against shattered glass.
DON CORNELIUS: The founder of Soul Train was found dead in his Mulholland Drive home after observers said they heard the sound of shooting, insinuating he killed himself. The news caused shock for the African-American community in the U.S. He was buried in a private service days after.
DONALD TRUMP: In early 2012, the 66-year-old US billionaire surprised many when he announced his political ambition to run for President, but stepped down early enough. He then dedicated the rest of the year to discrediting incumbent President Barack Obama, describing his re-election into the White House as a ‘sham and travesty.’
DR FRABZ: In February, the producer lost his mother, who died at the age of 53. In December, Frabz was robbed for the second time in less than a year, with the robbers carting away with his Mac laptop and other valuables.
DR SID-DAVIDO CONVO LEAK: We all thought the Mo’Hits saga had ended until an audio clip hit the internet. It wouldn’t have been a big deal, were it not about D’banj. In the conversation, Dr Sid blamed D’banj for being responsible for his lack of popularity. It was widely believed that Davido was the master mind behind the recording and leak of the conversation. Meanwhile, Sid confirmed the discussion and added that it was his own opinion, to which he was entitled.
DROGBA: The Ivorian talisman was instrumental in winning Chelsea FC, their first Champions League trophy, then decided not to extend his contract, leaving the club. In the final against Zambia at the African Nations Cup, he missed a penalty kick, which ended with Ivory Coast losing.
EBUBE ESSIEN-GARRICKS: The 27-year-old turned out to be the lucky winner of the much publicized ‘Ultimate Wonder Aeroplane’ promo run by telecommunications company MTN. Essien-Garricks, a Port Harcourt based student opted for the money equivalent of the prize.
EKU EDEWOR: The Studio 53 sweetheart moved her career notches higher in 2012, doing well as an MC, and finding favour with fashion editors and stylists.
ELDEE-TRYBE RECORDS: Trybe Record label boss eLDee continued efforts to make his label reach new heights. Aside from signing new acts, Aramide, Rukus and Eva Alordiah, and a new manager, Dehinde Fajana, the former head of Trybesmen also acquired a Cadillac limousine said to be worth N14 million for transporting the acts. The other signees, Sojay, K9 and Sheyman continued to release tracks. However, Eva Alordiah has since fallen out of the group, following the discovery that her plan is no longer in line with the label’s policy, as stated by the management.
EKO HOTEL AND SUITES: Show promoters literally turned the Expo Hall of the prestigious hotel into their one-stop venue for 90 per cent of the shows that held this year.
ENEBELI ELEBUWA: Of all the deaths that hit Nollywood, that of Elebuwa was one of the most felt, perhaps because a lot thought he would make it, going by the reports from his doctors in India. His message of recovery also gave hope to his fans and all of those who had invested in his operation. But hopes were dashed when on Wednesday, December 5, 2012, the news of his death was announced.
ENECHE AKOGWU – The 31 year old Channels TV reporter lost his life on January 20, 2012, while in the line of duty. Shot by suspected Boko Haram members outside the Kano state government house while covering news of bomb blasts in the area, he was said to have been ‘fearless and resourceful.’ Enenche, who covered news and events in the northern region for the award winning station, was described by its’ management as ‘passionate and courageous.’ He was mourned not only by Channels TV staff, but by many other journalists who had met and worked with him over the years.
EUCHARIA ANUNOBI: Not that she returned to acting, or revived her Sharon Stone brand. Ms Anunobi became an ordained pastor in 2012, assuring us that old things have passed away.
EURO 2012: The European football tournament, which took place right after the close of the 2011-2012 season, was won by Spain after spanking their Italian counterparts four goal to nil.
FACEBOOK: With over one billion active users, Facebook has grown in leaps and bounds; retaining a top spot as the most used social media network wordwide. Now in its’ eighth year, the company held its IPO in May.
FACE-OFF: Who could forget the day sultry singer, Tiwa Savage joined her male colleagues to play basketball? The same day comedian AY, dumped his comedy skills to dribble and dunk? The face-off basketball show helped fans to see their favourite celebrities sweating it out as they played against the Dodan Warriors at Harbour Point, Lagos. Along with the basketball game came musical performances and dance routines.
FACTORY 78: The UK based media crew were responsible for quite a number of entertainment stories reported by blogs. Week in, week out, Lanre Davies and Adesope Olajide brought us video interviews as well as coverage of international shows, including the BEFTA Awards
FELIX BAUMGARTNER: In August, 43-year-old Felix successfully completed his free fall from the edge of space, diving to the Earth’s surface using only a space suit, helmet and parachute, setting a world record for skydiving 127,000 feet (39 km) in the sky.
FRANK OCEAN: He sat on Forbes’ 30 under 30 rich list, faced litigation from his father, released one of the biggest albums of 2012, crossed over into markets he’d never have imagined (including Nigeria), and came out of the closet…. Want more?
FAROUK LAWAN/OTEDOLA BROUHAHA: This saga was tagged by many as the Shame of The Year, especially because of the two ‘eminent’ citizens involved, a respected oil businessman, Femi Otedola and a four-time legislator, Farouk Lawan. The former claimed to have given the latter $620,000 to remove the names of his oil firms from the list of indicted companies by a legislative committee investigating the oil sector. Further investigations into the matter revealed many unworthy acts and words from the two, which for a long time was the basis of argument amongst Nigerians.
FASHOLA OKADA BAN/TRAFFIC LAWS: The announcement of the new traffic rules caused a great uproar amongst Lagosians, most of who thought them to be inappropriate for the type of system in the country. The punishments attached to the rules were another bother entirely, and of course, the restriction of okada riders to certain parts of the state also triggered an anti-Fashola campaign, as different concerned parties protested against the implementation of the laws.
FELABRATION: 2012, in its usual tradition, saw artistes paying homage to the memory of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and the legacy he left behind. Acts like Davido, Capital FEMI, Jaywon and Femi Kuti performed at the one week event.
FELA DUROTOYE: The motivational speaker released a new book titled The Subordinate on his birthday. It was announced that he broke the world record after he signed 100, 000 books in 8 hours.
Femi Kuti and Funke Kuti and son Made
FEMI KUTI TURNS 50: The Afro-beat maestro who hit the Golden jubilee on June 16, staged a grand birthday party at the New Afrika Shrine, with a host of celebrities in attendance. For the third time, Kuti lost out on a Grammy Award. There were, however, more memorable moments, such as the opening of his late father’s house as a museum, and performing in an aircraft 38,000 feet above sea level!
FLOODS IN NIGERIA: The floods that happened in Nigeria this year won’t be forgotten easily; over 100 people died and 100, 000 were left homeless; this was one of the biggest environmental challenges the country faced in 2012. Delta, Plateau, Adamawa and Oyo states were some of the states affected.
FLAVOUR: The hit-maker continues to make pop-highlife fashionable, recruiting new fans for the pseudo-genre, from Nigeria to South Africa and beyond.
FOLORUNSHO ALAKIJA: Who would ever have thought two Nigerians would, at the same time, lead other Africans on the list of the richest people in the world? Joining Aliko Dangote was 61-year-old business tycoon, Folorunsho Alakija, who, according to Ventures Africa, is worth at least $ 3.3 billion, displacing the former holder, Oprah Winfrey, by a $500 million margin. Responsible for her amazing wealth is her Famfa Oil company which owns a 60% working interest in OML 127, which produces about 200,000 barrels per day.
FRANK EDOHO’S SECOND MARRIAGE: When news leaked that the WWTBAM host had remarried, many didn’t believe it, as he hadn’t been involved with any lady since his famous break up with his ex-wife, Katherine. However, information gathered revealed that Edoho and his new wife, Sandra Onyenaucheya had been dating since 2010. Edoho however, has not said a word about this.
