One of the greatest challenges facing the Nigerian entertainment industry is piracy. It has robbed the industry billions of Naira, in fact one of the stakeholders in the industry described the perpetrators as terrorist and that the act is more deadly than AIDS. And in line with its core mission to create and maintain a pace setting organisation by adapting technology to customers’ needs, finished with transcending excellent services, the management of Transerve Discs Technologies Limited, one of the optical discs replicating plants, registered by the Nigerian Copyright Commission, last week unveiled its new products. They are Transerve Discs’ new DVD mastering facility and DVD 5 & 9 replicating machines, glass mastering (Stamper) as well as its new anti-piracy initiative, the Job Alert Management Systems (Jams).

Art lovers in and around Lagos were treated to a fusion of dance, drama, music and poetry reading last week at the The Muse Season 1 event held at Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos. The event which was attended by many theatre lovers afforded them another opportunity to reflect on the state of the industry in Nigeria.

One of the contentious issues that has attracted a lot of comments recently is the issue of Homosexuality or same sex marriage especially since President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan signed the bill into law. Many who commented on it commending the president for his action did that without knowing the serious implications as they just seem to agree that it is not natural.

A FOUR-pane painting on transparent plexi glass by award wining Nigerian-born, Canadian artist, Kosisochukwu Nnebe, has literally lit up the Canada Montreal art scene. The painting entitled “M(other)nity” seeks to re-define the complexity of the modern black woman as opposed to the prevalent simplistic portrayal of black women in the mainstream media.

THE state and city of Lagos will for the fifth time roll out their mat of variegated colours and textures to locals and international visitors to an all round fun and entertainment as this year’s Lagos Black Heritage Festival kicks off. Inspired by the spirit of convergence for which Lagos remains pre-eminent, the Lagos Black Heritage Festival celebrates African creativity within a carnivalesque of traditional and contemporary Dance, Music, Painting and Photo Exposition.

THE saying, “give honour to whom honour is due”, once more, played out last Saturday, at the Conference Hall B, University of Lagos, in the life of one of Nigeria’s finest literary icons, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo when she was honoured for her immense contributions to the development of Nigerian Literature.

MY article ‘’Nollywood: A Location or an Allocation” published July 3rd, 2008 in the Vanguard Newspaper was a discuss on the profession or the commercial name for the union of performing artists but I see that it is misunderstood that ‘’Lari Williams is against Nollywood”. I only expressed my concern in this article and as the first president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, I make bold to say that I am indeed against the word ‘’Nollywood”, not the profession or the practitioners.

After a successful hosting of its first exhibition of the year that featured 13 upcoming artists, Alexis gallery, one of the gallery committed to the promotion of African artists last week opened its doors for another group exhibition tagged Serendipity, an exhibition of paintings, drawings and sculptures. The exhibition which will feature the works of five Nigerian artists and one from Republic of Benin opened on March 29, and will run to April 5th . The opening which was attended by many art collectors, viewers and lovers, afforded them another opportunity to look at the creative and aesthetic works of the artists.

Col. Gabriel Ajayi, former second-in-command to the General Officer Commanding, GOC, Lagos Garrison Command, General Ishaiya Bamaiyi, is a journalist and core infantry officer of the Nigerian Army. He was released from prison and retired from the Army on March 4, 1999.

The acclaimed writer, Late Chinua Achebe in one of his books wrote, that the problem with Nigeria is that of leadership. This is not to say that Nigeria has no good leaders but the problem is that wrong people have always been in the saddle for years and that has affected the overall growth and development of the country. But in the choice of Omo N’Oba n’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Erediauwa, the Oba of Benin, it was a perfect match as it was the case of putting a square peg in a square hole and ever since he ascended to the throne in 1979, it has been a success story.