damifxnews: July 2013

Sunday, 21 July 2013

Best of 2012 (Behind the Scenes): Inside Carly Rae Jepsen's instant classic 'Call Me Maybe' video

If you were anywhere near a screen that had the potential to play music videos over the summer, chances are you cast your gaze at Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” more than once. The clip, which helped catapult Jepsen from Canadian Idol also-ran to chart-topping international superstar and Grammy nominee, starred Jepsen, the hunky model who stood in as the object of her affection, and one of the great classic twists in the history of music videos. Below, video director Ben Knechtel spins the story of the making of the video for the official song of summer 2012. For more stories behind this year’s top TV, movie, and music moments,

As told by: Ben Knechtel

Me and Carly go back a few years now. I work at 604 Records, which is Carly’s Canadian record label. I’ve known her since 2008, and this has been the same team all along. It’s cool to see everyone still together and working on such a large scale now. I’ve actually directed her last four videos. I did the first video with her on a shoestring budget, and that got me in the door with her management and label and with her, and ever since then we established a great working relationship. She trusts me.

I heard the song for the first time [in August 2011], which is pretty crazy. The song wasn’t out yet, and they asked me if I wanted to write a treatment. So I got to listen to it really early, and I remember saying to my wife, “This song is going to be huge.” But I was thinking it’d be big in Canada. You can’t really gauge or anticipate it being such a giant song worldwide. But I remember saying to my wife that it was going to be a huge song, and it’s been incredible to see her go on this journey to pop superstar.

COLLECT ALL 4 HOBBIT COVERS:

I wrote the treatment [for "Call Me Maybe"]. When I was in college, I made this little video for a school project where I was washing a car like Jessica Simpson in The Dukes of Hazzard. I was in these Daisy Duke shorts, and I had borrowed a bikini top from a girl in one of my classes. It was just a ridiculous over-the-top parody of the classic car wash scene. It’s super embarrassing, but I think you can still find it online somewhere. I always thought that was funny, and people got a kick out of it back then, and I always wanted to find an outlet to do that sort of thing again. “Call Me Maybe” ended up being that outlet.

The dude’s name is Holden Nowell, I think everybody just calls him “Hot Dude.” He’s a model and actor, and a rapper as well. We put up a casting call, and I think we saw 10 guys. Carly was at the casting call with me, and one by one, a guy would come in, and we’d meet him, and he would take his shirt off. And then Holden came out and took his shirt off and Carly was just like, “Uh, yeah. That one.” He’s just naturally ripped. It’s crazy.

It was a relatively small video shoot. We shot it in 12 hours in Langley, British Columbia, which is about 40 minutes outside of Vancouver. It was the day before Halloween, because I remember we had to take down some Halloween decorations because we wanted it to be a summer video. It definitely was not summer — it was freezing cold. I think it was raining four days beforehand, and it stopped raining one day and that’s when we shot the video. Then it rained for the rest of the week. That’s Vancouver for you. I was wearing a winter jacket, some of the crew were in parkas, and poor Holden couldn’t wear a shirt.

I’ll probably never experience anything like this. I remember calling my mom when it hit a million views, and I called home and got really excited about one million views. And now it’s over 300 million and everything is just kind of gravy now. But I was impressed when it hit a million views!

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Tobacco control campaign begins in Nigeria as Govt releases tobacco survey

More than 600,000 who die annually from tobacco related diseases are nonsmokers exposed to second-hand smoke. The world’s leading preventable cause of death claiming the lives of 6 million people each year, tobacco is a slow, but more often than not, sure killer. Numbers do not lie. They aren’t pretty, but they represent the hard facts about the effects of tobacco worldwide. Most of tobacco’s damage to health does not become evident until years or even decades after the onset of use. Continue...

There are currently no national restrictions on the advertising and promotion of tobacco use in Nigeria. A campaign has recently been launched to raise awareness on the various health risks of smoking and second hand smoke, as well as the toll of tobacco use on the Nigerian population. Tobacco Control Nigeria is a behavioural change and public health campaign project using Social Media to advance tobacco control and support the passage of a comprehensive Tobacco Control (TC) law compliant with the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

According to the project campaign manager, Olamide Egbayelo “we hope to nurture and give voice to a community of persons focused on ensuring that tobacco companies carry out their advertising and marketing responsibly. We want to ensure that Nigerian children are properly protected from pressures to take up smoking, that public places are protected from the tyranny of secondhand smoke, that persons who wish to quit smoking find the support they require.” The project will be launched in August.

