"KOLLINGTON IS STILL PART OF ME" SAYS SALAWA ABENI

Queen Salawa Ibiwunmi Abeni, popularly called QSA by her numerous fans and the undisputable waka music modernizer, recently declared in London that her ex husband, Alhaji Kolawole Ilori, the fuji musician popularly known as Kollington Ayinla will remain part and parcel of her life. She made the statement when cornered after her show stopping performance at the annual London African Music Festival at the bowl of  Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre, put together by Joyful Noise’s Biyi Adepegba. In her words “Even though Kollington and I have gone our separate ways 23 years ago, I still consider him a big part of my life because I bore him children who bear his name. His name will forever be written in the history of my life. Though we do not have a smooth relationship, and I have been solely responsible for the upbringing of my children up to university level, I still maintain the fact that he is part of me. Let God be the judge of whatever bad Kollington has done me.”

QSA who is gradually bouncing back to the music scene after years of treating her throat ailment and being advised to take a break, is thankful to God for everything. She never imagined she could be a force to reckon with, with her poor education which could not land her the job of a cleaner, let alone a celebrity.

Born on the 5^th of May 1961, She hails from Ijebu Waterside and grew up in Igbogun, Epe Central of Ogun State. She started singing in and around her little village in 1974 till she was discovered and shot into limelight in 1976 when she released the album that sold over a million copies, her debut album titled “Late General Ramat Murtala Mohammed” under the Late Lateef Adepoju’s record label- Leader Records, she later on married him and bore a son, the late Olanrewaju Adepoju, the young chap who died in a car accident years back. She left Adepoju’s record company for Kollington Ayinla’s and later married him. She bore him a girl and two boys – Aminat Okikiola, known as Candy- the CEO of Candiva Signature Empire, a record company, Abdulsheriff –known as Big Sheff, a rap artiste and Olatunde, a Unilag graduate.

QSA has over 60 records to her name. She was crowned the queen of waka music, her genre of music, by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi in 1992.

Queen Salawa Abeni

QSA and her daughter, Okiki

Okiki and her brother, Big Sheff

Okikiola -Candy, CEO of Candiva Signature Empire

Cover of one of her earliest releases

Alhaji Kollington Ayinla

Ayinla and Abeni

NTA SCREEN GIRL, SEUN OLAGUNJU DELIVERS BABY BOY

Seun Olagunju, the gorgeous broadcaster and news anchor on NTA News last night put to bed a bouncing baby boy in a New York hospital. The Olagunjus, especially her husband, Federal Road Safety top man and the sector commander of FRSC Rivers State, Dr Kayode Olagunju have been ecstatic since the delivery of the newest addition to the family. The new arrival came as a surprise to many as Seun's pregnancy was made a "hush-hush" affair. The baby boy came after 10 years of hanging their boots and bidding child bearing farewell. Plans to celebrate the arrival in Nigeria is in top gear. The excited Dad is rolling out the drums for a very grand christening party. The couple have three lovely girls prior to this new addition.

The new bundle of joy

Screen Diva Seun Olagunju

The Olagunjus

NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS, ENIOLA BADMUS CELEBRATES

Talented actress, Eniola Badmus is celebrating her birthday right about now. "Senator Baddosky" like her close friends call her, "Gbogbo big gelz" like her fans call her is having a closely knitted celebration. We wish her many more fab years!

REGINA ASKIA : AGELESS BEAUTY, BRILLIANT ACHIEVER.

Born Imaobong Regina Askia Usoro, in  1967 in Lagos, Nigeria, Reggie (as her close friends call her) has come a long way. The brilliant beauty with brains and brawn has no doubt paid her dues as a beauty queen, a model, an actress,, and now an American based registered nurse, health and social activist, an entrepreneur, a writer, TV producer, movie maker, radio host and public speaker. She is proudly the CEO of Olympia Daycare, Regine Promotions, Regine Fashions, Trinity Ventures among others. 

Her journey to fame started in 1988 while studying Medicine at the University of Lagos, and was crowned Miss Unilag. Still in 1988, she competed in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant which led her towards representing Nigeria at Miss Charm International, held in Leningrad, Russia where she was the first runner up.  Following that, she represented Nigeria at the Miss International held in Osaka Japan. She afterwards began her modelling career, which made her grace a lot of magazine covers, and TV commercials in Nigeria. Her most famous appearances were Visine by Pfizer, Kessingsheen Hair Care, Collectibles Clothing Line, 2000-N-Six Face Cleansing Range, which she did alongside her daughter, Stephanie Hornecker also a model.

In her kitty are lofty projects like her 2005 fashion show at the Nigerian Embassy in New York City to raise awareness for the plight of children's social amenities in Nigeria, her 2006 charity fashion show at Lehman College in  Bronx, New York, which displayed the creations of top African designers as well as her own label, Regine Fashions. Her most outstanding awards are her year 2000 'Best Actress in Nigeria' award by Afro Hollywood, London and her 2007 award by the Celebrating African Motherhood Organization (CAM) Washington, D.C. 

She is presently gearing up for her 2013 Recognition Award by the Organisers of Diamond Special Recognition Awards Worldwide, a UK based global awards company that goes from country to country celebrating notable and outstanding personalities.

Regina is married with beautiful children.

ROTIMI MAKINDE'S WEDDING IN PIX

As we reported previously; one time Nollywood actor turned politician, Olarotimi Makinde finally tied the knot with his beau, Banke on Saturday, 24th August  Sir Shina Peters was on the bandstand. The venue was filled with well wishers who are mostly the groom's politician friends and his Nollywood colleagues.