FUEL SUBSIDY: Nigerians woke up on Sunday, January 1, 2012 to the harsh reality of the subsidy removal on petroleum products, hence the 120% increase in its price. Most described it as a terrible New Year gift from the FG. The FG was reminded of its promise to kick start it later in the year, but all of that was to no avail. The NLC, in conjunction with the TUC and other concerned bodies on Monday, January 9, 2012, declared an anti-subsidy campaign which included a nationwide strike action and a protest tagged Occupy Nigeria. People from all walks of life, including celebrities, joined this protest until it was called off eight days later.
FUNKE AKINDELE’S ELABORATE WEDDING: The controversy and rumors that sprung after she revealed the identity of her husband did not deter her in anyway. Instead, the Nollywood actress concentrated on making sure her D-day was worth the wait. On Saturday, May 26, 2012 at the Haven Events Centre, Ikeja, she married her beau, Kenny Almaroof, in the presence of family, friends and colleagues, including Genevieve Nnaji, Desmond Elliot, Susan Peters and others.
FUNMI IYANDA: Now 41, Ms Iyanda is still as much an adventure-lover, frank journalist/activist and fun-lover as she was many years ago. In 2012, she got more awareness for her Change A Life Foundation, climbed mount Kilimanjaro, and made more power and influence lists than we can count.
FUNMI LAWAL: The UNILAG law graduate who had been diagnosed with Malignant Sarcoma cancer was in need of N4m to pay for surgey. She made the headlines when her case was reported on several blogs, immediately creating awareness on several social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. Lawal couldn’t believe her luck when some celebs, including Don Jazzy, Rukky Sanda and Tonto Dike came to the rescue, donating over N3M for the operation.
FUSE ODG: The UK-based Ghanaian act blessed us with Azonto, the viral dance that’s still rocking clubs and parties from Lagos to Los Angeles. And our lives have not remained the same…
FUTURE AWARDS: This year’s edition had as a theme ‘Tear down The Walls’ and it sure tore down the walls of Lagos and moved to Port Harcourt where it was hosted. The ceremony was attended by World Bank Vice President, Oby Ezekwesili, Tony Elumelu and others. The biggest category was won by journalist, Idris Akinbajo.
FLYTIME PROMOTIONS: Cecil Hammond and his gang of show organizers seem to have mastered the art of delivering the kind of concerts fans love to see. It’ll be difficult to find a promotions company that’ll beat them to the number one spot, in spite of the many lapses they urgently need to get rid of…
GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN: Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had all eyes on him in 2012. However, it wasn’t because of his achievements, but for many other reasons, including the famous Fuel Subsidy brouhaha, increase in Boko Haram attacks and his perceived passiveness as a leader. His decision to keep mute about his wife’s disappearance was also something to talk about, as was his trip to Brazil while the deadly sect continued wreaking havoc. He also heard news of the death of his brother on Tuesday, November 20, 2012, the same day he clocked 55.
GENEVIEVE NNAJI: Before she went on a vacation in October, Genevieve had a lot to deal with this year, and that included her rumoured engagement to pop star, D’banj. Amidst the busy schedule, she took time to celebrate her younger brother, Stephen, who graduated from the University of London. Her dad also clocked 77, and her mom, 60 for whom a celebration was organised, during which the identity of her daughter was revealed. That sparked off another tale for the actress, but rather than bother herself with that, she signed a multi-million naira deal with Coscharis motors to become the face of Range Rover Evoque in the country.
GOLDIE: The 2012 Big Brother reality show allowed for the inclusion of popular artistes from different countries and Kennis Music signee, Goldie locked it down for Nigeria. Her 77 day stay in the house had her play the role of a mother, wife and sister to her fellow housemates, specifically the Kenyan rep, Prezzo. The two were considered lovers all through her stay in the house, and months after the show ended, their ‘romance’ is yet to dwindle and many are beginning to speculate they may get married, although Goldie is yet to confirm or deny that.
GIRINGORY: Shortly after he cried out about his deteriorating health, actor, James Iroha, died. The man popularly known as Giringory started acting at age 24 and continued till death came calling. He was popular for his role in the Village Masquerade.
GRAMMY AWARDS: But for the quick intervention of the organisers, this year’s Grammys would have been marred by the death of singer, Whitney Houston, who died on the eve of the event. Expectedly, several musicians, including Jennifer Hudson paid homage to her during the awards. This year’s awards also experienced restructuring as organisers slashed some of the categories and combined some, making a total of 78 instead of 109. The big winner of the night was British singer Adele, winning all of her six nominations.
GULDER ULTIMATE SEARCH: After eight seasons, organisers thought to rebrand the reality show, bringing back actor, Chidi Mokeme as host, and two of the past winners as crew. At the end of the 21 days in the Usaka forest in Akwa Ibom State, 24-year-old Paschal Ojezele found The Gate Keeper’s fortune and later exchanged it for a sum of N9 million, a N10 million naira SUV jeep and N500,000 ‘swagger allowance.’
HALIMA AITSEGAME: The 2010 Theatre Arts graduate of University of Ibadan could not believe her ears when the judges of the Next Movie Star reality show announced her as the winner. Aitsegame, in a state of shock, sank to her knees, shedding tears of excitement, having beaten 15 other talents to win the undisclosed cash prize, movie contracts and an SUV. She is the eighth winner of the reality show.
THE HEADIES: With MTN returning as sponsors this year, the Headies, hosted by Omawumi and M.I, honoured deserving musical talents including Wizkid, Psquare, Wande Coal and Davido. The organisers said approximately N236m was spent on plaques, lighting, logistics and all other aspects. Also on board as sponsors were, Lucozade boost and Verve.
HEIDI KLUM: Heidi Klum, 38, ended her six-year marriage with singer Seal, citing irreconcilable differences..
HENNESSY ARTISTRY: The duo of M.I and Naeto C headlined this year’s Hennessy Artistry and with the help of producer TY mix, produced the theme song for the year, Bartender, and toured different Nigerian cities including Calabar, Abuja, Port Harcourt before the VVIP party held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. Acts like Dammy Krane, Solid Star, Burna Boy, Ms Jaie, Flow Sick and a few more were also part of the train. The Cypher competition was won by Ede Emmanuel, otherwise called Manilapush.
HILARY CLINTON: The former US presidential candidate and current Secretary of State suffered a concussion after she fainted in December. Obama has nominated Senator John Kerry to be Clinton’s successor. She has also indicated she has no interest in running for president again .
HURRICANE SANDY: 24 of the 50 states in the United States were affected by the hurricane and over 250 lives lost. The hurricane, which developed from a tropical wave in the western carribbean, started on Monday, October 22, 2012, moved on to the Greater Antilles, Kingston, Jamaica and through the Bahamas to Atlantic City, New Jersey and other US states. According to reports, the damage caused is estimated to be over $63 billion.
IBINABO FIBERESIMA: Ms Fiberesima has moved from being a despised convict, to becoming one of the most influential figures in Nollywood, following her controversial election as the new president of the actors’ guild. Great year – let’s not talk about all the side talks concerning Tompolo, Fred Amata, and the battle with Emeka Ike and co.
ICE PRINCE: The year started off for the Choc boy with news of him being a father, courtesy of a fling he had with 20-year-old student, Bimbo Babatunde, and although he admitted knowing her, he denied the child was his. Months later, he is now proudly showing off his son, whom he has named Jammal. Career wise, Zamani enjoyed a lot of attention this year, with his singles ‘Aboki’ and ‘More’ enjoying success, and although he lost the BET award to Wizkid, he won the Most Gifted Hip Hop video for the Channel O music awards, which he also co-hosted with model Bonang Mathemba.
IPHONE 5: The sixth generation of the Apple-developed smartphone was introduced this year. The touchscreen phone, compared to its previous versions, is slimmer, lighter, has a higher-resolution and an upgraded operating system.
INI EDO: Iniobong had a lot of controversy to battle this year, starting with the true state of things with her businessman husband, Phillip, to her alleged miscarriage, but in the midst of it all, she produced and premiered her movie, ‘I’l Take my Chances’ and appeared in different movies, including In The Cupboard. She also took time to launch her shoe collection.