However, in 2012, Nigeria conducted the Global Adults Tobacco Survey (GATS) and is the first country in the African region to do so. GATS aims to assist countries address selected demand-related articles of the World Health Organization on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). It also further supports the WHO MPOWER policy package

The report reveals that exposure to secondhand smoke is highest among those who visited restaurants. 29.3% of adults (6.4 million adults) were exposed to tobacco smoke when visiting restaurants. Nigeria has the opportunity to focus on prevention, stop initiation, and further decrease prevalence rates. A copy of the full GATS report can be downloaded here

If you would like more information about this campaign, please visit

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TobaccoCtrl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TobaccoCtrl

Google Plus: https://gplus.to/TobaccoCtrl

2go: Tobaccoctrl

8-month old baby stabbed 90 times with scissors by his mother

Eight months old Xiao Bao was stabbed 90 times in the face with scissors by his mother for biting her while she was breastfeeding him. The incident that has left many people shocked happened in Xuzhou, in the eastern China Jiangsu province. After the attack, the mother disappeared leaving the infant in a pool of his blood in the yard of their home. Xiao was found by his uncle who rushed him to the hospital. The baby needed more than 100 stitches. The mother, who has since been arrested, is not known to be suffering any kind of mental illness.

Photos from the Future Awards nominees reception hosted by the US Consulate

The 2013 Future Awards nominees party held on Thursday July 11th at the U.S Consul General's residence. More photos when you continue...

Photo of the day

P-Square's elder brother Jude Okoye shows off a lot of dollars as he contemplates buying a new ride.

Comedian Chris Rock set to divorce wife of 16 years?

Another Star magazine report...:-) Read it below...
From Star Magazine,

Chris Rock may be a comedian, but the current state of his 16-year marriage is no laughing matter – because the actor and his wife, Malaak Compton-Rock, have called it quits!

The shocking news surfaced in late June when Chris’ brother, Tony Rock, made light of the situation during a performance at the Hollywood Improve Comedy Club. “Tony poked fun at his brother’s divorce during one of his acts. An audience member tells Star. “He said, “I’m not supposed to tell y’all this, but Chris is getting a divorce. I’m so happy because now we can get p***y together. I didn’t like her anyway.”

Sources say Chris,48, grew tired of having to answer to 44-year-old Malaak. “There’s been many arguments behind closed doors,” spills the insider. “Malaak is very controlling and demanding.”

Omotola at the Future Awards Nominees reception

Omotola was invited to present the nominations certificate to nominees of the class of 2013. The event had many celebrities and the US Consulate general, Jeffery .I. Hawkins and his wife as hosts.

Ozzybosco releases the hottest bang 'Tinini' video featuring Olamide

The most anticipated music video of the year from the six year old sensational star has finally dropped and is making waves globally. Infact all music lovers and fans are thrilled and having great fun. According to Youtube result, the video Tinini featuring Badoo got over 10,000 views on the internet within 24 hours of release. Continue...

However, the management of OzzyBosco said “this is the second video from Youngest Kid star which include Superstar Video featuring Lamboghinny which has attained him several awards such as; CAMA Award, Dynamix Youths Award, City Pride Award, Bold step Award, City People Award,….and so many credible awards.

Moreover, this new video is going to be a ground breaking hit on your screen which will also attract so many Awards in Nigeria and in Diaspora; quote OzzyBosco, “I am the Youngest African Superstar, watch out for me” indeed we are watching out for OzzyBosco to take over the music industry, Kudos to you OzzyBosco for being a pacesetter for other Nigerian Children Entertainers.

Nigerian man jailed for marrying UK woman to escape deportation

According to a report by Daily Mail UK, a 29 year old Nigerian man named Jayeola Abiola has been jailed for one year for paying a UK woman, Vania Pinheiro-Fernandes, to be his wife.

The Hull University masters student met his portuguese bride for the first time at their dress rehearsal and he stumbled to pronounce her name, reports DM. Read the rest of the report below...

Vania Pinheiro-Fernandes bought her dress, tiara, wedding veil, and flowers from British Home Stores in Leeds for £245 with the groom watching, Hull Crown Court heard. She had bought the dress two hours before the ceremony and still had 60 miles to drive down the M62.

