Gangnam Style rapper, Psy honoured at Tribeca Film Festival

                                                                                Psy                                       credit: china.org

Kiyo: Psy was honoured at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Friday for taking over the world with his popular Gangnam Style

Accepting the award at the New York University prize giving, the singer said 'who knew, right? Giving me this award in itself is innovation, I think...I still cannot believe what happened right now'

Filo: Life! Psy applied to New York University in 1996 but failed; now he is honoured by same university. That was why he said ‘finally I entered this building this morning’.

Justus Nwaoga among 10 finalists for African Innovation Prize

Justus Nwaoga

Kiyo: A Nigerian scientist has been named among the ten finalists for the $100,000 Innovation Prize for Africa.

Justus Nwaoga developed a new way to collect renewable solar energy by using the mimosa pudica weed, an organic African medicinal plant. The Mimosa weed has the ability to close its leaves when touched, open at sunrise and fold at sunset. The obvious control by the sun and photovoltaic response in live mimosa plants generated the plant’s solar energy potential.

Filo: According to africaninnovationnews.com, “The winners of the IPA 2013 will be announced at a gala dinner on 7 May in Cape Town, South Africa hosted by the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business and the Sekunjalo Development Foundation. The winner will receive USD 100 000 for the best innovation based on marketability, originality, scalability, social impact and clear business potential. A runner up will receive USD 25 000 for the best commercial potential and another winner will receive USD 25 000 as a special prize for social innovation”.

Video: Angelique Kidjo wins Songlines Best Artist award

Filo: African diva Angelique Kidjo was named Best Artist in Songlines magazine’s annual world music awards on Friday, lauded for her high-energy shows and her championing of social causes.

The Best Artist award was given for her live “Spirit Rising” album and in recognition of her career achievements, Songlines editor-in-chief Simon Broughton told Reuters.

Kiyo: Congrats to one of Africa’s biggest singing stars. 

Video: Omotola's Time 100 Gala Red Carpet Interview

Filo: She is ‘extremely happy to motivate people’

Complete List of Winners @ AMAA

Filo: The 9th edition of the Africa Movies Academy Awards (AMAA) with the theme: ‘Africa One’ held yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.  This year’s event received over 671 films in competition with Francophone countries having the highest entries.

As reported earlier, the show was hosted by comedian AY and Ghanaian actress Ama K, with performances from P-Square, Flavour Nabania, Waje and Timi Dakolo.

Find the list of winners below;

Best Short Film: Kwaku Ananse – Ghana

Best Documentary: Fuelling Poverty – Nigeria

Best Diaspora Feature: Stones In The Sun - Haiti/USA

Best Diaspora Documentary: Fan Do Brasil - (Brazil/Guatamela)

Best Animation: Adventure Of Zambezia – (South Africa)

Best Film By An Africans Abroad: Last Flight To Abuja – UK/Nigeria

Achievement In Production Design: Elelwani

Achievement In Costume Design: Blood And Henna/Nigeria

TIME 100 Gala, OMOTOLA confirms attendance

Kiyo: To commemorate 2013 TIME 100 lists, TIME would be organising an event on April 23rd which would be held at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City with approximately 350 guests expected to attend. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who places on the TIME 100 this year, will offer a few words as speaker at the ceremony.

Nollywood actress, Omotola who also made TIME 100 lists has confirmed her attendance at this year’s event, tweeting ‘all road leads to Time 100 gala’.

Filo: Other notable guests who will be in attendance include Late Night host Jimmy Fallon, singer Frank Ocean, and Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!
TIME will roll out three red carpets for the gala, so check out for Omosexy

Omotola Listed as One of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People In the World

Filo: Not mincing words, the Queen of Nollywood as Time Magazine puts it is listed among Time's 100 Most Influential People In The World.

Check the details out on TIME 100

Kiyo: Proud of you, congrats.

ADELE is the richest Young Musician in UK and Ireland

Filo: Oscar winning singer, Adele topped the 2013 Young Music Rich List of entertainers aged 30 and under with a £30 million fortune. The list comprises of UK and Ireland's richest musicians.

This was a 50 percent increase on the £20 million which put her atop the list in 2012; a feat which could be attributed to the continued worldwide success of her album "21".

Kiyo: It’s funny when you see some T-shirt with the inscription ‘my money grows like grass’. What type of inscription do you think Adele would have on hers?

Majid Michel & John Dumelo honoured by the city of Philadelphia

Filo: Two of Ghana’s finest actors - Majid Michel and John Dumelo were yesterday, Wednesday, April 10 honoured at Philadelphia City Hall.

They were presented with Citation for their outstanding contribution to the African movie industry today.

Kiyo: Well deserved, but where is Van Vicker?

Comedian AY, Dakore Egbuson and Ghanaian actress Ama K. Abebrese to host AMAA Awards

Ama, AY and Dakore

Filo: Dakore Egbuson, AY and Ama K. Abebrese, will host this year’s African Movie Academy Awards, officials say.

The ceremony will be held on April 20, in the Yenagoa capital of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The star-studded roaster is sure to bring the edition alive.

Designed to celebrate and honour filmmakers and other professionals in the industry across Africa and in the Diaspora, the AMAA has come to be known as Africa’s most prestigious motion picture award ceremony.

Kiyo: Just like last year, the venue should have been moved to a different state.

TWO NIGERIANS Among Those Selected as Yale’s World Fellows For 2013

Lai Yahaya

Kiyo: Tokunboh Ishmael and Lai Yahaya, were yesterday named as Yale World Fellows by the Yale World Fellows Program. “Ishmael is an impact investment pioneer while Yahaya is an oil sector transparency advocate,” the President of Yale University, Richard C. Levin, said as he announced them as the 2013 Yale World Fellows.

The mission of the Yale World Fellows Program is to cultivate and empower a community of globally engaged leaders committed to positive change through cross-disciplinary dialogue and action. It has at its core three main goals: to provide advanced training to emerging leaders from diverse disciplines and countries, to expand and deepen international understanding, and to link this network of world leaders to each other and to Yale.

With the addition of this year’s class, the total number of Yale World Fellows rises to 238, representing 81 countries. There were 2,500 candidates in this year’s applicant pool.

Filo: Congrats to them; biographies of this year's World Fellows, and more information about the program, can be found at yale.edu 

Tokunboh Ishmael

Ice Prince, Burna Boy, Praiz to rock 2nd edition of AYE Awards

Kiyo: According to premiumtimes, Chocolate City star, Ice Prince, will headline performances at the second edition of Abuja Young Entrepreneurship Awards (AYE Awards) which will hold on April 19 at the International Conference Center, Abuja.

The event will also feature Burna boy, Praiz, comedian TeeA amongst others. The host is the talented Bovi, accompanied by Abuja-based comedienne, Chigul.

Filo: If you are interested in voting, you can log on to the awards official website, www.ayeawards.com, until April 18.