INDUSTRY NITE: The weekly talent search and celebrity hangout organized by Matthew Ohio and co grew a huge fan base in 2012, featuring top performers as well as giving a chance to budding artistes.
INSTAGRAM: Although its services are still restricted to Apple and Android devices, the online photo-sharing service created in 2010 became a favourite social network for numerous celebrities in 2012, with its’ most distinctive feature – the digital filter.
IROKO: As years go by, owners of Iroko continue to give their fans an amazing experience, providing African movies, music and entertainment online. Widely described as Africa’s answer to Netflix, Iroko seems to be living up to expectations and doesn’t seem like its ready to quit anytime soon.
ISAAC AND NNEKA MOSES: The long-time couple, after trying for over a decade, welcomed their first child – a baby boy in February.
IYANYA: Iyanya Mbuk’s Kukere was a massive hit and helped him achieve the fame and success the Project Fame reality show gave him a taste of. Apart from the many shows he headlined, the Cross-River born singer won a couple of awards, including Best Pop single at the Headies and a sum of money by MTech for Kukere having over 3 million downloads across Nigeria.
J MARTINS: The contemporary highlife singer and producer was mostly busy in African countries, as his brand of music continued to spread. He got married early in the year and released a new single ‘Fine Fine Love.’ There were unconfirmed reports of him owning a Rolls Royce, after pictures of him with the car surfaced online. He had a high profile birthday party and was named African Ambassador at the Golden Icon Academy Movie Awards in USA in November.
JACKIE CHAN: While at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, the 58-year-old announced that he was retiring from action films as he was getting too old. He however later clarified that he would not be completely retiring, but would be performing fewer stunts.
JAMES ARTHUR: All the way from Saltburn in North Yorkshire, 24-year-old James Arthur came in at the last minute and shone brighter than his competitors in reality show the X Factor. Arthur, who was popular in his area for always strumming his guitar and writing songs, was described by one of the judges, Nicole Scherzinger, as a fighter. His delivery of Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On and Shontelle’s Impossible were fantastic, and even a fellow competitor, Jahmene Douglas, confessed it was a blessing to have shared the stage with him.
JAMES IBORI: The former Delta State governor, who repeatedly escaped justice in Nigerian courts, finally got his just desserts in Britain. He was handed a 13 year sentence for money laundering, after a seven year investigation by a UK corruption unit proved that he had embezzled over £150m while serving as governor, using the ill-gotten gains to buy a fleet of expensive cars and properties in highbrow areas of London, America, and South Africa. Ibori’s wife, mistress, sister, and lawyer were also jailed for laundering money on his behalf.
JAY Z: Jigga continued his power moves in 2012 and became a father. He helped open the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn and endorsed a new cognac called D’usse. And when it was election time, Jay Z was very vocal in his support of Barack Obama, who he also supported in 2008. He held a fundraising dinner at his club 40/40 and performed in the swing state of New Hampshire a day before the elections, alongside Bruce Springsteen.
JEFFREY ZUCKER: In December, CNN announced that after a four month search, Jeffrey Zucker, a former chief executive of NBC, would take over as President of CNN Worldwide. Zucker, 47, takes over from Jim Walton.
JIM IYKE: Although he appeared in only a few movies this year, that did not in anyway reduce his fan base. Even his fights with blogger, Linda Ikeji and his harsh words to other bloggers did not make people love him less. When his love child was discovered, Iyke, with his media manager, found a way to silently bury the story and covered up with the announcement of his son to debut reality TV show and his charity trips to African countries. At the end of the day, he emerged as one of the most searched Nigerian actor in the year.
JIMMY’S JUMP OFF: The 3rd edition of the concert went down on Sunday, July 1, 2012, at GET Arena in Lagos. Parading fellow DJs, Sose, Tony blaze, Xgee, Snoop da Damager, Neptune, Humility and Spinall, Jimmy Jatt tried to reposition the brand as well as the concert. The addition of acts like Tunde Ednut, Black Magic, Samklef and Vector also added to the show.
JIMOH IBRAHIM: The decision to abruptly sack over 500 members of staff of his airline Virgin Nigeria caused a big stir in the media. The business man declared that the operating licence for his airline had been suspended for a year, and in addition, fired 550 out of his 600 staff for what he called ‘staff disloyalty and environmental tension.’ However, things got messier when the staff demonstrated, demanding the payment of the four month salary they were owed.
JOHN TERRY: Former captain of the English team, John Terry made headlines this year when accusations of his racism were revisited and his punishment meted out. Last year, he made derogatory remarks to QPR’s Antone Ferdinand based on his color.
JOSEPH KONY: Leader of the guerrilla group, Lord Resistance Army, Kony’s story is one of the most bizarre of the year. Apart from his claims of being God’s spokesperson, he said he was visited by a multinational host of 13 spirits, including a Chinese phantom. The government accused him of ordering the abduction of over 66,000 children to become sex slaves and child soldiers.
JULIAN ASSANGE: In August, the Ecuadorian government granted the Wikileaks boss political asylum after he turned a political refugee. He is wanted in over 20 countries.
JUSTIN BIEBER: The beliebers’ club is one powerful loose clique that swells with each passing day. And their lord and master Bieber, 18, is having a ball. Well, not all the time – from breaking up with Selena Gomez, to coping with death (and castration) threats and the stolen personal footage drama, the US singer had his fair share of the bad and ugly.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND JESSICA BIEL – Boy band alum Justin Timberlake left hopes dashed when he tied the knot with his girlfriend of 5 years, actress Jessica Biel. The couple were married in Southern Italy on October 19, 2012, in front of 100 guests, all of who mspent a week in an exclusive resort with the happy couple. Biel wore a custom made pink GiambattistaValli Haute Couture dress and was serenaded by Justin, who played the guitar and sang as she walked down the aisle.
KAFFY: Arguably one of the most memorable events in the year was the wedding ceremony between well-known Nigerian dancer Kaffy and drummer, Joseph Ameh. The duo celebrated their love with their baby son, family, friends, fans and colleagues. The three-in-one event was wrapped up with a grand reception at the Bespoke events centre, Lekki, Lagos.
CITY OF MONOPOLY: The first ever Lagos edition of the popular board game, Monopoly debuted in 2012 with the board game referencing popular landmarks like in the Lagos environment.
KALAKUTA MUSEUM:15 years after his death, the Lagos state government and the family of late Afrobeat musician FelaAnikulapo-Kuti came together to revamp his old home on Gbemisola Street in Ikeja, opening it to the public as Kalakuta Museum in October. Showcasing Fela’s personal belongings, musical instruments and art, the museum also allocated a few rooms within it to serve as lodging to give tourists a special experience.
KANYE WEST: Like him or not, Mr West remains a major figure in and outside the hip hop world. This year, he shaped our lives with his own music as well as his work with protégées like Big Sean, Pusha T and D’banj. And, when he’s not picking up awards, working studio times or headlining gigs, he’s busy flaunting the girl every guy wants – Kim Kardashain.
KAREN IGHO: Despite those who complained about her naughty nature and her love for parties, the 2011 BBA winner did not seem to mind, instead, she stocked her wardrobe with more clothes and partied a lot more this year. Even her job as an OAP on Naija FM did not deter her love for parties, unfortunately, while at one of these parties, she had a scuffle with a security agent who allegedly slapped her.
K SOLO: Popular producer, Solomon Oyeniyi, otherwise known as K Solo, launched his new album Oba K Solo but that didn’t make him as popular as the drama that ensued with his ex-wife, Kike, who accused him of wife battery even in her pregnant state. Pictures of her battered face and body flooded the internet and many advised that she stay away from the producer. A few weeks after, the duo appeared on Channels TV and said the story was ‘arranged’ in order to achieve popularity for K-Solo. The drama took a twist when a few weeks after, K Solo got engaged to another lady, Bimbo, who he says was his first true love, leaving Kike, who had just had a baby, behind.
