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South African actress, Thuso Mbedu, wins Outstanding Breakthrough Actress at Black Reel Awards

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South African actress, Thuso Mbedu, has hit off 2023 in grand style with another international honour under her belt, when she won the Outstanding Breakthrough Actress at the 23rd Black Reel Awards held on Monday in the US.

The Black Reel Awards, also known as The Bolts, is an award that recognises the excellence of African-Americans and the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora in the global film industry.

The KwaZulu-Natal-born star actress who won the award for her stellar performance as Nawi in “The Woman King,” was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress but lost to Angela Bassett for her role as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”.

“The Woman King” which was shot was shot in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape in South Africa as well as other locations in West Africa, dominated the Black Reel Awards with six awards including “Best Picture” while Gina Prince-Bythewood won the Best Director, and Viola Davis scooped the Best Actress award.

“The Woman King” tells the remarkable story of the trials and tribulations of the fierce Agojie warriors and Dahomey.

Mbedu, a multiple award winner, has won the Independent Spirit Award, a Gotham Award and a Hollywood Critics Award for her breakout international starring role in “The Underground Railroad”.

Thuso Mbedu made her international debut in 2021 with the Amazon Video limited series “The Underground Railroad,” making her the first South African actress to lead an American TV series.

The role earned her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series and Outstanding Performance in a New Series at the Gotham Awards, and was also recognised in the New York Times’ list of top 10 best actors of 2022.

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Davido to donate N300m to orphanages to mark 32nd birthday

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Nigerian Afro-Pop superstar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has announced plans to donate the sum of N300 million to different orphanages across the country and anti-drug advocacy initiatives to mark his 32nd birthday later this year.

The Grammy-nominated singer who revealed the plan in a post he shared on his official X handle (formerly Twitter) on Monday, said he would donate the whopping sum to orphanages and charities that help young people to avoid drug addiction.

The “Unavailable” crooner added that the donation is intention to support vulnerable children at the orphanage and combat drug abuse among youths, and the funds will be split between orphanages and organizations working to prevent drug addiction.

He also assured his fans that details of the donation, including beneficiary organizations and distribution plans, will be made public soon.

“Once again on my birthday this year, we donating to orphanages and a charity that helps young people stay away from drug abuse & addiction. This year is N300m. Details to follow soon,” the multiple award-winning singer wrote.

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Chidimma Adetshina makes history as she emerges first runner-up for Miss Universe 2024

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Chidimma Adetshina, Nigeria’s representative at the 73rd Miss Universe Competition held in Mexico, made history as she finished as the first runner-up at the pageant.

The reigning Miss Universe Nigeria finished on the podium of the event held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Sunday morning after an electrifying final face-off between Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women looked poised to claim the crown.

Adetshina, who competed against over 120 contestants from around the world, delivered Nigeria’s best-ever performance in the prestigious competition.

The competition, which was described as one of the most thrilling in recent years, celebrated the talents, intelligence, and elegance of women from around the globe.

A post by the pageant organizers on Instagram said:

“The final two! Nigeria and Denmark, two incredible women, one unforgettable moment.

“Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, ultimately won the crown taking over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.”

The top five were rounded out by Miss Mexico, María Fernanda Beltrán Figueroa, in third place, along with contestants from Thailand and Venezuela.

This year’s pageant was celebrated as one of the most inclusive in Miss Universe history, featuring first-time entries from Iran and Somalia and an expanded lineup of 30 semifinalists, showcasing greater diversity and global representation.

Chidimma’s path to the Miss Universe Nigeria was controversial at best as she had previously entered the Miss South Africa pageant but withdrew following criticism of her nationality and allegations from South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs concerning her mother’s documents.

She was later invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria and emerged as the winner of the beauty pageant ahead of 24 other contestants.

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