CALL HER SNAKE GIRL, NOKULUNGA BUTHELEZI A PHENOMENAL STAR FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Her nickname is Snakegirl - and just one look at her extraordinary stage act reveals why.

The 18-year-old contortionist, who dresses in a snakeskin costume, is amazing audiences with her incredible poses and eye-watering gyrations.

Nokulunga Buthelezi is so naturally flexible that her mother found her asleep one day when she was three - with her legs tucked behind her neck.
Six years later, the young girl from South Africa joined a touring circus in the United States and is now a major star of Afrika! Afrika!, a £4.2million extravaganza opening at the O2 arena in London on January 17.

Nokulunga, whose name is shortened to Lunga for the stage, achieves seemingly impossible positions with ease, then ratchets up the act with excruciating twists and turns.

The performer, who now financially supports her mother, grandmother, aunts and cousins, said: "There are so many kids out there in Africa with talent, but I had something different.
"My mum saw someone doing acrobatics and they mentioned that there were auditions for an American circus. She took me along and they were impressed.

"When I went to America, I did not even speak English and I had no chaperone, just a tutor for my education. It was tough at first but my family supported me because they knew I was following my dreams."

HE GOES BY 2FACE IDIBIA THE AFRICAN ARTIST AND SUPER STAR FROM NIGERIA

Innocent Ujah Idibia (born in Jos, Plateau State) best known as Tuface Idibia is a Nigerian hip hop musician and songwriter. He was a member of the defunct R&B/hip hop group Plantashun Boyz. He is currently in a long-term relationship with reality tv star, Makosi Musambasi.

CAREER

Idibia hails from Okpokwu local government area and from the Idoma ethnic group in the southern part of Benue State, in central Nigeria. He attended Mount Saint Gabriel's Secondary School in Makurdi, Benue State. He schooled briefly in the Institute of Management & Technology, IMT, Enugu, one of the country's foremost higher institute of learning where he did his preliminary National Diploma course in Business Administration. Though, he didn't finish but would hone his skills in music by performing in shows and parties organised by the IMT and some other schools like Enugu State University of Science & Technology, Enugu (ESUT) and University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC).

His major breakthrough in the IMT was composing and singing the jingles in the famous radio show GB Fan Club in Enugu State Broadcasting Services (ESBS) in 1996. He then relocated to Lagos and joined up with his ex-IMT mate BlackFace to form Plantashun Boyz. He started calling himself "2Face" in 1996. "The name to me just refers to the outside and inside: when you first see me you see the outside but when you get to know me, you see the inside" he said in an interview with the BBC.

His award winning hit track African Queen was used as the sound track of the 2006 comedy film, Phat Girlz . This made him even more recognized internationally.

The Plantashun Boyz came together briefly in 2007 to record an album which they titled 'Plan B'.

He also released a promotion album in 2008 which has spawned a hit Enter the Place which was written by Churks though one of his least successful hits ever, did well in some charts. The Promo CD is said to have faced distribution and sales problems, going unnoticed in some areas of the country. It has led to the shift of the release date of the album from 2008 to 2009 instead of the proposed release date announced in 2007. Tuface is currently working on an upcoming album titled 'Implications' though the date of release has to be announced

AWARDS HE WON

# MTV Europe Awards 2005 - Best African Act
# MOBO Awards 2005 - Best African Act (Nominated)
# MOBO Awards 2007 - Best African Act (Won)
# Channel O Music Video Awards 2005 - Best Male Video and Best African Video (both for "African Queen")[5]
# KORA Awards 2005 - Revelation of the Year
# Hip Hop World Awards 2006 - Special Recognition Award
# 2006 Channel O Music Video Awards - Best African Pop ("Ole")
# 2006 Channel O Music Video Awards - Best African West ("Ole")
# Nigeria Entertainment Awards 2006 - Special Recognition Award. Nigeria Breakthrough Artist of the Year
# Nigerian Music Awards 2008 - Album of the Year and R&B Song of the Year (Won)
# World Music Awards 2008 - Best Nigerian Act (Won)
# MTV Africa Music Awards 2009 - Best R&B

ISHA SESAY CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDANT FROM SIERRA LEONE

Isha Sesay is a British journalist of Sierra Leonean descent. She is best known in the UK as a former newsreader for Sky Sports News and ITN, and since 2005 has been an anchor for CNN International.

BACK GROUND
Sesay was born in the UK and is one of three children, having an older sister and a younger brother. Her mother is Dr Kadi Sesay, a former lecturer at Fourah Bay College, who entered Sierra Leonean politics in 1992 as an advisor to the government of Valentine Strasser. Her father, who worked as a legal advisor to the SLPMB (Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Board), died in 1988, having caught hepatitis while on a trip to India.

Sesay moved to Sierra Leone with her family when she was seven years old, where she studied at Fourah Bay College School in Freetown. At the age of 16 she returned to the UK, and after completing her A-levels was accepted into Trinity College, Cambridge, where she studied English. It was there that she decided to become a television presenter, having previously aspired to become an actress, and during her final year began writing to media groups seeking work.