KEAGAN (BBA): The 22-year-old intern manager walked away with $300,000 (N45m) after 90 days of camping in the Big Brother Stargame house. Kegan beat 34 other housemates, who were initially divided into the Upville and Downville houses.
KEFEE: The Branama star shocked us with her wedding in March to Teddy Esosa of Star FM. Showing she’s moved on from the drama with ex-hubby Alec Godwin, she introduced her new sound this year, and expanded her business to include the Lagos-based Branama kitchen
KELLY CLARKSON: The 30-year-old Pop-Rock singer got engaged to her talent manager boyfriend Brandon Blackstock, who happens to be the son of her manager Narvel Blackstock.
KENDRICK LAMAR: Probably the best kept secret of the year, Lamar’s signing with Aftermath Records under the tutelage of Dr Dre seemd to have paid off, with his ‘Good Kid Maad City’ album receiving splendid reviews.
KEZIAH JONES: Soul singer Keziah Jones and Smooth FM OAP got married in January.
KIDNAPPING: The kidnapping rampage continued in 2012, with various faceless abductors making sure they didn’t ‘discriminate’ by kidnapping just about anybody, ranging from children, students, mothers of Bank MDs to vice chancellors and footballers, asking for ridiculous amounts of money as ransom.
KIMORE LEE SIMONS: Sad tale for Kimora who finally ended her relationship with actor Djimon Hounsou, but not before facing the wrath of author Kola Boof, who claims she slept with Hounsou while Kimora was still with him.
KWAM 1 and kids – M Marshall, Honey B, Sultan Marshall
KWAM 1: The Fuji icon celebrated his 40th year on stage in January and promised his many fans he was far from retiring. The 55-year-old musician made headlines later in the year when he became a Canadian citizen and completed construction of his Ijebu mansion. In the latter part of the year, K1 got pulled into a bit of controversy when he was chastised for marrying his ex-wife’s niece (even though he claims they might not know each other) and was rumoured by some to have had a relationship with Fuji artiste Pasuma’s daughter. His three kids Musty, Sultan and Zainab all launched their musical careers, with their dad playing an instrumental role.
LADY GAGA: Apart from posting nude photos online, getting an 11th tattoo, throwing up on stage and buying Michael Jackson’s collection, Stefani Germanotta successfully launched her website Littlemonsters.com, debuted her perfume line ‘FAME,’ covered Vogue magazine and broke up with her boyfriend Taylor Kinney.
LAM ADESINA: The former Oyo State Governor passed away at the age of 73 on November 11, 2012, and was buried the same day at his Felele residence according to Islamic rites.
LANCE ARMSTRONG: The former US professional cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after it was proved he was involved in a doping conspiracy during his career.
LEKAN LEKINSON: The popular actor passed on early in the year, after complications with diabetes, throwing the industry into mourning
LEBRON JAMES: King James in 2012, led his team Miami Heat to their second NBA title in franchise history, winning his first overall. At 27, he is considered the best player in the NBA today.
Levi Ajuonoma – NNPC spokesman and broadcaster
LEVI AJUONOMA: The Veteran broadcaster, who hosted shows like ‘Open House Party’ and ‘Levi Ajuonoma live’ died in the tragic DANA crash in June. He was buried 3 months later in his hometown, Imo State.
LIL WAYNE: Weezy couldn’t be anything but busy in 2012. He launched his clothing line Trukfit in the year and broke Elvis Presley’s record of having the highest number of songs on the Billboard chart. He lost a lawsuit to QD3, who he said filmed him for their documentary without his consent. After a couple of seizure scares, Lil Wayne announced that The Carter IV would be his last album. He signed a major endorsement deal with Mountain Dew and took up skating as a sport.
LINDA IKEJI: Ms Ikeji certainly found no other job or past-time apart from her blog. The 31-year-old blogger continued to provide her readers with entertainment news, real life issues and her opinion about certain things. Although she did not win, she was glad to have been nominated for the category of the Young Person of the year of The Future Awards. She was also chosen alongside Pat Utomi for the 2012 culture exchange programme with USA.
LIONEL MESSI: The match against Real Madrid was all the 25-year-old needed and he knocked it out, scoring his 91st and final goal in 2012. Messi has, since the beginning of his career, displayed a rare talent with the round leather ball, but 2012 furthered his career in leaps and bounds, and will most likely help him win the FIFA player of the year award, next month.
LONDON OLYMPICS: The 2012 summer Olympics lasted only 16 days but left fond memories for competitors, spectators and all involved. The elaborate opening ceremony allowed all participating countries enjoy a few minutes of fame as flags were raised up and their contingents marched past. The closing ceremony was another event on its own, incorporating fashion, music and comedy at its peak. Nigeria did not win any medals at the games.
M.I: The year started on a busy note for the rapper, kicking off with the triple launch of his label, Loopy music, his website, miabaga.com and his mixtape, Illegal music 2. Amidst his many tours, courtesy Hennessy Artistry, M.I took time for some charitable work, championing the cause of justice for the Aluu 4. He also scored big with his presenting skills, when he, along with singer, Omawumi, anchored the Headies in November.
MALI CRISIS: The month of March will be remembered by Malians for the unrest experienced when soldiers attacked several locations of the capital, Bamako. The president, Amadou Toure was forced into hiding while the military took over power. Condemnation from different angles followed the action, the AU suspended the country, and, along with the US, called for the restoration of democracy. In April, ECOWAS intervened and the militants agreed to step down.
MALTINA DANCE ALL: The sixth edition of the reality TV show had a new set of judges but stayed true to Kemi Adetiba as the host. 10 families competed fiercely, and after weeks of intensive training and eliminations,, the Green family won.
MANCHESTER CITY: Since 1968, the Manchester FC has struggled to win the coveted trophy, but 2012 was the year it was meant to happen. The Mancini led team beat Queen Park Rangers 3-2 courtesy Sergio Aguero, whose timely goal secured the victory for the night.
MANNY PACQUIAO: December 8, 2012 will be very hard for Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao to forget. Pac-Man was knocked out cold with one second left in the sixth round by a right to the jaw by Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Márquez.
MARADONA: The Argentine footballer turned coach underwent a terminal operation when doctors diagnosed a Kidney related disease. The operation was successful, with the 51-year-old returning to coaching duties at Al-Wasl Football Club, UAE.
MARIO BALOTELLI: The Italian ‘bad boy’ made headlines on and off the pitch – playing an instrumental role in his club Manchester City’s winning the Premiere League trophy after 44 years, scoring those stunning gaols against Germany in the Euro finals (although they lost out to Spain in the finals). Away from the pitch, his ex-girlfriend Raffaella Fico claimed that she was pregnant with his child.
MARK ZUCKERBERG: The Facebook billionaire updated his status by marrying his long-time love Priscilla Chan in May. The 28-year-old also acquired picture sharing site Instagram for $1bn and turned Facebook into a publicly traded company.
MATTHEW ASHIMOLOWO: When nothing more was heard about the fraud accusations levelled against the pastor and founder of KICC, many thought that was the end of the story, until earlier this year, the British government continued to probe into his activities. According to reports, the pastor was handsomely compensated for the demolition of his London Church in preparation for the Olympics 2012. He was alleged to have demanded more money and was obliged, but invested in other properties. However, his brouhaha with the British government was caused by the irregularities found in the finances of his charity organisation, King’s Ministries Trust, from which he allegedly benefits. He allegedly owns a fleet of expensive cars, a glass house in Opebi, Ikeja, and KICC University in Ode-Omu, Osun State.
MAVINS: In the midst of a break up with former label mate D’banj, producer Don Jazzy ditched the Mo’Hits brand and set up a new label, dragging with him familiar faces Dr SID, D’Prince, Wande Coal, and a surprise signing Tiwa Savage. The new ensemble called themselves, The Mavins.
MBGN 2012: Controversy started brewing shortly after Isabella Ayuk was declared winner of the pageant. Many were against the choice of a plus size lady as the winner, while others thought she was too old for the position. When the Miss World organisers eventually bounced her, tongues continued wagging. Eventually, Damiette Granville took her place at the Miss World, while she represented the country at the Miss Universe pageant.
