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Sanwo-Olu Announce 2024 Afropolis Lagos Festival Open—-The maiden Afropolis Lagos Festival, an international festival of arts, creativity and innovation, has been declared open by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.
Sanwo-Olu was represented at the event by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.
Thr governor, during the opening of the festival on Saturday at the JK Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, said that the celebration of richness of African culture, arts, creativity, and innovation had become the commitment of the state government.
Sanwo-Olu said: “This festival has become a unique gathering for us, a melting point of ideas where tradition and modernity converge, where we believe the past made the future.
“This year’s theme, “the New Myth”, is a powerful and timely call for reimagination, renewal, and a fresh understanding of who we are as Africans and what we aspire to become.
“The myth that we have inherited from our forebearers have been the foundation of our collective identity values and culture.
“These stories have carried the wisdom of our ancestors, guided our beliefs, and shaped our societies.”
He noted that as the world evolves, Africans must also recognise that its narratives must also evolve.
He said that the theme challenged Africa to create new stories that would not only honour its heritage but also speak to the modern African experience, stories that embraces Nigerian diversity, resilience, and limitless potentials.”
He said that through history, storytelling had been a powerful tool for shaping societies, influencing mindsets, and inspiring changes.
Sanwo-Olu said that new myths were not just about fantasies but about possibilities.
According to him, they are the imaginative spaces where dreams are made tangible, where visions are painted in bold colours, and where the narratives of African future can take shape.
Sanwo-Olu added that Africans needed new myths that would challenge stereotypes, breaks boundaries, that dismantles limitations.
He said that such myths must capture the spirit of innovation, creativity, and resilience and “that defines us as a people.
“Myths that can propel us towards a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous continent,” he said.
According to him, Afropolis Lagos is an event that testifies to the boundless energy, talent, and potential that resides within our creative industries.
Sanwo-Olu called for craft that would shape the myths, define the future of the state.
“As we open Afropolis Lagos 2024, I encourage everyone to engage fully with the exhibitions, dialogues, and performances that will unfold over the next few days.
“Let us immerse ourselves in the beauty of our diverse cultures, learn from each other’s perspective, and leave this festival with a renewed sense of purpose and the commitment to creating and crafting new myths that will inspire generations coming behind.
“Let us write the next chapter of our story, where Africa is the author of its own destiny,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the state Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, told revellers to expect an engaging season from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3.
Benson-Awoyinka said individuals would be occupied with electrifying cultural performances, music and all, as the festival also focused on technology, innovations, creativity, arts, music, dance and more.
“This is what we are made up in Lagos, this is about us, it is about music, dancing our culture. Everything is not engineering or science.
“The festival will feature, films, music, dance, comedy, poetry, games, exhibitions, panel discussions and more,” she said.
Also, Qudu Onikeku, founder of QDance Centre, the initiator of the festival, said the vision of Afropolis coming to fruition was in the power of collaboration which Lagos’s slogan harped on.
Onikeku said many brands had collaborated with him and the Lagos state government by putting in place pavilions like: vibe stage, groove stage, film lab, gemini gallery and more.
He appreciated the revellers for coming out in their numbers as well as the collaborators.
“We have to learn collaboration, without collaboration Lagos will never be great, it is not easy because it is not about inclusion.
“This is our way of making Lagos a local hub for creative energy.
“Participants from over 11 countries have arrived. We have people from: Dakar, Cotonou, Colombia, Netherlands, Cameroon, Ethiopia, UK, Germany, Brazil, France, Lebanon, Canada, Uruguay, the United States, Jos, Abuja and Kaduna,” he said.
The highlight of the opening of the event was the scintillating drama performance displayed by the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, entitled “Ijuba”.
Dancers from QDance Centre also displayed Oya dance performance and another on reincarnation.

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JUST IN: Nollywood Thrown Into Mourning As Actor Alexx Ekubo Dies At 40

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6 days ago

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May 12, 2026

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Actor Alexx Ekubo Dies At 40

JUST IN: Nollywood Thrown Into Mourning As Actor Alexx Ekubo Dies At 40—-Popular Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo has reportedly passed away at the age of 40 after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Reports which emerged on Tuesday evening stated that the award-winning movie star had been privately battling the illness for some time before his death, throwing the Nigerian entertainment industry into deep mourning.

