The third release of the Merry Men franchise has dropped two spots despite hitting the enviable ₦100 million mark.
According to the records of the Nigerian box office for November 10–12, 2023, released by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN), Merry Men 3 finally hit a total gross of ₦100 million after spending four weeks in theatres.
This made the comedy crime thriller the most-watched Nollywood movie at the cinemas, however, the huge gross still didn’t save it from dropping to the third spot on the charts.
Produced by Ay Makun, one would expect that the drop would be short-lived, but new records for November 10-16, 2023, show that it maintains the same spot with a seven-day gross of ₦8.8 million.
This brings its current total gross since its theatrical debut on October 14, 2023, to ₦109, 256,960, making it the second-highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2023.
Adire follows Merry Men 3. The Film One debut original feature appears to have captured the Nigerian audience’s attention as it sheds light on the life of a young female fashion entrepreneur who has a dark past of being a sex worker and must now contend with its consequences.
Written by Jack’enneth Opukeme, it follows next in fourth place on the charts with a seven-day gross of ₦8.9 million and a total gross of 20.6 million since its debut on November 3, 2023.
Next at number five is Small Talk by Biodun Stephen, with a seven-day gross of ₦3.3 million and then a total gross of ₦18.4 million.
At the top of the chart is an American superhero film titled The Marvels, with a seven-day gross of ₦49.6 million and a total gross of ₦52.1 million. In second place is Freelance, with a seven-day gross of ₦9.1 million and a total gross of ₦48.3 million.
A bicorne hat believed to have belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte sold for a record 1,932,000 euros ($2.11 million) at the Drouot auction house in Paris on Sunday.
It was initially estimated at 600,000 to 800,000 euros. The price beat the 1,884,000 euros paid for another Napoleon hat at Drouot in 2014, an official at the auction house said.
“One million four hundred fifty thousand (euros) to my left, 1.5 million, we have 1.5 million in the room, 1.5 million for Napoleon’s hat. We’re leaving it at 1.5 million for this major Napoleon symbol, I’m selling for 1.5 million (before fees), no regrets, sold,” auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said as he brought down the hammer to applause.
The hat, known as a bicorne, is in Napoleon’s trademark colours – black, with the French flag’s colours blue-white-red as insignia – and attracted collectors “from the world over”, auctioneer Jeane-Pierre Osenat said, declining to give the identity or nationality of the eventual buyer.
The hat was last owned by businessman Jean-Louis Noisiez, who died last year.
The final price was more than double the estimate of 600,000 to 800,000 euros ($655,00 to $873,000), and nearly four times the reserve price, said the auction house based in Fontainebleau, south of Paris.
Napoleon is believed to have owned around 120 such hats in total, most of which are now lost.
Napoleon wore the felt hat towards the middle of his time as emperor, which lasted from 1808 to 1815, according to the auction house.
Unlike most other people at the time, Napoleon wore his hat sideways, which gave him a distinct silhouette easily recognised by his troops in battle.
Napoleon rose to prominence during the French Revolution, becoming a key figure in the revolutionary wars. He served the republic as first consul, and had himself crowned as emperor in 1804.
He was exiled in 1815 after losing the battle against British and Prussian forces at Waterloo and died in 1821 on the island of Saint Helena in the Atlantic Ocean.
Former Nigerian minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has announced her latest media feature in the upcoming docu-series by filmmaker Mo Abudu.
Iweala is currently the Director General of the World Trade Organisation and became quite popular for her various roles as a minister in Nigeria. Her journey into the world of finance will be explored in the upcoming series.
The project titled Black Brilliant and Bold has been described by Abudu in as “A groundbreaking series designed to celebrate and showcase the remarkable achievements of Black Women from all corners of the world!”
The series is expected to feature an array of black women, from various fields, from science and technology to arts and activism, and politics, amongst others. With the mission to highlight and celebrate their achievements that have gone unnoticed over the years.
In a post on social media, the filmmaker announced the commencement of the production and her reasons towards pushing such an interesting direction at a time like this.
Abudu, who just recently released her first project as a director, has also welcomed news of the short films titled Iyawo Mi and Her Perfect Life being eligible for Oscars consideration.
No date for its release has been announced for the Black, Brilliant and Bold series, as filming is currently still going on in various locations around the world.
The National Film And Video Censors Board (NFVCB), vowed to clamp down on Over-The -Top (OTT) streaming services violating the Nigerian digital content law.
Adedayo Thomas, Executive Director, NFVCB, said this at the closing of the third edition of the NFVCB’s Digital Content Regulation Conference in Lagos. The three-day conference was tagged: NFVCB-NETFLIX Safe Screen and Digital Entertainment Space Forum.
Thomas said that the Nigerian creative industry law covered online OTT and streamers, and that the board was working closely with security agencies to ensure that violators face the law.
He noted that though the board was challenged in the area of monitoring the huge content pushed out by online platforms, it was working on expanding its capacity for effective monitoring
According to him, the board is determined to protect the Nigeria cultural value system by ensuring that films and videos distributed in Nigeria meet the required ethical standards. He said that NFVCB organised the conference to bring together stakeholders in the creative industry to brainstorm on how provide safe digital content for children.
