Hollywood making Fela movie

The story of the iconic Nigerian artist Fela Kuti will soon be gracing the silver screen. Hollywood's film production company Focus Features will be making the movie in collaboration with new British director, Steve McQueen, who's debut film titled Hunger received critical acclaim and won numerous independent film awards. The screenplay will be an adaptation of the book "Fela:The life and Times of an African Musical Icon." McQueen and  Biyi Bandele will be working on the screenplay together.

Focus Features CEO James Schamus released this statement about the project:

"Fela might be the most globally influential pop artist outside the Beatles in the last 50 years,"

"The Broadway show is pure joy, but Steve and Biyi's vision is very cinematic and distinctive. Fela was a revolutionary figure in world culture, and Steve is an artist who had a strong vision of politics and the world even before he made his first film. They are kindred spirits."

First Showing

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Japan gives Nigeria $1 billion grant

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The first beneficiary of the grant was Michael Barleon, the managing director and chief executive officer of an Ikeja, Lagos based microfinance bank, which marked its first anniversary of operation about two weeks ago. The grant was presented to him by the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Toshitsugu Uesawa on behalf of his country.

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