SPOTlight

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FUNSHO AKINOLA
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Sally Mbanefo, feisty boss at the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) is a cat with many lives.
Since her 2013 appointment as the director-general of the nation’s tourism warehouse, Mbanefo has been a subject of various tales to unhinge her nerves, but she has stayed the course. Even when the last administration under which she was appointed got sacked, and everyone thought it’s all over for her; the former top banker still trudged on. This made people to believe that Mbanefo is a tough nut that does not take chances, as she always ensures that she’s visible to her supervising minister, Alhaji Lai Muhammed. Any major event that Muhammed attends, even if not invited, Mbanefo would find her way there. One of such events was the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) held last Sunday at Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The NTDC boss was overheard telling a friend that she had to work all her contacts to get invited to the prestigious awards ceremony where the Minister of Information and Culture presented the Special Recognition Award to Cameroonian music legend, Manu Dibango.
At the event, Mbanefo was caught rocking her signature green-white-green headgear cum muffler, dancing and getting noticed by all.


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Actress Dayo Amusa and her craggy looking bouncers

Seeing heavily built bouncers watching over celebrities is not a strange phenomenon. But such spectacle at an indoor event that boasts of a sitting governor, ministers and presidential aides among numerous A-list guests in attendance is abnormal.
At the just concluded All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) held at Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, many were amused to see two craggy-looking bouncers escorting Nollywood actress, Dayo Amusa, everywhere.
The bouncers, looking untidy – even for such a glamorous event – closely flanked the star, moving around with her inside the main hall. This unnecessary display of star power inside the heavily secured hall elicited the questions: was Amusa afraid someone could attack her or was it another way of showing off her celebrity status?


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Billionaire Akin Olugbade’s son, Dademu, set to wed

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Whenever billionaire mogul, Prince Bolu Akin-Olugbade sends out invitations, society big wigs drop everything and ensure the date is marked on their calendars.
So, it is expected that on Saturday November 19 the City of Excellence will be literally locked down as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Owu Kingdom and his charming wife, Oladunni, host the crème de la creme during the wedding of their second son, Dademu.
The US-trained investment banker and his childhood sweetheart, Lauretta, lawyer and granddaughter of the late Chief Justice of Nigeria, Fatai Williams, will celebrate the first leg of their matrimonial journey with a traditional engagement at the exquisite Landmark Events Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The groom’s dad is an Oxford-trained lawyer and international businessman of repute. The Rolls Royce freak is rated amongst the A-list party givers in the country. Everything from the invitation card to the venue is always swish and immaculately chosen. And not a few could predict how this wedding ceremony of his son would turn out to be.
Meanwhile, the white wedding has been slated for London early next year.


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Nnamdi Ekeh follows dad’s footsteps

You would be right to say ‘like father like son’. ICT/computer mogul, Leo Stan Ekeh, must by now be so proud of his son, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh.
At just 23 and with his Yudala brand, the young Ekeh is showing a phenomenal vim that could surpass his dad’s feat in business. The Economics graduate of University of Lancaster and alumnus of Lagos Business School (LBS) is changing the retail commerce narrative by fusing a real-time e-commerce platform with a chain of brick-and-mortar retail stores in major Nigerian cities.
With his strides so far, Ekeh is poised to surpass the pioneering moves of his dad in e-commerce, with the Buyright Africa project. Aside employing over 400 Nigerian youths at Yudala, the young entrepreneur has equally set up other activations including Yuboss and Zero Gravity to assist his fellow youth who he believes hold the key to unlocking the full potential of the Nigerian economy.
On Thursday November 26, 2015, Ekeh as founder and vice president, led Yudala to write its name and that of Nigeria into the history books after it successfully undertaken the world’s first e-commerce drone delivery to flag off its inaugural Black Friday sales.


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Special golden birthday for Emeka Oparah

Brand communication guru, Emeka Oparah, means different things to different people. Depending on your relationship with the Vice President at Bharti Airtel Nigeria Limited, he is a buddy, colleague and mentor to lots of folks. But one thing stands out: he is a kind hearted and jolly good friend to many.
On November 29, the Mbaise, Imo State-born dude will hit the Big 5-0. To mark his golden jubilee, however, Oparah has no plan for a high-octane shindig.  For him, it’s going to be a day of sober reflection and an unusual celebration with the motherless babies. Spotlight gathered that Oparah would alongside 50 friends give 50 gifts to 50 children at the Daughters of Love Orphanage in Ketu, Lagos.
A proud dad of twins, a boy and a girl, the corporate titan has really done well for himself. With experiences that cut across journalism, advertising, public relations and new media, Oparah’s new interest, fashion designing, is getting the same verve he gives to all his other endeavours. He recently introduced his brand, Ethelbert, to the London top fashionistas at a dinner event held at 805 Restaurant, Old Kent Road, London. He has also launched the brand in Ghana with the next stop being the United States.