He said the conference was part of efforts to broaden initiatives for responsible digital parenting and enable age-appropriate online experiences for children and younger people on digital entertainment platforms.
OkadaBooks is shutting down its bookshelves after running for 10 years.
Okechukwu Ofili, the company’s CEO, shared the news via a statement today, November 20, 2023, on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Citing rough macroeconomic conditions, the statement read, “After much consideration and reflection, we have come to a difficult decision. This has not been an easy choice. We’ve explored various avenues to keep our virtual bookshelves alive, but, unfortunately, the challenges we face are insurmountable”.
The CEO went on to express his sincere gratitude to the literature community for their support over the years before briefly touching on the future.
In his words, “As we bid farewell to OkadaBooks, we hope that you continue to explore the vast world of literature through other avenues. The adventure doesn’t end; it merely takes a new and exciting turn”.
Ofili, who is a writer, launched OkadaBooks in 2013 to help writers skip the challenges that often come with self-publishing and get their books directly to their readers.
Five years later, the one-of-a-kind digital publishing and bookselling platform was selected for Google’s Launchpad Accelerator Africa.
Several years later, the platform has become Africa’s leading digital content provider, with over 40,000 original books, and 400,000 registered readers.
OkadaBooks will close its virtual doors on November 30, 2023.
November 17, Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as the 38th governor of California.
On October 7, 2003, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected governor of California, the most populous state in the nation with the world’s fifth-largest economy.
Despite his inexperience, Schwarzenegger came out on top in the 11-week campaign to replace Gray Davis, who had earlier become the first United States governor to be recalled by the people since 1921.
Schwarzenegger was one of 135 candidates on the ballot, which included career politicians, other actors and one adult-film star.
Born in Thal, Austria, on July 30, 1947, Arnold Schwarzenegger began body-building as a teenager.
He won the first of four “Mr. Universe” body-building championships at the age of 20, and moved to the United States in 1968.
He also went on to win a then-record seven “Mr. Olympia” championships, securing his reputation as a body-building legend, and soon began appearing in films.
Schwarzenegger first attracted mainstream public attention for a Golden Globe-winning performance in Stay Hungry (1976) and his appearance in the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron.
At the same time, he was working on a B.A. at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, from which he graduated in 1979.
Schwarzenegger’s film career took off after his starring turn in 1982’s Conan the Barbarian.
In 1983, he became a U.S. citizen; the next year he made his most famous film, The Terminator, directed by James Cameron.
Although his acting talent is probably aptly described as limited, Schwarzenegger went on to become one of the most sought-after action-film stars of the 1980s and early 1990s and enjoyed an extremely lucrative career.
The actor’s romantic life also captured the attention of the American public: he married television journalist and lifelong Democrat Maria Shriver, niece of the late President John F. Kennedy, in 1986.
With his film career beginning to stagnate, Schwarzenegger, a staunch supporter of the Republican party who had long been thought to harbor political aspirations, announced his candidacy for governor of California during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Aside from his well-known stint serving as chairman of the President s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under President George H.W. Bush, Schwarzenegger had little political experience.
Still, Schwarzenegger was able to parlay his celebrity into a win, appealing to weary California voters with talk of reform.
He beat his closest challenger, the Democratic lieutenant governor Cruz Bustamante, by more than 1 million votes.
Schwarzenegger served two full terms as governor, and returned to acting in 2011.
On Nov. 16, 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state of the union.
NOVEMBER 15
Sherman’s ‘March to the Sea’ brings Civil War closer to end
On Nov. 15, 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh (teh-KUM’-seh) Sherman began their “March to the Sea” from Atlanta; the campaign ended with the capture of Savannah on Dec. 21.
NOVEMBER 14
Marshall University football team killed in plane crash
On Nov. 14, 1970, a chartered Southern Airways DC-9 crashed while trying to land in West Virginia, killing all 75 people on board, including the Marshall University football team and its coaching staff.
NOVEMBER 13
Paris attacks kill 130
On Nov. 13, 2015, Islamic State militants carried out a set of coordinated attacks in Paris on the national stadium, restaurants and streets, and a crowded concert hall, killing 130 people in the worst attack on French soil since World War II.
NOVEMBER 12
Stalin takes control
On Nov. 12, 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has called for more investments in the health sector, to curb the brain drain confronting the sector.
Besides checkmating medical tourism, Abbas said such investments will generate foreign exchange and save the naira.
The Speaker stated this when a delegation from the First Surat Group of Companies, a Turkish conglomerate in Nigeria, visited him in Abuja at the weekend.
The delegation was made up of the Group Managing Director of the organisation, Yasar Ovenc; Chief Medical Director of Nizamiye Hospital, Prof Ibrahim Yanmis; Executive Director of Nizamiye Hospital, Servet Gulerman; Managing Director, Nigerian-Turkish International Schools, Feyzullah Bilgin; President, Ufuk Dialog, Emrah Ilgen; and the Public Relations Officer, Nizamiye Hospital, Muhammad Abubakar.
