In Nigeria, Barbie has some new fierce competition: Taofick Okoya, a 43-year-old entrepreneur, has created Queens of Africa dolls and Naija Princess dolls that are outselling Mattel’s classics. Okoya tells Reuters that he sells about 6,000 to 9,000 dolls a month and that he has “about 10-15 percent of a small but fast-growing market.”
The Queens of Africa dolls are based on Nigeria’s three largest groups — Nneka is Igbo, Wuraola is Yuruba, and Azeezah is Hausa — and each has traits that are meant to empower the girls who play with them. Okoya, who has a daughter, says he came up with the idea in 2007.
“It took almost three years for the idea to get accepted.”
“All the dolls in the house were all white, and I was like, ‘Oh, OK, that’s a problem,’ ” Okoya says in a video promoting his dolls. “Because when you load a child with all this, it becomes an acceptable form of … how you should look. And so I thought, I want to use my dolls to teach Nigerian culture, African culture.”
He was quoted as saying:
“The ‘Queens of Africa’ definitely fill a void in the market. I say this because the first reaction we got from retailers was resistance. They said, ‘black dolls don’t sell.’ I then embarked on an educational campaign via various media, telling people about the psychological impact dolls have on children, and dolls in the likeness of the African child can have on them. It took almost three years for the idea to get accepted.”
Okoya told Reuters that he’s shipping more and more of his dolls abroad.
The late Nollywood makeup artist, Abigail Fredrick, has been laid to rest in her hometown in Ikot Udoma, Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, on Monday.
The 24 year old was among the five film practitioners, including Junior Pope, who died when their boat capsized on the River Niger last Wednesday.
According to PUNCH Online, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, instructed that her body be returned to the state for a proper burial after she was said to have been buried by the riverbank.
Following the governor’s directive, her body was exhumed on Sunday, April 14.
A candle-light procession was also said to have been held in her honour.
A Facebook user, Ubong David, who shared pictures from the burial on Monday wrote, “Today, the late Abigail Frederick, the Nollywood makeup artist who tragically lost her life in the ill-fated boat mishap, has been laid to rest at the family compound in Ikot Udoma, Eket Local Government Area.
“The funeral service was conducted by the Church of Christ, Ikot Udoma, and was attended by various dignitaries, including the Eket Transition Committee Chairman, Akaniyene Tommey; Commissioner for Tourism, Charles Udoh; SA on Entertainment, Moses Eskor; Godfada Uko, members of the Eket Transition Committee, Nollywood actress, Eve Esin, the Nollywood community, friends, and sympathisers.”
Billionaire prophet and General Overseer of Christ Mercy Land Church in Warri Delta State, Prophet Fufeyin, has warned people against linking the death of the late nollywood actor, popularly called Junior Pope to marine kingdom.
Fufeyin, while reacting to some acclaimed worshippers of marine kingdom, who noted that the nollywood actor was a victim of lack of sacrifice to spiritual and elements said there is no power above the power of Jesus Christ.
Amidst the prayers and condolences pouring in for the deceased actor and his colleagues, a controversial comment about their deaths had caught the attention of the renowned clergyman linking the sad incident to marine kingdom.
A self-proclaimed agent of the marine kingdom declared that the unfortunate boat accident was a result of a sacrifice demanded by the water spirits.
The agent further claimed that Junior Pope and his companions must be buried beside the river Niger, where the incident occurred.
Prophet Fufeyin, known for his bold and unapologetic defense of Christianity, wasted no time in responding as he declared in a video message obtained by journalist that “water power is less than Jesus Christ power.”
Adeola, the younger brother to late Nollywood actress, Jumoke Aderounmu, popularly known for her role as Esther in the popular sitcom, ‘Jenifa’s Diary’, has said the deceased died in her sleep and was not sick.
Adeola made this known during an interview with Punch, stating that Jumoke was planning on relocating to the United Kingdom before her demise.
According to him, the deceased wanted to relocate to the UK because she was not getting movie roles.
Speaking on why she publicly called out Nollywood actress cum filmmaker, Funke Akindele, for not helping the deceased in her time of need, Adeola said he does not have her number, but his sister reached out to her through another actress, Paschaline Alex.
He said, “I did not reach out to her (Funke), because I don’t have her phone number, and I am not close to her. But, my sister had her number, and even sent another actress, Paschaline Alex to her, all to no avail.
“She (Funke) stopped calling her for jobs. Jumoke tried to know why, because she wanted to retrace her steps if she had committed any offence.
“She was an introvert, and usually kept to herself. She was actually not sick. She just died in her sleep.”
He added that though Jumoke had been buried, the family would organise a tribute event in a church on the 40th day after her death.
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