Culture

Netflix puts Nigerian thriller, ‘The Black Book’ on world map

Published

1 year ago

October 19, 2023

Nigerian blockbuster movie, “The Black Book”, is now ontop of global streaming platform, Netflix’s charts around the world, and is currently ranked among the three most-watched films in countries like South Korea, Brazil and the US.

According to a release by the platform on Thursday, the Nollywood thriller has been the most-watched movie worldwide for the past one week, marking a historic achievement for a Nigerian film ever.

The director of the hit movie, Editi Effiong had earlier told the BBC he had been blown away by the response to his film. With this worldwide acceptance, his action thriller has not only captivated audiences, but also reshaped the perception of Nollywood, as Nigeria’s film industry is known.

“The Black Book”, which stars legendary Nigerian actor, Richard Mofe-Damijo, alongside other super stars like Sam Dede, Alex Osifo, Iretiola Doyle, Patrick Doyle, Femi Branch, Olumide Oworu, Bimbo Manuel, Boki Ofodile, Nobert Young, Shaffy Bello, and a host of others, “traces the inevitable scourge of corruption amongst top officials of oil and gas in the metropolitan city of Lagos and Kaduna,” according to Effiong.

“The film delivers a powerful message about police brutality and government corruption, issues which sparked Nigeria’s #EndSars protests of 2020,” the director said, adding that though an entirely Nollywood film, “The Black Book” had a “Hollywood face” which had made it a film for an international audience.

Effiong went on to explain that the film was produced with a budget of $1 million through 100% Nigerian financing, showcasing “the power of belief and self-reliance”, he said.

“We don’t have to wait for someone to bring us money. We don’t have to wait for handouts. We can do this.”

Related Topics:Featured Netflix Nollywood Movie The Black Book

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Culture

Obama names three African artistes in his Favorite Music list 2024

Published

22 hours ago

December 28, 2024

Isaac Dachen

In keeping with the tradition of naming his favourite music list of the year, former United States President, Barack Obama, has released his favorite music from 2024, which includes three African artistes.

The Obama Favorite Music list 2024, which he dropped on social media, has Nigerian stars Asake, Rema, and South African Ampiona sensation, Tyla, alongside Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, amongst other world-renowned stars.

While dropping the list, the former US President wrote:

“Here are my favorite songs from this year! Check them out if you’re looking to shake up your playlist – and let me know if there’s a song or artist I should make sure to listen to.”

The top picks for Obama’s shortlist were Billie Eilish’s “Lunch,” Jordan Adetunji’s “Kehlani,” Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby,” Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” Bonny Light Horseman’s “Old Dutch,” Central Cee, Asake’s “Active,” Lil Baby’s “Band4band,” Rema’s “Yayo”, Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” and “Gata Only” by FloyyMenor and Cris MJ.
and more.

The Obama Favorite Music of 2024 list also showcased a vibrant mix of genres and artists, reflecting his diverse musical preferences, spanning hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and reggaeton, showcasing his appreciation for a variety of musical styles.

Culture

Moroccan tourist arrivals hit record-breaking 16 million

Published

2 days ago

December 27, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The year 2024 has seen Morocco celebrate a record-breaking 16 million tourist arrivals, surpassing the 12 million mark set in 2023, with the country continuing to see impressive growth in tourist arrivals.

Data from the country’s Ministry of Tourism, the Directorate of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF) reveals that additional indicators reveal that the sector reached remarkable numbers in just 10 months, surpassing the total number of arrivals typically seen in a full year.

According to the new details from the directorate, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Economy, the country’s tourism revenues reached MAD 96.9 billion by the end of October, an increase of 9.3% compared to the same period last year.

A statement by the Ministry said
Morocco notably reached a new record of 14.6 million tourists by the end of October, the directorate indicated, noting that this far surpassed the previous record set at the end of 2023 in just 10 months.

“The number marks a 19% increase year on year, representing 2.3 million additional arrivals by the end of October 2024,” it said.

“This remarkable growth is driven both by foreign tourists, whose numbers have increased by 22%, and Moroccans living abroad.

“This past October was an especially strong month for the Moroccan hospitality industry. Approximately 1.5 million visitors traveled to the North African country during that month, representing an increase of 30% compared to October last year,” it stated.

The Ministry of Tourism celebrated the upward trend during a meeting of the Moroccan National Tourism’s Board of Directors held on Monday, with data showing that the North African country saw a record 15.87 million visitors by the end of November, marking a 20% increase while tourism revenues soared to MAD 97 billion.

“The sector achieved a growth rate of 19%, higher than the world average of 12% and most competing destinations,” the Moroccan Tourism Office said.

Speaking at the event, Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor:

“Our tourism roadmap is bearing fruit and we can now enter the year 24 with confidence and determination.”