CAREER

After graduating, Sesay began her television career as a researcher for the BBC talk show Kilroy, initially as an unpaid volunteer but later as a full-time paid employee. In 1998 she moved to Glasgow to work for BBC Scotland, and after a period behind the camera got her first job as a TV presenter on BBC Choice. She went on to present a variety of programmes for the BBC, CNN, and TWI, before joining Sky in March 2002.

At Sky, Sesay spent over three years as a presenter on Good Morning Sports Fans for Sky Sports News. She considers the high points of this period to be meeting former boxer Michael Watson,[5] interviewing Ellen MacArthur, and travelling with members of the Arsenal football team following an exhibition match at Reebok Stadium in support of Nwankwo Kanu's heart foundation. She later moved to ITN, where she anchored the ITV Morning News programme, and was also a newsreader on breakfast programme GMTV.

In November 2005, Sesay became a news anchor at CNN International, based at the network's global headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. She travelled to Nigeria in April 2007 to cover that country's presidential election, where she conducted one-on-one interviews with both outgoing president Olusegun Obasanjo, and the newly elected president Umaru Yar'Adua. Later that year, she was in South Africa to cover the launch of the Global Elders.

As of 2009, Sesay was both host and reporter for Inside Africa, a weekly programme dedicated to political, economic, social and cultural affairs in Africa, and anchor of daily news programme International Desk.

Isha also presents CNN's Backstory in the absence of regular host Michael Holmes

KOFI KINGSTON GHANAEAN -AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER.

Kofi Sarkodie-Mensah (born on August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name, Kofi Kingston, currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment working on the Raw brand. Since competing for WWE, he has won the Intercontinental Championship once, the United States Championship once and the World Tag Team Championship once with CM Punk.

Sarkodie-Mensah was born in Ghana before his family moved to the United States in 1982. Coming from a family of intellectuals from near Kumasi in Ghana, he was expected to become a teacher like his grandfather。

Sarkodie-Mensah began wrestling professionally in 2005, under the ring name of Kofi Nahaje Kingston. Kingston’s country of birth was billed as Jamaica rather than Ghana, because, according to Leslie Goffe of the BBC, “[People] would be more likely to embrace a person from the land of Bob Marley and reggae music” than someone from Ghana. (It was not until the October 1st 2009 edition of Superstars, that he was for the first time announced as hailing from “Ghana, West Africa”.) He made his official wrestling debut in 2006, when he faced PWF Mayhem Heavyweight Champion Evan Siks on June 4

In September 2006, he signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and was assigned to Deep South Wrestling (DSW), a Georgia based developmental federation. He debuted in the new company, as Kofi Nahaje Kingston, in a dark match loss to Montel Vontavious Porter on September 21

In 2007, under the ring name “Kofi Jamaica”, he had his first exposure to the main WWE roster, when he worked dark matches on March 5 and 26 before episodes of Raw against Charlie Haas and Trevor Murdoch respectively. When he returned to the developmental federations, he shortened his original ring name to “Kofi Kingston” and continued to use both ring names throughout his duration there. He also worked live events, defeating Shelton Benjamin on May 5 and Val Venis on May 6

As part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft, Kingston was drafted to the Raw brand. In his first match as a member of Raw roster, he defeated Chris Jericho for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at Night of Champions. The win made him the first Ghanaian wrestler to hold a championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and it was also his first championship in his wrestling career. Kingston held the championship until SummerSlam

At No Way Out in 2009, Kingston won a spot in the World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber by defeating Kane, but was unable to officially enter in the match, as he was ambushed by Edge, who took Kingston’s place and eventually won the match

Kingston defeated Chris Jericho, after interference from Ric Flair, to earn a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania XXV, but the match was won by CM Punk

On October 5, 2009, Kingston dropped the title to The Miz on Raw, ending his four month reign as champion

PASTOR TB JOSHUA THE FOUNDER OF SYNAGOGUE CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS

Temitope Balogun Joshua (born June 12, 1963), commonly referred to as T. B. Joshua, is the founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), a Christian organisation headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. A Christian pastor, humanitarian and author, Joshua broadcasts Christian televangelism via SCOAN's Christian television station Emmanuel TV, and on the Internet via the Streaming Faith broadcast portal.
Supernatural birth

According to SCOAN's account , supernatural phenomena accompanied Joshua's birth and early life.

Joshua allegedly remained in his mother's womb for 15 months before he was born. In hospital, his mother was allegedly warned not do an operation by a pastor, who said that God was busy preparing the child in her womb. During his naming ceremony seven days after birth, a big stone was said to have flown from where workers were drilling a borehole, pierced the roof where people were celebrating and landed where the baby was placed. The stone missed him narrowly.

It is also said a sage had predicted his birth a century earlier .

