It’s going to be a special year; 2013 is the first year since 1987 to have 4 different numbers…
If you think 2012 was that
eventful, then sit back and watch the new year unfold with established
and promising artistes breaking new grounds, new technology making life
easier, political and economic decisions affecting continents and
celebrity babies being born.
We’ve once again done you the favour of putting together a list of 65 people, places, events and things to watch out for…
2FACE IDIBIA: The Pop giant is yet again on our watch list , not just because he plans to release a sixth solo album, but because he and his wife Annie will finally be giving the public an elaborate wedding in February.
360 DELIVERY: The
budding delivery service spearheaded by Noble Igwe and Oye Akideinde has
shown so much growth and will continue expanding their coverage.
9ICE: After releasing his fourth and fifth albums (Bashorun Gaa and Versus) simultaneously, the pop singer will be repeating the feat in 2013; in late December 2012, the Alapomeji boss disclosed he will be releasing his sixth and seventh LPs (GRA and CNN) this year. He will also be releasing label’s compilation album ‘Alapomeji All Stars’
AFCON 2013: The 29th
edition of the African Cup of Nations will kick off on January 21, 2012
in South Africa, with 16 countries participating as usual. Nigeria is in
the GROUP C category, along with Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and last year’s
winners Zambia.
AFRICA MAGIC VIEWERS’ CHOICE AWARDS:
In March, the first edition of the Africa Magic Awards will hold,
fielding 28 awards in 26 categories, with awards for acting, directing,
script-writing and cinematography. Other fields which will be honored
include editing, make-up, sound, lighting and costuming, among others.
Nollywood is expected to dominate the awards.
AMAA: It made its’
debut nine years ago but has managed to become the most respected award
platform for movies and practitioners of the industry. Year after year,
AMAA has honoured deserving players and will be doing so again this
year. Entries have since been called for interested participants.
AMARACHI UYANNE: The 10-year-old Edo State dancer won the first edition of the Nigeria’s Got Talent show last year, going home with N10m.
APPLE-SAMSUNG SCUFFLE:
In 2012, the two companies were still entangled in over 50 lawsuits
around the world, with billions of dollars in damages claimed between
them. While Apple won a ruling in the U.S., Samsung won rulings in South
Korea, Japan, and the UK. The high profile battle continues in 2013 in
the Netherlands, Australia, Germany, and France.
ARISE FASHION WEEK: The
annual fashion show has become a major event in the calendar, having
featured over 200 designers and models in the previous editions. This
year is expected to go in the usual glamorous style and play host to
fashionistas in their hundreds.
A.Y.O: He is the fifth
winner of the MTN Project Fame but is yet to make the expected impact on
the industry. Perhaps, the 25-year-old is waiting for 2013 to hit the
spot and make the impact like his successors Chidinma and Iyanya.
BANKY W and EME: The
EME boss will be focusing more on his solo career this year as he plans
to release his fourth solo album ‘R&BW’ in the first quarter of the
year. The EME crew had it popping in 2012 and will be working on their
individual careers this year, starting with Skales releasing a solo
effort.
BARACK OBAMA’S INAUGURATION:
On January 21, 2012, U.S President Barack Obama will once again be
inaugurated into the White House, after defeating
Republican-Presidential aspirant Mitt Romney in the 2012 US Polls. Will
Jay Z perform once again? We’ll be watching…
BIG BROTHER AFRICA 8:
Every year, organisers of the Big Brother Show bring to the table fresh
ideas to keep the show going. This year is not expected to be an
exception. The show has managed to become one of the most followed shows
on TV, especially among Nigerians. Although the organisers are yet to
disclose what format it will take, auditions are expected to kick off in
a few weeks.
BOVI: After acting as
an understudy with popular comedian Basketmouth, right after working as
actor Richard Mofe Damijo’s PA for two years, Bovi Ugboma Akpos has been
able to come out of the shadows. 2013 looks like a good year for him to
finally establish himself as a stand-up comic, actor and producer.