MERYL STREEP: The 63 year old actress won her third Oscar, for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in the movie The Iron Lady.
MIKEL OBI: The 25 year-old footballer renewed his contract with Chelsea with a new five-year deal, got involved in a racist row that first favoured, then later went against him, leading to a suspension, fine and three-match ban.
MITT ROMNEY: The Republican Party’s nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election was a tough opponent for incumbent President Barack Obama. Initially not given a chance, Romney bum rushed his ideas and policies, giving a worthy fight, but eventually losing out at the polls in November.
MODENINE: Remember the phrase Pass the Mic? It was the most famous line from the spat between rappers Modenine and Munachi. The former was a judge at the Nokia Don’t Break the Beat competition which was hosted by Muna. An argument ensued as Muna didn’t seem to agree with the judges’ decision as regards the winner. ‘Pass the mic men’ she told Modenine, who was trying to explain things to her. She however, later apologised on twitter and in person at an edition of the industry night gig.
MO’CHEDDAH: The formerly sweet relationship between the young artiste and her label suddenly turned sour and the two split up. Although details as to what caused the divorce was not stated, many believed it had something to do with money. However, Mocheddah found herself a new manager in Bukunyi Olateru Olagbegi and is presently working on her label, Cheddah music.
MR IBU: The comedic actor started the year on a sad note, losing his 2-year-old son Emmanuel Mandela to complications from food poisoning. The Nollywood actor later claimed that his ex-wife killed his son and also wanted him dead.
MTV EMAs: If you ask Rihanna about this year’s MTV EMA, you may get a negative response, as her six nominations fetched her no awards. However, the duo of Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift will say otherwise, being the biggest winners of the night. Held in Frankfurt, Germany, the awards honoured Carly Rae Jepsen for her hit, Call Me Maybe and Psy, whose ‘Gagnam Style’ video won the Best Video. Nicki Minaj, Lana Del Ray and Whitney Houston were also honoured.
NADIA BUíARI: She started the year clearing up rumours about her relationship with Ghanaian player, Michael Essien, after which she moved on to D’banj’s claim of her ‘not drinking garri.’ Sadly, she lost the GIAMA Best Actres award to Stella Damasus, but her role in the Niji Akanni directed ‘Heroes and Zeroes’ may put her on the list for the awards next year.
NAS: Nasir Jones made a brilliant comeback this year with his 11th studio album ‘Life is Good’ which was well received by critics, following two unimpressive releases. He received his first ever BET Hip-Hop award in October for the track ‘Daughters’ which was inspired by his first child Destiny Jones.
NAETO C AND NICOLE CHIKWE: One of the most glamorous weddings of 2012, Naeto and his bride showed class with a star-studded event that got everyone buzzing. But the gift of a Porsche Cayenne led to a wild controversy that nearly wiped out all the good memories.
NEIL ARMSTRONG: A lot of deaths were recorded in 2012, one of the most talked about was the passing of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. Armstrong, 82, died three days after his birthday.
NDANI TV (THE JUICE): Solely hosted by The Beat FM’s OAP, Toolz, The Juice on Ndani TV is fast becoming a programme to look out for on the internet. Among the celebrities that have graced the show are Linda Ikeji, Tiffany Amber, Brymo, Efya, Waje, and Tiwa Savage.
NELSON MANDELA: The South African leader spent the last days of 2012 in hospital, recuperating. It’s his first Xmas away from home since 1989, when he was still in prison.
NICK CANNON – Mariah Carey’s husband had a couple of health scares in 2012. He was hospitalized for kidney failure in January and later revealed that he had an auto-immune disease similar to Lupus.
NICKI MINAJ: The US rapper joined the judging panel for the twelfth season of American Idol but had problems with fellow judge Mariah Carey. She also starred in a three-part E! documentary special, titled Nicki Minaj: My Truth, which aired in November.
NIGERIA INFO 99.3 FM: The talk radio station which set up shop in late 2011 bloomed in 2012; the ‘Talk, News and Sports’ station has now become a go-to for current affairs, sports, etc. The first of its kind in Nigeria, its unique presentation style has given it a dense number of listeners in just one year.
NIGERIAN ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS: The NEAs held its biggest edition on September in New York, playing host to quite a number of Nigerian artistes – Don Jazzy, Banky W, Wizkid, Waje Davido, Brymo, Vector, with Nollywood stars Funke Akindele, Uche Jombo and Susan Peters making an appearance.
NIGERIA’S GOT TALENT: Optima Media Group delivered Nigeria’s first edition of the popular US show, with an eight year-old winning the big prize…
NIGERIAN IDOL: The music talent show produced its second winner, Mercy ‘Mecinda’ Chinwo after months of travelling and live recording. Audu Maikori, a judge at season one was replaced with eccentric musician Charly Boy, as were the show’s hosts Anis Halloway and Misi Molu, with the livelier pair of Ill Rhymz and Tiwa Savage. The third season kicked off with Charly Boy saying bye, being replaced by legendary Afro-beat singer Femi Kuti.
NIGERIAN PARALYMPICS TEAM: 29 Nigerians against over 4000 other athletes at the 2012 Paralympics participated in 13 games and walked away with an impressive 12 medals, a sharp contrast to their Olympic counterparts, who returned home without a medal.
NKIRU SYLVANUS: The Nollywood actress, who doubles as a Senior Special Assistant to the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, was kidnapped, along with former Gulder Ultimate Search winner turned actor Kenneth Okolie while they were shooting a movie in Owerri. They were released four days later.
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL: The annual street festival took place as usual in August on the streets of Notting Hill, attracting thousands of people including high number of tourists. Digital media played a big part this year, with the colourful sights captured on phones and posted on picture sharing sites like Instagram.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The Serbian professional Tennis Player Novak Djokovic reclaimed the number one spot in 2012 by beating Spanish rival Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open and Roger Federer at the ATP World Tour finals. He won the Shanghai Masters and defended his China Open title.
NSE IKPE ETIM: Last year, we predicted she’d be one of those who would make Nollywood tick in 2012. Ms Ikpe-Etim has made us proud, ruling the year from January to December, and giving colleagues a run for their money. Next year should even be better.
OBAMAS: 2012 was election year and definitely the Obamas were going to have a busy year. Barack Obama won the U.S presidential election in fine form and was declared Man of The Year by TIME Magazine. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention was hailed by many political analysts as the catalyst that put her husband’s campaign back on track.
Barrack, Michelle Obama and their daughters – Sasha and Malia
OCCUPY NIGERIA – Arguably the biggest event of the year. Thousands of Nigerians gathered at Freedom Park in Ojota for a week to protest against the removal of subsidy on fuel, which was announced by the Federal Government on the 1st of January. The protest, spearheaded by the NLC, featured prominent people as Pastor Tunde Bakare, Femi and Seun Kuti and other activists. Many musicians and actors also showed up to show their solidarity. The protests were slightly successful, as it made the Federal Government roll back the price of fuel to N97 instead of the originally announced N141.
OBI ASIKA/OLISA ADIBUA FALLOUT: Cousins and business partners, it was a big shame when the Storm 360 duo washed their dirty linen in public. They’ve since stopped the public accusations and counter accusations, but we hear the battle is far from over.
OJUKWUS: Months after the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu died and was buried, his widow Bianca found herself in a scuffle with family members over her late husband’s property, going as far as hiring bodyguards to ensure her safety. The family was thrown into more chaos when the late Biafran leader’s will showed that he had left almost all his property to Bianca.
OKONJO-IWEALA’S MOTHER: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala might be 81st most powerful woman in the world (according to Forbes) but that wasn’t enough to ensure the safety of her mother, Professor Kanene Okonjo, who was abducted by unknown men on Sunday, December 9, 2012 at the gate of the palace of the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, with her kidnappers asking for a ransom of N200m. She was freed five days later…
OLAMIDE: The young lad outgrew his shell, broke ties with his record label CODED Tunes, headed by producer ID Cabasa, set up his YBNL Nation label and hooked up with a new manager, Tony Nwakalor. He released his second album ‘YBNL’ to critical acclaim, with many strongly believing he might just be a credible replacement for the late Dagrin.