Leeds law student Ayodeji Abbis, 25, was paid £1,000 to act as the best man. He was one of six people who turned up for the ceremony.

But the wedding plans turn sour. Officers of the UK Border Agency had been tipped off by the Hull Registrar that the couple seemed to barely know each other when they were interviewed at the rehearsal.

So Border Agency secretly filmed a wedding video of the cars, groom, bride and best man arriving outside the grand 19th century council town hall before arresting them at the door.

Jailing the bride and groom today at Hull Crown Court Gurdial Singh said: 'It is often said sham marriages are too prevalent and strike at the heart of the immigration system.

'Deterrent sentenced are called for and custodial sentences are inevitable.
'You Abiola were in danger of becoming unable to stay in this country. It was ultimately a sham marriage and you were prepared to pay for it.

'It was not a question of family and friends wishing to indulge love, to do you a favour.
'You Pinheiro-Fernandes played your part and were to be the bride. You went along with this and bought the dress turning up at the ceremony.'
He said Pinheiro-Fernandes, a former air-steward, should be jailed for eight months because she played a lesser roll.

Abiola, 29, of Hull, and Pinheiro-Fernandes, 29, of Park Hotel Manchester, appeared for sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to breach immigration law by arranging a marriage so Abiola could remain in the UK.
The marriage was to cost £5,000. Around £2,500 was paid in advance and the rest was to be paid on completion.

Crown barrister David Bradshaw said Jayeole Abiola was a Nigerian student in Hull and his visa was due to expire a few days after the marriage. Knowing his visa was due to expire he paid Abiola Kumoye to arrange a sham marriage. Portugal being a member state of the EU entitled him to citizenship.

It was fake because he did not know her,' said Mr Bradshaw.

'He was not in love with her. He didn’t want to set up a loving family unit. He did it because he wanted to stay in the UK. The bride and the organizers stood to gain because they were being paid for their services.'
He said the Registrar Callum McDonald first became suspicious of the marriage at a meeting into the Wilson Centre in Hull on October 16.
It was to be a formal check of birth certificates, documents, passport, immigration documents and opportunity to pay the deposit.
'The groom gave his proper name, but the bride gave a fake name when they spoke to the registrar,' said Mr Bradshaw.
'The bride did not want to be married in her real name. The registrar was suspicious because the bride didn’t look like her picture in the passport. He asked them both some questions. They were not very convincing in their answers.'

He said they filled out a Registrar’s choice form giving details of music and readings for the ceremony.
'There was to be music for the bride to walk into,' said Mr Bradshaw. 'The song to be played first was Celine Dion’s: 'The First Time ever I saw your face. It was quite apt.'
A poem was to be read by Mr Abbis. There was music for signing the register and music for leaving the room to.

Recorder Singh adjourned sentence for a report on marriage fixer Abiola Kumoye, 34, of Manchester.
He has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to breach immigration law acquiring criminal property £2,650 the first part of the fee for the sham marriage.

The judge also adjourned sentence on best man Ayodeji Abbis, 25, of Hunslet, who was found guilty of the conspiracy and received £1,000 for his trouble.
Det Sgt Andy Norris of the UK Border Agency said sham marriages have grown considerably in the country but the problem has only recently come to light in Hull. 'People who think they can use Hull in this way will need to think again.

Popular OAP Matse Uwatse weds

Nigerian Info On-Air-Personality Matse Uwatse wed her boo, Ekemelu Bertram Nnoli today, Saturday, July 13th in Lagos. Will bring official wedding photos later. Congrats to them.

Cossy Orjiakor chilling with her bestie and her husband

Funny pic: Cossy Orjiakor chilling with her bestie and her husband

Lol. That guy must be feeling like a G! See Cossy and her boobs making him feel royal...:-)

Malala Yousafzai inspirational speech at the UN yesterday

Malala is the 16 year old Pakistani school girl and education activist who was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus on 9 October 2012. She marked her 16th birthday by addressing the United Nations at its headquarters yesterday Friday July 12th. Read her inspiration speech below and watch the video after the cut..

Thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and a new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them. Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me.

Dear brothers and sisters, do remember one thing. Malala day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights. I speak - not for myself, but for all girls and boys.

Dear friends, on October 9, 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends too. They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed. And then, out of that silence came, thousands of voices.

The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born. I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. My dreams are the same.

Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorists group. I am here to speak up for the right of education of every child. I want education for the sons and the daughters of all the extremists especially the Taliban.