BRIDGET AWOSIKA: Her
designs are a mix of edgy and body flattering designs which got the
approval of some celebrities who rocked them to different events. Her
label is a brand to look out for this year; Bridget will be giving a lot
of people a run for their money.
BRYMO: His Chocolate
City debut ‘#SonofAKapenta’ finally dropped in 2012. This year BrymO
will continue his reign and will try to make it to A-list status with
the help of his label mates Jesse Jagz and M.I.
BLACKBERRY 10: In late
January, the much awaited BB 10 mobile operating system will hit the
market. Some of the properties include a very graphical user-interface, a
new intelligent keyboard, as well as a camera app which allows the user
to adjust a portrait by moving through time scale to optimize picture
quality.
BURNA BOY: The new
dancehall sensation who had a brilliant debut in 2012 (minus his tragic
fall at The Headies) will be looking at dominating his genre. The likes
of General Pype and Shank won’t be much competition if he remains
focused.
CHIDINMA: Last year,
she released her debut album, Chidinma, which officially kick started
her career. Months later, she raked in awards, including the NMVA and
KORA. The year looks promising for the petite singer, and with more hits
like Jankoliko and videos like Kedike, she just might ‘get there’
sooner than she thought.
CONFERDERATIONS CUP: In
June, the FIFA Confederations Cup will be held in Brazil in 2013, as a
prelude to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Participating countries include
Brazil, Spain, Japan, Italy, Uruguay, Mexico, Tahiti, and the winners of
the African Cup of Nations.
D’BANJ: Dapo Oyebanjo
spent 2012 breaking ties with his former Mo’Hits partner, launching his
international career and setting up his own label, DB Records. He will
be releasing his anticipated fourth solo album ‘D King’s Men’ and
continue his reign as one of the biggest pop stars in Africa.
DAMMY KRANE: With the
momentum gathered in 2012, there’s a very strong possibility the
Hypertek rookie breaks through this year with just one hot single.
E-COMMERCE SITES: For
over two years now, internet marketing has become the trend, and more
platforms have continued to tap into the sector. With the likes of Dealdey, Ttiso, Konga, Jumia and other platforms, it looks as though this trend will continue throughout the year.
EUROPEAN FINANCIAL CRISIS:
The European sovereign debt crisis has been making it difficult or
impossible for some countries in the Eurozone to repay or re-finance
their government debt without the assistance of third parties. The EU is
expected to release as much as €230m to mobilize investments.
GOOGLE: With over
53,000 employees and well over a hundred products, internet based
company Google will continue its dominance in 2013, with new products
such as the Nexus and the computerized goggles ‘Google Glass.’
THE HEADIES: Sure to
make the list this year after a huge comeback in 2012; Ayo Animashuan
and the HipHopWorld gang will once again be highlighting and honouring
those worth it in 2013.
INTERNET NEWSPAPERS: The likes of Premium Times, Daily Times, Daily Post, Citizen’s Platform and YNaija
have done pretty well reporting factual events and happenings in
Nigeria on a daily. Expect them to continue and possibly expand their
coverage this year; building e-newsrooms that relies partly on
crowd-sourcing and online leads….
INSTAGRAM: With over a
hundred active users, the online photo-sharing and social networking
service is still growing rapidly with more and more Nigerian celebrities
also sharing their candid and intimate photos with their fans
IPAD MINI: Released in
November 2012, the iPad Mini is already becoming the trendy gadget to
have. Call it a balance between the iPad (which suddenly looks big) and
the iPhone.
IROKO: The Jason Njoku
led online media platform will continue with their monopoly of offering
exclusive movie viewership on the web. Their music platform version has
also rebranded, launching a more convenient mobile platform for users.
IYANYA: The ‘Kukere’
singer enjoyed much success in 2012 and will release his second album
‘Iyanya Vs Desire’ in early February. Expect the singer to stage a
concert in the UK and perform at many more shows this year.
JETA AMATA: Call him a
trend setter and you may be right. After his success with his movie
Amazing Grace, Jeta has gone ahead to film other big projects, one of
which is Black November, featuring American singers Wyclef Jean and
Akon. It will likely be released later this year.
