Funke Akindele not dumped – T.K
By Benjamin Njoku
Ace-cinematographer, Tunde Kelani has come out to clear the air,
stating that contrary to feelers that he had dropped Funke Akindele, a.k.a Jenifa from playing the lead role in his upcoming movie “Ma’ami”, that the award winning actress is still part and parcel of the cast of the movie.
Although, T.K admitted that he initially had some misunderstanding with Akindele, he said the face-off had since been resolved as she’s back on location.
Funke Akindele
“Funke is still playing the lead role in “Ma’ami”. Yes, initially, I had some misunderstanding with her but it has been resolved as she’s back on location.” T.K stated.
He was said to have dropped the actress, having gone back to the drawing board to recast the role.
Kelani had in June this year explained why he chose the popular actress to play the lead role in his upcoming movie.
Report had it that Kelani’s initial decision to drop Akindele was not unconnected with a new movie released by one of the Yoruba film productions which has Akindele’s face on the movie jacket and is similar to Kelani’s. Though the storylines of the two movies are said to be different.
Zacky of New Masquerade fame resurfaces
Remember that funny character Zacky(Tony Akposheri) of the
now rested television drama, New Masquerade who was always engaged in a game of wit with Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo alias 4:30, and lanky Nati.
He has resurfaced in the soap, “Hills and Valleys”. The soap is currently running every Friday on NTA channel 10.
HVP ran into Zacky at a celebrity function recently, where he made this disclosure. He hinted that the cast of the New Masquerade are making effort to return the popular television drama to the screen, adding that, “as soon as we get sponsors, the New Masquerade will reappear on screen.”
According to Zacky, who works with NTA, he’s in touch with the rest of the cast of the rested TV drama. “Yes, I’m in touch with Chief Zebrudaya and other cast of New Masquerade. We are eager to return to the screen, except Prince Jegede who died few years ago.”
Zacky is the producer of “Hills and Valleys”. He said after the resting of New Masquerade, he went on to feature in other movies, while working as a staff of NTA.Right now, he said, he decided to pitch his tent on producing soaps.
The Nollywood community and other entertainment practitioners will be gathering tomorrow at the celebrity hotspot, O’jez Entertainment Centre, National Stadium, Surulere-Lagos to celebrate one of their own, movie director couple Stephen Osezua and Pat Ohre-Osezua at this month’s edition of O’jez Entertainment Forum.
CEO, O’jez, Chief Joseph Odobeatu, in a statement, said the planning committee choose the Osezuas because of their contributions to the Nigerian movie industry otherwise called Nollywood.
“We are celebrating two iconic movie directors this Sunday, two people who within the short time they are married have become models to many couples, two people who are masters in their chosen profession… these are the two people O’jez Entertainment Centre is playing host to this Sunday and it promises to be an explosive outing because not only will the cream of Nollywood be present, major players in the entertainment industry will be in attendance to join hands in honouring two distinguished movie directors who happen to be married couples,” Odobeatu said.