I do not even hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there is a gun in my hand and he stands in front of me. I would not shoot him. This is the compassion that I have learnt from Muhammad-the prophet of mercy, Jesus christ and Lord Buddha. This is the legacy of change that I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The wise saying, "The pen is mightier than sword" was true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them.

That is why they are blasting schools every day. Because they were and they are afraid of change, afraid of the equality that we will bring into our society.

They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to the hell just because of going to school. The terrorists are misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their own personal benefits.

Women and children are suffering in many parts of the world in many ways. In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labour. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria. People in Afghanistan have been affected by the hurdles of extremism for decades.

We call upon the world leaders that all the peace deals must protect women and children's rights. A deal that goes against the dignity of women and their rights is unacceptable.

We call upon all governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world.
We call upon all governments to fight against terrorism and violence, to protect children from brutality and harm.

So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons.
One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.

The video...

2 contestants leave the 2013 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant

22 year old Ujunwa Amanda Onwudilo representing Ebonyi State and 23 year old Ifunanya Nledo representing Gombe State have left the 2013 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant. According to a statement by the pageant organizers, Miss Ebonyi left for personal reasons while Miss Gombe was asked to leave for failing to meet with the stipulated requirements by the organisers, Silverbird.

This means only 32 contestants will be vying for the crown hosted by the Bayelsa State Government on Saturday July 20, 2013. Live event begins at 7.00pm.

Wole Soyinka, an embarrassment - Patience Jonathan

Lol, she's one to talk, with all due respect. Hehe. Culled from Punch

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Friday took on the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, for attributing the crisis in the Rivers House of Assembly to her.

In a statement by her spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, the President’s wife said Soyinka betrayed the moral duty that expected him, as a respected member of the society, to carefully consider all shades of issues that informed his opinions on any matter.

Mrs. Jonathan said Soyinka had become an embarrassment to his admirers with his diatribe against her.

The statement read in part, “Unfortunately, Soyinka betrayed moral duty in his recent diatribe against Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

“Of course, this would not be the first time he would reach out against the First Lady, usually from self-righteously indignant lecterns.

“In this particular instance, his verdict was that Mrs. Jonathan was ‘stoking the crisis currently rocking her home state of Rivers…’, and thereupon asked Mr. President to caution his wife.

“The good, old Prof. reminds one of the truth that indeed, most of the giants on the street are men of like passions like everyone else. Worse still, most of them are actually standing on clay feet and would fail the test of a gentle push.

“Otherwise, who would have believed that the social, civil, constitutional and sundry rights crusader Prof. would maintain a safe distance from the heart of an activity that is a potential threat to the peace, security and safety of the people of a state, then collect exaggerated stories and jaundiced perspectives from familiar propagandists and character assassins, and promptly summon the media to a “state of the nation” address.

“It’s an embarrassment to his throng of admirers and followers, that a sage of Prof. Soyinka’s status, who used to be a gauge of public morality in this nation, would lend himself to a propaganda of high drive, to save a governor who elected to launch into a river without applicable survival skills.”

Mrs. Jonathan argued that the calculation was to attack the President and pull to pieces anyone associated with him, as a strategy for attracting public sympathy to the “clear underdog.”

She said Soyinka was only contributing to the project when he claimed that she was Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s problem.

Yemi Sax & Shola Durojaiye's white wedding photos

Award winning Saxophonist, Adeyemi Adeosun, popularly known as Yemi Sax married his longtime girlfriend, Sholatayo Durojaiye, yesterday July 12th in Lagos. Congrats to them

Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez tie the knot

According to multiple media outlets, Halle Berry, 46, and Olivier Martinez, 47, are married. The pair tied the knot at the Chateau des Conde in Olivier's native France yesterday Saturday July 12th.

This is the 3rd marriage for Halle & the first for Olivier. Their unborn child will also be Olivier's first

Tuesday, 9 July 2013

EME artist Skales curses out people leaking his music on Twitter

Quite explicit! :-)

Close up Breaks World Record with Teeth brushing challenge

Over 300,000 young Nigerians gathered at the Teslim Balogun stadium in Lagos, as well as other locations around the state, to participate in the World Record breaking Teeth brushing challenge. The challenge sponsored by leading oral care brand, Close Up toothpaste, in partnership with Lagos State government, Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), HEIT Solutions, Vas2Net & Core Media, saw various school students take part in brushing their teeth at the same time at different locations. Continue

A cross section of sponsors and participants at the closeup World Record with Teeth brushing challenge at Teslem Balogun Stadium

Speaking before the kick-off, Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, said that the challenge was a representation of how people ought to take care of their bodies, with oral care being a priority.