KIM KARDASHIAN-KANYE WEST:
The fairy tale love life of the socialite and rap star gets amplified
with the couple expecting their first child. Trust the paparazzi to be
all over Kim K from the gym to the hospital this year. She will also
continue her messy divorce proceedings with her husband Kris Humphries.
KUNLE AFOLAYAN: He told
NET his new movie, October 1, has been budgeted at $2 million and will
begin shooting in March. Considering the success of his previous work,
Afolayan has become a force to look out for each year. You may also want
to watch out for his new cultural documentary ‘Isedale Yoruba‘ showing on DSTV.
LADUN LAIDI: The Linda
Ikeji type blog has started getting a lot of attention, and with more
effort from the young blogger, she may be hitting the spot this year…
LIONEL MESSI: After his
brilliant record in 2012, scoring a total of 91 games in 69 matches, a
lot of attention has been drawn towards the Argentina/Barcelona player,
with many hoping to see whether he will top his record or if it will be
broken by another player.
MAY D: Akinmayokun
Awodumila has moved on strong after leaving Psquare’s record label. He
will be looking at releasing his debut album this year, after setting up
his Confam Entertainment label, and releasing new singles.
MERCY CHINWO: Since she
won the second edition of the Nigerian Idol, not much has been heard
about her, but perhaps 2013 is the year she has been waiting for.
MISS NIGERIA: For
undisclosed reasons, the 2012 edition of the pageant failed to hold in
December. Crown hopefuls and fans of the pageant expect an amazing
experience when the 2013 edition holds later in the year.
MR MOE MUSA: U.K based
Mr Moe started directing five years ago, but is presently one of the
most sought after video directors in the country. He is responsible for
the countless videos of Nigerian acts including Ice Prince, Wizkid and
Iyanya, and has become the-go-to-man for acts who want to shoot their
videos in the UK.
MTV BASE: The 24-hour
music and general entertainment channel will be producing a new VJ after
six years. Add that to the weekly Big Friday Show and a possible MTV
African Music Awards, which has been absent for the last two years.
N6: Nnamdi Nwabasili is
one of the young voices making bold statements on radio, running the
‘Night Café’ show with Joyce. His humorous and sometimes odd candid
opinions have listeners glued to Cool FM 96.9.
NEW ENTERTAINMENT CHANNELS:
Amaka Igwe is getting ready to launch her own TV channel ‘Q’, a
predominantly series platform. Wale Adenuga’s WAP TV already began
operations on Monday, October 1, 2012… There’s Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife on
the way too….There’ll definitely be plenty to choose from in 2013…
NIGERIAN BASKETBALL TEAM:
The Nigerian national basketball team, aka D’Tigers, will be heading to
Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire this year for the 27th FIBA Africa
Championship, after a lukewarm outing at the 2012 Olympics.
NOLLYWOOD: Trust the
second biggest movie industry in the world to produce more and more home
videos this year, but more importantly, better scripted movies starring
some of the top Nigerian actors, and of course, a handful of their
Ghanaian counterparts.
NSE IKPE-ETIM: The
actress, who’s in her late 30s, has 2013 to prove her worth as one of
the top actresses in in her time. Already reported to be engaged and
possibly welcoming a baby, the year looks eventful for her…
OKADA BAN IN LAGOS: In
late October 2012, the Lagos State Government placed a ban on commercial
motorcycles on major roads and express lanes. While Lagosians are
readjusting, some sources say a ban might also be placed on Tricycles.
OLAMIDE: The
Yoruba-lingo rapper has shown an impressive improvement in lyrics and
stage craft. Armed with a new album ‘YBNL,’ he will dominate the rap
circle with a bunch of hits and upcoming videos.
OMOTOLA JALADE-EKEINDE:
With a hyped up all new reality show ‘The Real Me,’ Omotola will be in
our faces all year long. She’ll also be giving her critics something to
talk about when she releases her upcoming music album.
