By Eric Elezuo

For octogenarian, music legend and preacher of the gospel, Reverend Abiodun Omooba-Iye, life surely begins at 80. This is as his music, recorded over 50 years ago, has by divine direction, chosen to make waves at this time, drawing accolades, recommendations and subscriptions from music lovers across the globe.

The music, Efi Iyin F’oluwa, was recorded in 1974 by Baba. It was just another song until few years ago when music practitioner, Bukola Bekes gave it an album status. This is even without whobthe real owner of the song was. The success recorded was great as the song gained maximum popularity, prompting the likes of known gospel music makers, Tope Alabi among other gospel artists, to use the song at have different times.

Not only has the song hit limelight among gospel artists, it is also popular with juju musicians and other music genres.

It is by divine providence that Bukola Bekes, the one, who turned the song into an album, and Baba Omooba Iye met recently. She acknowledged Baba Iye as the owner of the song, and collaborated with him for a new recording which was released on the day Baba celebrated his 80th birthday, December 24, 2024. This after a whopping 50 years of releasing the song!

In his words, “I need everybody’s support of listening and subscribing to his channel and making this particular release popular to help me reap from my labour, 50 years after.”

To keep with Baba, and support his efforts, click on the link below to listen to the music, and subscribe…

African Voices Changemakers, the popular CNN International magazine programme will this weekend host one of  Hollywood’s most celebrated African actors,  Djimon Gaston Hounsou. The programme is sponsored by digital solutions provider, Globacom.

The star actor who was born in Benin Republic in April 1960, will be chatting with  programme anchor, Larry Madowo   on his inspiring journey and  how he links the Black diaspora with its roots through the Djimon Hounsou Foundation which he launched in New York in 2019.

Hounsou became a thespian when he acted  in the 1990 film titled Without You, I’m Nothing from which he has gained recognition for his outstanding roles in several other films including Amistad (1997); Gladiator (2000) and a French film titled Forces speciales (2011) among other great works. His talents have earned him the Golden Globe Award as Best Actor in Drama and the NAACP Image Award both in 1998 and for his role in Amistad. He also got the Academy Awards as Best Supporting Actor in 2004 as well as an Outstanding Performance Award for Blood Diamond in 2007.

His foundation has been at the forefront of empowering Africans  through his philanthropic initiatives like Run Richmond 16.19. He has successfully  bridged history, culture, and community in a mission to unite the African diaspora and honour African heritage.

African Voices Changemakers will be broadcast on Saturday at 8.30a.m. and will be repeated same day at noon. Further repeats will be broadcast on Sunday at 4.30a.m. and 7p.m.; Monday 4a.m. Repeat editions will come up in the same broadcast schedule next week from Saturday

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has postponed the announcement of this year’s Oscar nominations due to the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.

Originally scheduled for Friday, January 17, the nominations will now be revealed on January 19.

Voting for the nearly 10,000 Academy members, which began on January 8, has also been extended by two days, now closing on Tuesday, January 14.

Among the celebrities affected by the fires are former Oscars host Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, James Woods, and Miles Teller, all of whom have lost their homes.

In a letter sent to members on Wednesday, Academy CEO Bill Kramer offered his condolences, saying, “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California.

“So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”

Wildfires sweeping through communities across Los Angeles County, which began around 5:45 pm on Wednesday, have damaged or destroyed over 2,000 homes, businesses, and other buildings, with at least five confirmed dead.