“The Lagos State government supports a comprehensive healthcare system. A simple oral hygiene routine, such as brushing twice daily, restricts the number of visits to the dentist. Unfortunately, many people do not take care of their teeth and mouth because they consider them small among the body parts that should be taken care of. There is little consideration that this part of the body is where all the food that we eat in order to nourish the rest of our body passes through,” Fashola said.

Mr. Mabo Thabe, Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria, makers of Close Up toothpaste and other household brands, who spoke at the event, said that Close Up was supporting the challenge as part of its commitment to promoting and reiterating a healthy oral care culture for Nigerians.

According to him, “At Unilever, our mission is to meet the everyday needs of our consumers through great brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. We have constantly provided quality goods for 90 years in Nigeria, and we are poised to create even more value for our consumers by staying close to them, understanding their needs and meeting those needs through consistent innovation. A healthy and good looking Nigeria is a great Nigeria.”

Vice President, Association of Private Dental Practitioners of Nigeria, Azuara Ifeanyi David; President, Nigeria Dental Association, Olojede Olurotimi; Brand Building Director, Unilever Nigeria Plc, David Arome Okeme, and Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina, during the Closeup World Record Teeth Brushing Challenge

Project Lead, World breaking Teeth brushing challenge, and Founder, HEIT Solutions, Dr. Lawal Bakare, who also spoke at the event said that the Teeth brushing challenge was spread across communities in Lagos which include Epe, Ikorodu, Agbara, Ikeja and Surulere, with hundreds of volunteers from the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), Schools, and other agencies, who were present at the different locations across the state to ensure that the counting was properly monitored.

In preparation for the Challenge, over 300 secondary school teachers went through a special Teacher’s Alignment Training Session. The teachers were informed of the World Record standards for counting the number of students brushing in each school, the designed model for the tooth brushing as well as the waste recycling element to the attempt.

Close Up Brand Manager, Mr. Dexter Adeola, thanked Nigerians for their unflinching support towards making the event a huge success. “At the beginning, we urged Nigerians to show their support for this challenge by brushing twice. I have been overwhelmed by the turn out and the number of people who told me that they brushed twice today already and will still do so later. This is one of the reasons Close Up loves Naija. The warmth and love of the people cannot be quantified. Thank you Nigeria! Today, together we have made history!” he concluded.

The Close Up Teeth brushing challenge would be the latest World Record on Teeth brushing, putting Nigeria in the Guinness Book of World Records. India previously held the title where an event brought together 177,003 people to brush their teeth at the same time.

RIP to the secondary school students killed on Saturday in Yobe state by gunmen

Gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram stormed Government Secondary School in Mamudo Yobe state on Saturday July 6th and killed at least 29 students and one teacher.

Eyewitnesses and other students who survived the attack said the gunmen gathered the students, put them in one of the hostel rooms, threw explosives and opened fire, killing at least 29 students and wounding others. Some victims had their body parts blown off, some were badly burnt, while others had only gun shot wounds.

Following the violent attack, the Governor of Yobe State, ordered all secondary schools in the state to be shut down until September.

This killing is the third attack on secondary school students in less than a month. On June 16, suspected members of Boko Haram killed seven students of a secondary school in Damaturu, then the next day, June 17, nine students sitting for an exam at a Secondary School in Jajeri ward in Maiduguri, Borno State were killed. RIP to the young ones we have lost.

Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa are married

Amber and Wiz announced the happy news on their Twitter pages. Congrats to them...

OJB thanks Governor Rotimi Amaechi for the $100, 000 donation

I'm sure by now you all have heard that Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi donated $100, 000 to music producer, OJB Jezreel, who is down with a kidney ailment.

The money was transferred to OJB's account on Friday July 5th. Lagos State governor, Raji Fashola was also in touch with OJB's family and facilitated the stages of dialysis OJB is undergoing at LASUTH. The ailing pioneer music producer has thanked Governor Amaechi for his generosity.

"I really thank God for Governor Amechi's kind heart. All I can say is that God will fight his battles as he saved my life. I also thank all Nigerians from all works of life who heeded my appeal for funds to go for my kidney transplant. God bless everyone.