Also at the meeting were the Minority Whip of the House, Ali Isah; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Speaker (Administration), Jamil Ahmad Muhammad, among others.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Abdullahi Krishi, quoted Abbas as saying, “A significant number of the citizens of this country are going on medical tourism. If we can have or replicate what we have in the developed countries, Nigeria will be able to save a lot of foreign exchange, and we will be able to save our naira.”
Abbas who represents the Zaria Federal Constituency, Kaduna State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress expressed the readiness of the National Assembly, particularly the House, to welcome ideas on how to collaborate for a win-win situation for Nigeria and Turkey.
Stressing that he was “really touched by the amazing and wonderful things” the First Surat Group of Companies has been doing in Nigeria, Speaker Abbas urged the conglomerate to work with the newly created Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility of the House for the mutual benefit of Nigeria and Turkey.
“It is indeed a testimony that the Nigerian-Turkish relationship is a mutually beneficial one, and I hope other nationalities will emulate the good work that you have been doing in Nigeria.”
The Lagos State Government has commenced the demolition of distressed buildings in the Oyingbo, Ebute-Metta, other areas of the state.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Oluyinka Olumide who led the demolition exercise on Saturday, said occupants of the affected buildings were served notices but refused to vacate them.
He said that the government was compelled to resort to the demolition of the structures to protect lives as most of the buildings failed the structural integrity test.
“The primary responsibility of government is to protect lives, so we can not wait and allow the buildings to collapse and kill people,” he said.
He stressed that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu would continue to cherish the lives of residents of the state, regardless of their tribe or religion.
According to him, he decried the situation in which occupants of affected buildings refused to evacuate the buildings after enough notice, adding that life was more important than buildings.
The commissioner therefore enjoined owners of distressed buildings to take the initiative of pulling down the structures. He urged them not to wait for the government to do so as it would confiscate any land where it removed distressed structures.
The General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) Arc. Gbolahan Oki added that the demolition of distressed structures in the area had become a necessity, considering the danger that the buildings posed to other adjoining structures and the lives of residents.
“We cannot fold our arms and allow irregularities to continue to thrive in this area, where lives of innocent people would be at risk because of the lackadaisical attitude of a few individuals who have refused to do the right thing,” he said.
Oki also appealed to Lagosians to feel free to always inform the government about distressed buildings and other physical planning infractions noticed within their neighbourhoods.
A new research says 80 percent of individuals diagnosed with diabetes in Nigeria become aware of their condition after experiencing complications, according to the International Diabetes Federation.
The study, spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America, highlights the significant impact of diabetes-related complications on a global scale.
Out of those surveyed in Nigeria, 94 percent reported facing one or more complications during their diabetes journey.
According to the report, the complications associated with diabetes, ranging from heart and kidney damage to issues with eyes and feet, pose serious threats to health, with some complications proving to be life-threatening.
The study underscores the considerable stress placed on individuals living with diabetes, as 55 per cent of respondents in Nigeria express daily worries about developing complications.
A Type 2 diabetes survivor, Osarenkhoe Chima-Nwogwugw,u commented on the research, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced diabetes awareness and education.
She said, “To change this, more needs to be done to improve diabetes awareness and provide education to support the early detection and management of complications.”
The research also revealed that over 50 per cent of individuals with type 2 diabetes in some countries, including Nigeria, remain undiagnosed due to the silent development of the condition.
Common complications reported among Nigerian respondents included depression (55 per cent), eye (40 per cent), foot (40 per cent), and oral health (40 per cent) problems.
Chima-Nwogwugw,u concluded, “For those without access to the right support, diabetes and its complications can seriously impact day-to-day life and even become life-threatening.
“That is why the IDF is committed to improving awareness, helping people understand their risk, and enhancing access to the best available care.”
In light of these findings, the IDF calls for increased efforts in equipping healthcare professionals with the knowledge and resources needed for early diagnosis and optimal support for individuals living with diabetes.
The Super Eagles, again, had to settle for a 1-1 draw on Day 2 of the FIFA World Cup qualifying African series after a tame performance failed to lift them above the Warriors of Zimbabwe in neutral Rwandan ground on Sunday.
Walter Musona put the Warriors in front after 26 minutes with a 35-yard free-kick that eluded goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and sailed into the net.
The Eagles did not play with the stronger mentality and determination they espoused after the 1-1 draw with Lesotho in Uyo on Thursday, as the Warriors, who played their own game against Rwanda a day earlier and better-rested, showed more hunger and desire for the three points.
Moses Simon’s stout shielding of the ball and good decision in the box allowed Kelechi Iheanacho to slam past the goalkeeper for Nigeria’s equalizer after 67 minutes in Butare.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers resume in June 2024 with Nigeria hosting South Africa, current leaders of Group C, before
travelling to an away game against Benin Republic.
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