OLUSOLA SARAKI: The one-time Senate leader died on November 14, 2012, and was buried according to Islamic rites on the same day of his death in his home town Ilorin.
OMOTOLA JALADE-EKEINDE: Omotola’s 2012 was extremely good. She played the lead role in over five big budget movies, including Ije, Last Flight to Abuja, and Amina, and raised the bar when she launched her reality TV show. She had few scandals to deal with, except for the story about her husband being sacked, which she quickly dispelled.
ONE MIC NAIJA: More celebrities like Dammy Krane, Eva and Yemi Alade joined the train this year as the monthly party continued to satisfy the appetite of music lovers who yearned to meet their favourite celebrities in a friendly environment.
OPRAH WINFREY: Starting the year by losing 30 employees and $330m, it was a troubled season for Oprah until she bounced back with exclusive interviews with the Kardashians, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Usher.
OSAZE ODEMWINGE: The Super Eagles and West Bromwich Albion striker tied the knot with his girlfriend Sarah in May, three months after he won the Premier League Player of the Month award. In December, the 31-year-old publicly vented out his anger in response to his exclusion from the Super Eagles team going to the African Cup of Nations.
PARK GEUN-HYE: The 60-year-old emerged South Korea’s first female president after she beat Moon Jae of the opposition party. Park is a five term lawmaker and is expected to resume officially February 25, 2013 next year.
PATRICK YAKOWA: The country received a blow on the evening of December 15, when the Kaduna State number one man died in a helicopter crash, along with the immediate-past National Security Adviser, Andrew Azazi and four other passengers. Five days later, he was laid to rest at his country home at Fadan Kagoma, Kaduna.
PETER ENEH: The veteran Nollywood actor passed away on Wednesday, November 15, 2012, at the Park Lane hospital in Enugu State, days after he had one of his legs amputated.
PHONE SWAP: The Kunle Afolayan directed comedy starring Nse Ikpe-Etim and parading four different languages hit the cinemas after a grand movie premiere was staged at the Eko Hotels and Suites. Months after its release, it bagged an award at the African Movie Academy Awards.
PRAIZ: The Soul singer was finally received by fans and critics after releasing his singles a year before. The 28-year-old spent 2012 harnessing his skills, recording more duets and releasing another ballad ‘Rich and Famous.’
PRINCE HARRY: While his elder brother Prince William was settling down with his wife Kate who’s expecting their first child, Harry was wilding out in Las Vegas but seemed to have taken it too far as nude photos of his escapade leaked online and had the Royal Family reeling in shame.
PSY: All the way from Korea, 34-year-old Park Jae Sang, otherwise known as Psy, swept the world with his viral Gangnam Style dance style and video, which has become the most viewed video on youtube since its creation. The video gathered over a billion views, and has made the singer-songwriter popular, both in the media and in pop culture.
POPE JOINS TWITTER – Pope Benedict XVI, the spiritual guide of over 1 billion Roman Catholics all over the world, joined social media site Twitter with the username ‘@Pontifex’ on December 3, 2012, racking up over 250,000 followers in a few hours. The Vatican said the move is the ‘tip of the iceberg’ as regards the church’s aim to draw in more young people. The pope’s tweets will mostly be spiritual messages from his services, homilies, and reactions to world events. He currently has almost 1.3 million followers.
PREZZO: The Kenyan rapper was first noticed by Nigerians while in the Big Brother Stargame show. His role as Goldie’s boyfriend further endeared him to many, but when the two fell out, Prezzo was blamed. He has since been to Nigeria twice in search of Nigeria’s golden Goldie, and has at different times disclosed his intentions to marry her, should she agree to his proposal. What is not known is whether his intentions are pure or borne out of a need to have a market in the Nigerian community.
PROJECT FAME WEST AFRICA: The popular music talent show that spans across five other countries produced its fifth winner A.Y.O, an upcoming singer, who has played in Mike Aremu’s music band. The show had earlier taken judges Kwame and Nomoreloss off the show, replacing them with afro-centric singer Bantu.
PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced to the whole world they were expecting their first child in early December, but made headlines back in September when a French magazine published a photograph of the Duchess sun-bathing topless while on holiday in France.
PRIVATE JETS: Google the word ‘Private jet’. The results that come up will show you that Nigerians are leading by kilometers in the league of PJ owners and users around the world. And 2012 was the year many money bags joined the club. Favoured by the likes of Otedola, Dangote, Adenuga, Adeboye, Oyedepo and Jimoh Ibrahim, private jets seemed to become the norm, with those yet to own one or two happy to hire them for short and long terms. Expectedly, this prompted up plenty of conversations, with critics condemning the trend, especially in a country where millions still live below the poverty line.
PSQUARE: The twins probably had the best year ever of their career, recording two major hit collabos with international artistes Akon and Rick Ross, signing a distribution deal with Universal Music and jetting round Africa, headlining concerts.
Psquare and May D in South Africa after signing with Universal Music
PSQUARE / MAY D SAGA: Basketmouth called it an abortion – with the relationship between Psquare and the talented May D ending before it could bear fruits.
R28: The event management cum marketing company continues with the ambition of becoming the foremost in the country. After succesfully hosting the Bobby Brown/New Edition show in Lagos and Port-Harcourt, they didn’t let the year pass by without another sucess story, which came in the form of the EME Baddest concert.
RASHIDI YEKINI: He was mad. He was not mad. He’s okay. No, he’s not. The debate was still on when the world heard of Yekini’s death on May 4.
REMI LAGOS: The Nigerian fashion industry lost Remi Osholake, an iconic designer and pathfinder, to cancer.
REUBEN ABATI: There were rumours going around that Abati, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Goodluck Jonathan might lose his job at Aso Rock due to the appointment of Doyin Okupe as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs. No such luck. Abati is still crawling the corridors of power as he often writes positive opinion articles about Mr President.
RICK ROSS: The Maybach Music Group boss had a very busy year – successfully releasing his MMG collaboration album ‘Self Made 2′ in June and then his fifth solo album ‘God Forgives I Don’t’ a month later. In August, he came to Lagos for a ‘Summer Jam Fest’ concert and used the opportunity to shoot a controversial video which was negatively received by the Nigerian media and public. MTV also named him the hottest rapper of the year.
RICK ROSS/YOUNG JEEZY BRAWL AT THE BET AWARDS: A lingering dispute between rap heavyweights Rick Ross and Young Jeezy was rekindled at the BET Hip-Hop Awards, when the two rappers’ crews met face-to-face backstage. Ross and Jeezy exchanged heated words backstage, pushing and shoving each other. The BET security team and the rappers’ personal bodyguards had to intervene, according to reports.
RIHANNA: Rihanna made some good cuts in 2012, played gigs across the world and gave to more charities than we can enumerate. But what seems most memorable are all those instagram and Twitter images of her boobs and butt. And the silly games with Breezy.
RITA DOMINIC: Rita Dominic, obviously inspired by the likes of Uche Jombo and Funke Akindele, who have transitioned from mere acting to movie making, set up ‘The Audrey Silva Company’ alongside filmmaker Mildred Okwo and successfully produced (and starred in) her first movie ‘The Meeting’.
RITA ORA: Ora got her chance to shine in 2012, releasing her debut, ‘Ora’ under Jay Z’s ROC NATION platform. Initially critiqued to have been styled like Bajan singer Rihanna, Ora came out of her shell, having the opportunity to perform at a number of shows in the UK, where she was raised. Her low profile relationship with Rob Kardashian ended with scandal, when the latter alluded that she had been cheating on him.
RMD – Richard Mofe Damijo made the headlines in 2012, but not for acting. He clashed with popular blogger Linda Ikeji when she reported that he had acquired a home of N250 million in Asaba. In December he was accused of embezzlement. He didn’t respond to the allegations.