OSI SUAVE: Trending 40
times on social network Twitter is no small feat, so expect the young,
energetic and humorous radio presenter to take it to the next level at
The Beat 99.9 FM.
PASCHAL OJEZELE: The
24-year-old emerged as the Season 9 winner of the popular Gulder
Ultimate Search reality show, walking away with N9m, a brand new 2012
SUV and a N500,000 ‘swagger allowance’ last year. 2013, here he comes.
PLAYSTATION 4: The
Sony PlayStation 4 destined for a Christmas 2013 launch. With the sales
of the PlayStation 3, the latest instalment is predicted to have the
highest number of sales when it drops
The ROYAL BABY: Prince
William and Kate Middleton’s first child will be born this year, will it
be a boy or girl? We don’t know for now, but we know there’ll be a
tabloid circus surrounding the baby’s birth.
SILVERBIRD CINEMAS (IKEJA):
Offering just about the same services they offer at the Silverbird
Galleria in Victoria Island and at the Ozone Cinemas in Yaba, the new
cinema, located at the Ikeja City Mall will attract a lot of theatre
lovers.
SPELLZ: Benjamin Obadje
was arguably the hottest producer in 2012, and he’ll continue the trend
with unreleased work on Tiwa Savage and 9ice’s upcoming albums.
SPINLET: Since it was
introduced to Nigeria in May 2012, the online music platform has shown
promise, even if it seemed the slowed for sometime in 2012. Music
distribution will continue to go digital, and platforms like Spinlet,
Iroking, iTunes, Notjustok and Truspost are well positioned to play big…
STAR TREK: It’s
probably the longest running music festival in the country, and
continues to thrill the supporters of the brand, taking popular music
stars to Nigerian cities. The success it has recorded in the past is no
doubt a reason to look forward to this year’s edition.
SUPER EAGLES: After
missing out of the Nation’s Cup in 2012, the Stephan Keshi led team will
be hoping to hit gold at the African Cup of Nations in South Africa.
TIWA SAVAGE: Still characterized as the hottest female singer in the country, Tiwa will be releasing her long-awaited debut ‘Tiwa O Ni Baje‘ in mid-February.And what’s this we hear of a wedding?!
TONTO DIKE: By far the
most controversial actress in Nollywood, Ms Dike might grow some
confidence and hit the stage to make her first music performance after
skipping out twice last year. In February, her ‘My Life, My Damage’
movie which she co-produced with Uche Jombo will be premiered.
THE EXPERIENCE: The
interdenominational gospel concert convened and hosted by Pastor Paul
Adefarasin recorded a very high number of attendees, reportedly up to
500,000 thousand, coming out to see the likes of Kirk Franklin and other
gospel singers.
THE NAKED CONVOS: We’ll
describe this as the digital version of erotic novelist E. L. James’s
mind. Already having a cult following from a large number of Nigerian
youths, the blog covers topic from having casual sex to long
relationships and lesbianism.
TRYBE RECORDS: After
launching Da Trybe 2.0 crew, signing new acts K9, Sojay, Aramide and
Rukus, along with producer Sarz and Sheyman, producer-rapper-singer
eLDee will be looking at 2013 to unleash his acts to the mainstream.
WAJE: After waiting
forever on Waje to releasing her debut, she has promised to do so in
2013. With seven singles already released, it’ll be nice to see her pull
one or two surprises…
WANDE COAL: The black
Diamond of Africa squashed rumours of leaving his Mavin Records family
and has promised to release more music and possibly a follow up album to
his 2008 pop classic.
WILL SMITH: Along with
Jaden, his son, Will Smith acted in the sci-fi movie ‘After Earth’ which
will be released in June 2013. Fans who saw the duo in the Pursuit of Happyness may be in for another great movie experience.
YVONNE ‘VIXEN’ EKWERE:
The Silverbird TV presenter is branching out, setting up her own online
TV platform ‘Vixen Red Carpet,’ and in the last few weeks, has covered a
number of top shows. She’s looking at making that big break in 2013.
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