News of his passing has since triggered an outpouring of grief across social media, with fans, colleagues, and celebrities paying tribute to the actor known for his charisma, elegance, and versatility on screen.

For months, concerns had grown among fans over Ekubo’s absence from public appearances and social media activity. His last major online post dated back to late 2024, fueling speculation about his health and wellbeing.

Born Alex Ekubo-Okwaraeke, the actor studied Law at the University of Calabar and also earned a diploma in Mass Communication. He first gained national attention after emerging as the first runner-up in the 2010 Mr Nigeria competition — a breakthrough that opened the doors to a successful acting career in Nollywood.

Ekubo quickly became one of the industry’s most recognisable faces, admired for his ability to interpret a wide range of roles. His performance in the 2012 movie In the Cupboard earned him the Best Actor in a Supporting Role award at the Best of Nollywood Awards.

Beyond acting, his personal life often attracted public interest, especially his relationship with American-based model Fancy Acholonu. The pair became one of Nollywood’s most talked-about celebrity couples after announcing their engagement in 2021.

However, their planned wedding — famously tagged #FalexxForever — was abruptly cancelled just months before the ceremony, sparking widespread reactions online. In the years that followed, both parties made headlines over comments regarding their relationship and eventual separation.

As tributes continue to pour in, colleagues in the movie industry have described Ekubo as a warm-hearted individual whose talent and energy left a lasting impact on African cinema.

His death marks a painful loss for Nollywood and the many fans who admired him throughout his career.

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BREAKING: From Words to Ring: Lizzy Anjorin Accepts Iyabo Ojo Boxing Challenge

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2 weeks ago

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May 4, 2026

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Lizzy Anjorin Accepts Iyabo Ojo Boxing Challenge

BREAKING: From Words to Ring: Lizzy Anjorin Accepts Iyabo Ojo Boxing Challenge—–Nollywood stars Iyabo Ojo and Lizzy anjorin set for potential showdown as rivalry takes new turn

Actress Lizzy Anjorin has accepted the boxing ring challenge issued by her colleague Iyabo Ojo, adding a new turn to their long running public dispute.

The development began after Iyabo Ojo shared a video of herself training and challenged Lizzy Anjorin to a boxing match. She also called on businessman Emeka Okonkwo, known as E-Money and music executive Soso Soberekon to sponsor the proposed fight.

Lizzy Anjorin responded by accepting the challenge and criticised Iyabo Ojo in her post, questioning public support and describing her as a certified failed actress with zero achievements.
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She also asked Iyabo to set a date for the fight and insisted she was ready.

“ABEG MK WE START BETTING NOW
TEAM LAWAL OR TEAM SISI MAMA ???

“PAULO SIS MAMA AMBASSADOR BABY OIL I CHALLENGE YOU AND IYABO OJO SEPETERI THE CERTIFIED FAILED ACTRESS WITH ZERO ACHIEVEMENTS TO PICK A DATE FOR THE FIGHT
NA THAT RING FIGHT FIT GIVE ME THE REAL JUSTICE WEY I DEY LOOK FOR
NA WHY I NO DRAG U GO COURT THAT TIME
BUT I’M READY ANYWAY NOW
DOCTOR KAN
AMBULANCE KAN
POSI MEJI,” she said.

In another post, Lizzy Anjorin also reacted to Iyabo Ojo’s partner Paulo Okoye, over his suggestion that their disagreement should be settled in a boxing ring. She challenged him to a 10 round fight with her husband before any match involving her and Iyabo Ojo.

The latest exchange adds to a long running dispute between both actresses, which has played out publicly on social media over the years, with repeated back and forth comments and accusations.

At different points in the conflict, Iyabo Ojo had shared a video mocking Lizzy Anjorin, which escalated tensions between both sides. Lizzy later made allegations against Iyabo, leading to further public exchanges and legal threats.

Iyabo Ojo had demanded a public apology and threatened legal action over alleged defamatory statements, including a compensation claim.

In 2024, a Lagos court dismissed a 1 billion naira defamation suit filed by Iyabo Ojo against Lizzy Anjorin, marking a legal setback in one of their cases. The public disagreement between both actresses has however continued to resurface through online exchanges.

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