ROBERTO DI MATTEO: Plagued with multiple losses, London football club Chelsea FC sacked their head coach Roberto Di Matteo, following their 3-0 defeat to Juventus which eventually saw them crash out of the Champions League.
ROBIN VAN PERSIE: The Dutch striker shocked the football world when he dumped his former club Arsenal FC and signed unto Manchester United. His bad outing at Euro 2012 was in contrast to what he’s achieved so far with the Red Devils, scoring 15 goals, over half of them being match deciders.
RODNEY KING – Rodney King, the man who was at the centre of the infamous Los Angeles riots was found dead in June. King, who became famous in 1991 when he was the victim of police brutality at the hands of the LAPD, was said to have died from accidental drowning, with cocaine, marijuana and PCP, which were found in his system, as contributing factors.
ROGER FEDERER: The Swiss tennis player won a grand slam title in 2012. He won his 7th Wimbledon title after beating Andy Murray in the final. His victory at Wimbledon was his 17th, equaling Pete Sampras’ grand slam victories. The victory put him back at the number one spot of the ATP ranking. He also participated in the Olympics, but lost to Andy Murray in the final.
SAMKLEF: The producer-singer became a father this year and also a principal of his music school, Klef Sound Music School. A little scandal about his London trip was quickly sorted.
SARKODIE: The Ghanaian tongue twisting rapper capitalized on one of the biggest dance trends of 2012, with his Azonto-themed ‘You go kill me’ song. Gaining international recognition, he was the only African to feature in the 2012 BET Cypher, where he also picked up a joint award for the ‘Best African Act.’
SARZ: The young producer, whose real name is Osaretin Osabuohien, rose from a promising beat-maker to one of the country’s best producers in the pop genre in 2012. His productions ruled the dance floor in 2012, most notably Wizkid’s ‘Dance For Me’ and Skales’ ‘Komole’. Sarz was signed to eLDee’s revamped Trybe Records’ imprint after featuring heavily on the veteran’s last album production wise. As a result of the hot tunes he created in 2012, Don Jazzy bequeathed his 2012 NEA Producer of the Year award to Sarz. In preparation for his mixtape, which drops in 2013, Sarz released his first single featuring Wizkid ‘Samba (Beat of Life)’ which is beginning to pick up momentum.
SEBASTIAN VETTEL: The German racing driver became the Formula One World Champion after winning the championship three times in a row from 2010.
SERENA AND VENUS IN NIGERIA: Lagos, Nigeria played host to world famous American sisters Venus and Serena Williams, who were on a two-nation African tour in November. The sisters, who said they were hoping to inspire and empower young girls and women, held coaching clinics at Ikoyi Club, attended a gala held in their honor, and then played an exhibition match at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club on Friday, November 2, 2012. Venus, who looked in good form throughout the match, danced and engaged with the crowd, and defeated her younger sister Serena.
SEXTING AND OTHER WORDS: The Webster’s collegiate dictionary pushed the borders forward and added over a hundred new words including ‘sexting’, ‘F-bomb’, ‘Energy drink’, ‘Aha-moment’ and other words.s
SNOOP LION- The Hip Hop icon shocked the whole world when he announced he was changing his name to Snoop Lion. He said the name reflected his new found faith – Rastafarianism, and dropped rap for reggae.
SKYFALL: The 23rd installment of the James Bond series returned to the screens in October. And with high anticipations for the DVD release, Skyfall is ending the year as one of the biggest movies of 2012 . Forget what some critics are saying!
SOUND SULTAN: The super talented entertainer went all out for his 12th anniversary celebrations. Gifted beyond limits, Sultan has maintained a consistent career and rating, even though he’s never really made it big. And when he hosted his own concert at Harbour Point in Lagos, he delivered what could easily pass as the show of the year, reminding us again why he’s the king of sound.
SPINLET: The digital distribution mobile application for music launched in Nigeria, giving music makers and their fans a tool that could determine the future of distribution in a rapidly growing market.
STAR TREK and STAR QUEST: The Lager brand has been promoting music and entertainment before Davido was born. Using Star Trek to execute multi-city concerts in a country where artiste tours are non-existent, Nigerian Breweries are filling a gap in the music scene. And they’re discovering and developing talents through Star Quest – the talent hunt show that’s making live music fashionable again
SUPER MOM: We all love our mothers. Digital Interactive Media, the Sola Fajobi-owned company understood this and created a hit TV show where celebrities honour their mothers through a fun show that’s biographical and entertaining.
The wedding couple: Stephanie Okereke and Linus Idahosa
STEPHANIE OKEREKE-LINUS: The Nollywood actress had her hands full in 2012. She got married early in the year, and not only released fab photos of her wedding, but a trailer and a video. In a bid to diversify her portfolio, she launched her own blog- www.stephaniedaily.com. She also starred in Doctor Bello alongside Isaiah Washington, Jimmy Jean-Louis & Vivica A. Fox and Genevieve Nnaji.
STELLA DAMASUS: The Nollywood actress was quiet on the movie scene and complained of being typecast by movie producers. While waiting for the right role, she got involved in charity work and motivating young women. She also released her single ‘Love Me Quick.’
STELLA DIMOKO KORKUS: The celebrity gossip writer broke a number of controversial stories in 2012, including the Uche Jombo-wedding, Jim Iyke’s supposed love child, and the sex scandal between Ruke Amata’s wife and a South-South Governor, just to mention a few.
STEVEN KANUMBA: Being one of Africa’s most popular actors, the death of Steven Kanumba shocked millions of Nigerians who were fans of his films. On the 7th of April, 2012, the Tanzanian actor/singer/producer/writer died after a lover’s fight with his 17 year old girlfriend. His scandalous death shocked Africa and left many women in Tanzania weeping.
STEVIE WONDER: The legendary singer divorced his wife Kai Millard in August. It was far from the ugly celebrity divorce cases as Stevie Wonder agreed to pay for spousal and child support for his two children with Kai. In September, he said that Frank Ocean was ‘confused’ about his sexuality after the singer revealed his bi-sexuality. Stevie later apologised for his remarks.
SUZY Q: It was a death that shocked many. Popular owner of club Suzy Q (Susan Yusuf) was murdered in February by her alleged boyfriend, simply known as Idris, at the 1004 apartments in Victoria Island. After murdering her, he reportedly tried to escape from the scene of the crime by jumping from the 6th floor. He died immediately.
SYRIA: The Syrian crisis continued this year and got even more alarming with various sources confirming that between 44,000 and 57,000 people have been killed, most of which were civilians. More shocking was the number of people who have since been displaced rating up to 1.2 million. Observers have predicted that the war may spill till next year as a solution has not been found yet.
TERRY G: The ‘Akpako master’ steered clear of controversy for most of the year, performing for the first time at the Expo Hall of the Eko Hotel and Suites at the Rick Ross concert, welcoming his first child and focusing on his music. But when we thought Terry G had turned a new leaf, he got involved in an alleged hit and run case and was reportedly wanted by the Police. Oh Terry…
TEJU BABYFACE – The stand-up comedian who has continued working on his TV show got married to his sweetheart Tobi Banjoko in a highly publicized wedding ceremony.
TIMI DAKOLO: So what did Timi Dakolo do in 2012? He married his longtime love and mother of his child in May, and released two new singles ‘Love Song’ and ‘Great Nation.’
TINSEL: The MNET soap has since gone viral, whether the critics like it or not. And the new set of stars it’s created are living it up, taking the opportunity to build a career for themselves.
TITO VILANONA: The 44-year-old Barcelona coach was diagnosed with cancer in December and has already began chemotherapy.
TIWA SAVAGE: Ms. Savage has broken the jinx – establishing herself as a major player in an industry dominated by men. Combining rare talent, hard work and charm, the MAVIN worked through the year, winning fans from Abuja to Mgbidi, winning with men and women alike, and getting paid in full. No, we won’t talk about the romance with her manager. Nah, we won’t…
THE EXPERIENCE: With 500,000 people standing up to be counted this year, House on The Rock’s annual music festival continues to ride high as one of the most important Christian events in these parts.
TOM CRUISE – The famous actor and father of three turned 50 on July 3, 2012, just 6 days before his third divorce, from actress Katie Holmes, was finalized. The famous Scientologist reportedly cancelled a big celebration for his special day scheduled to take place in New York, choosing instead to fly from Iceland, where he’d been filming a movie, to California, to spend time with his older children. It wasn’t all bad for Cruise, though; he was named Forbes’ highest paid actor in Hollywood, reportedly earning at least $75 million between May 2011 and May 2012.
TONY OKOROJI: The COSON chieftain was at the helm of affairs, tracking down and slamming lawsuits against corporate bodies and media stations who had refused to observe copyright and royalty laws.
TONTO DIKE: If there was a ‘Most Controversial Actress’ award for the year 2012, it would be an honorary award for Tonto Dike. The 27-year-old continued with her controversial character off-screen – picking fights with Burna Boy and AY, abandoning a movie set, and more notoriously, launching her musical career, to the dismay of the public. Tonto did have her positive highlights though – winning the ‘Best Actress’ award at The Future Awards and her philanthropic gesture, donating N.5m to a cancer patient.
TOOLZ: Whether it was her voice we were listening to on the radio or her banging figure we couldn’t take our eyes off, Tolu Oniru kept us captivated this year. Making a bold transition from a mere radio presenter to hosting the online interview show ‘The Juice’ and launching her personal website, she truly is defining the meaning of an on-air-personality.
TRACE TV: the cable music network, which came into Nigeria in 2011, quickly established itself as one of the top cable music stations in the country. It became the alternative to MTV Base, which had dominated the scene for years. Trace TV partnered with a lot of events, such as Industry Nite and St. Remy monthly parties, to position itself as a body in tune with the latest contemporary music in Nigeria.
TRAFFIC RADIO: It’s not all about your favourite radio station playing those chart topping songs all day long anymore; at least Traffic FM doesn’t see it that way. Set up by the Lagos State Government, the station was introduced to help ease traffic in the state, as well as educate drivers and commuters on traffic laws.
TUNDE KELANI: The revered cinematographer took new project ‘Maami’ to cinemas in February, developed a documentary from the Subsidy protests, and received the prestigious SVAFF Award
TWITTER: The site turned six in 2012 and rolled out new features After failing to buy Instagram, Twitter announced it had plans to create its own photo sharing app. There are now over 500m users including the Pope who sent out his first tweet on December 12.
Uche Jombo and Hubby Kenny Rodriguez
UCHE JOMBO’S WEDDING: While other Nollywood actresses were sending invitation cards and releasing pre-wedding photos, Uche Jombo travelled all the way to Puerto Rico to tie the knot with her Puerto Rican lover, Kenny Rodriguez, in May. The actress had on several occasions denied marriage plans.
UNILAG/MAULAG BROUHAHA: Students of the University of Lagos were still mourning their Vice Chancellor, the late Professor Adetokunbo Sofoluwe, when the Federal Government renamed their prestigious school Moshood Abiola University, as a way of honouring and immortalizing the late politician Moshood Abiola, who won the annulled June 12, 1993 election. The news, announced by the President in a Democracy Day speech, wasn’t met well by the school’s students and alumni, who immediately refused to accept the name, starting riots and taking it as far as temporarily shutting off access to the 3rd mainland bridge. The matter remains unresolved.
USAIN BOLT: The Jamaican sprinter aka the ‘fastest man alive’ won three gold medals at the 2012 Olympics in London. The 26-year-old became the first man in history to defend both the 100 m and 200 m Olympic sprint titles, setting a new world record in the former. He also made the headlines when he showed interest in playing for his favourite club Manchester United, but it turned out to be a joke.
VECTOR: The rapper used 2012 to build his brand, something we noticed he had started doing a year earlier. Vector is arguably the most featured rapper in 2012, releasing his lukewarm ‘Bar Racks’ mixtape and subsequently his second album ‘The Second Coming.’
VICTOR OSUAGWU: The comedic actor turned his wedding into a humorous affair when he rode out of the church in a truck after tying the knot with his girlfriend of 12 years.
WAJE: The R&B singer failed to once again release her overly due debut album but made up for it, releasing a number of singles and performed at almost every top show in 2012.
WANDE COAL: With the well-publicized Mo’Hits break up affecting every member of the label, it wasn’t going to be easy for the singer to air his thoughts. Wande spoke up for the first time in April while at a show in Malaysia, in response to a leaked E-mail suggesting D’banj had bought Don Jazzy a car. He got into some controversy when his ‘Go low’ video was flagged by the National Broadcasting Television, who asked terrestrial TV stations to take the original version off air.
WILL SMITH: After a four-year hiatus from the cinemas, Will Smith returned to Hollywood, starring in the third instalment of the Men in Black science fiction movie. In 2012, he showed his support for the legalizing of same-sex marriage, backing up Barack Obama’s stance on the issue.
WIZKID: 2012 was clearly Wizkid’s year; having the opportunity to connect with fans in the UK and the US while he toured in different states with his EME counterparts Banky W and Skales. Wizzy also spent time while overseas working and recording international collaborations with the likes of Young Jeezy, Konvict Music boss Akon and others, before returning to join EME on the compilation album.
And then there was his moment of victory, jointly winning the BET Award for ‘Best African Act’ along with Sakordie.
WHITNEY HOUSTON: With hours to go till the 54th edition of the Grammy Awards, the world learnt that Whitney Houston had passed away. The queen of pop was found dead in her bath tub at the Beverly Hotel, the same hotel where the Grammy pre-party was holding. R&B singer Jennifer Hudson performed ‘I Will Always Love You’ as a tribute to the late singer at the awards.
WIKIPEDIA: The free internet encyclopaedia faced a shutdown scare over anti-piracy legislation championed by the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). The Wikipedia community of writers and editors who manage the free service decided to ‘black out’ the website for 24 hours to protest against SOPA.
Y! NAIJA: With the presence of seasoned writers, including Tolu Ogunlesi, the website continues to deliver a combination of entertainment, lifestyle and news reporting to its teeming readers.
YAW: Apart from being a household name with the homely ‘Make Una Wake Up’ morning show at Wazobia FM, Steve Onu had his ‘April Fool’ satirical play with Owen Gee and later on premiered his very own sitcom ‘Yaw’s n Myn.’
YINKA AYEFELE: The physically-challenged artiste continues to battle Oyo state government over his Ibadan mansion, which was ear-marked for demolition, even as he launched his “Down Town Hotel,” also situated in Ibadan.
ZAAKI AZZAY: The torch bearing singer made headlines when allegations of wife battery were levelled against him. The father of three denied it, although his wife, in several interviews including a documentary on Domestic Violence, narrated how he used to beat her up.
ZAMBIAN NATIONAL TEAM: Despite not being given a shot at winning the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations which was held in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, the ‘underdogs’ found themselves in the final and won the cup after beating Ivory Coast (led by Didier Drogba).
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC: The Swedish centre forward footballer not only stunned England, but the world, when he scored four goals against the Three Lions in November. Don’t forget the unbelievable bicycle kick that made up the final goal!
ZIG ZIGLAR: The renowned motivational speaker, author and salesman passed away in November after a short battle with pneumonia. Ziglar, 86, is known for penning over two dozen books and considered by many marketers to be an expert on salesmanship.


On August 6, the presentation of the new hit of the famous singer Avraam Russo took place - Seize the Moment
The song is about important moments in your life. The track is filled with motivation and an uplifting mood. The work on the song lasted for several months and now Avraam is in a hurry to please you with a new hit.
Available for download on all sites!
Sochi // Concert in Sochi
Youtube // Song and video presentation
St. Petersburg // Concert in St. Petersburg
Youtube // Remake presentation
Youtube // Online-concert «Soldier son»
Moscow // Karaoke night