EDUCATION
Joshua attended St. Stephen's Anglican Primary School (Ikare-Akoko, Nigeria, 1971-1977, but failed to complete one year of secondary school education. In school, he was known as 'small pastor' because of his love for the Bible and ability to predict things to come in his community . He further gained reputation for alleged spiritual prowess after confronting a madman in the school premises and collecting his weapon from him. He was the leader of 'Scripture Union' whilst in school .
EARLY LIFE

Joshua worked washing people's feet on the muddy streets of Lagos before moving to a poultry farm where he had the degrading job of carrying chicken waste. At the same time, he held Bible studies with children and attended evening school .

His ambition to enlist into the military was aborted by an act of fate, as the train he boarded to attend an interview in the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, developed serious faults that left him stranded in the bush for six days .

FOUNDING OF THE SYNAGOGUE CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS(SCOAN)

In 1987, T.B. Joshua visited a ‘prayer mountain’ to seek the face of God. There, he allegedly fasted and prayed for 40 days and 40 nights. He wrote that in a heavenly vision, he had received divine anointing and a covenant from God to start his ministry. In his own words, he said concerning the life-changing experience:

“… I saw a hand that pointed a Bible to my heart. The Bible entered my heart and my former heart seemed to immerse with the Bible immediately… I heard a voice saying, ‘I am your God. I am giving you a divine commission to go and carry out the work of the Heavenly Father… I would show you the wonderful ways I would reveal myself through you in teaching, preaching, miracles, signs and wonders for the salvation of souls…’ ”

Joshua started a church with just a handful of members, naming it 'The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations'—a name he says God divinely revealed to him . Since then, the church has grown far beyond the shores of Nigeria . More than 15,000 members attend the weekly Sunday service, and visitors from outside Nigeria are accommodated in the church facilities.

From the very first service held in 1987 to the present day, the church has been controversial due to reports of miraculous signs and wonders that occur every week. Numerous videos have been produced which purport to document the healing of incurable sicknesses such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and paralysis; showing people's conditions before, during, and after prayer from T. B. Joshua.

The church currently has branches in Ghana, the United Kingdom , South Africa, and Greece. He is also mentoring many evangelists from around the world in the church premises, saying: "The biggest reward God can give to His servant... is to make disciples who will do better than what we are presently doing." .

Interestingly, a renowned Nigerian prophet, Akin Adewole, prophesied in 1995 that “a young man from Nigeria would be highly anointed, such that all the nations of the world would embrace the mighty God through him,” a message he later affirmed to be concerning T.B. Joshua .

EMMANUEL TV NETWORK

Emmanuel TV is the television station of SCOAN and broadcasts 24/7. Every Sunday service is broadcast live on Emmanuel TV and its unique programmes are attracting a growing viewership across Africa and America. Many have testified to receiving healing merely through watching the Emmanuel TV broadcasts and praying along with TB Joshua The channels motto is 'Changing lives, changing nations, changing the world.'

Various prominent politicians, ministers of God and Gospel musicians have commended Emmanuel TV. The former president of Zambia, Frederick Chiluba, professed he watches it daily . It has been described as the 'people's station' in many African countries .

T.B. Joshua's programmes also air 5 days a week on TBN Africa and CTV, as well as weekly on a number of Nigerian television stations.

WERRASON THE AFRICAN GIANT IN MUSIC INDUSTRY, THE SUPER STAR FROM DRC

EARLY LIFE
Werrason, whose real is name Noël Ngiama Makanda (born December 25, 1965 in Kikwit, Kwilu Province) is a Congolese artist and musician.
He was singing for the Protestant church of Cebezo Kinshasa at the age of 12. At the same time, he became a martial art champion.

At the beginning of the 80’s, Werrason was part of the innovative musical band “Wenge Musica 4X4 Tout Terrain Bon Chic Bon Genre”. The group split in 1997 , with J.B. Mpiana leading "Wenge Musica BCBG" . The next year Werrason created a new band “ Wenge Musica Maison Mere (WMMM)”. He launches the album “Force d’Intervention Rapide”. He toured throughout Europe, Africa, the USA, and Canada. His 1999 album “Solola Bien” was rewarded with the Golden Record in France.

In 2000 he performs in Paris-Bercy in front of 17.000 fans. In 2001 he won 2 Kora Awards in South Africa including best African performer.

From 2002 to 2004 he had world toured with two concerts in Paris Zenith, and Manu Dibango invited him in his concert at the Paris Olympia. Also artists such as Passi, Doc Gynéco , Benji and Akil invited him to take part in their musical projects. In 2005 he organised a large concert at Kikwit, his city of birth.

Werrason join forces, in 2006 in Kinshasa, with the Jamaican superstar Shaggy who, during an interview in CNN recognizes Werrason as “The greatest current African artist” .

In 2007 he released “Sous-Sol”, his first World music album.

Other albums he released were "A la queue leu leu" in 2003 under JPS Production, "Operation Dragon" under JPS Production, and "Témoignage"

CHARITY
Humanitarian action is part of Werrason’s life and personality. He could never be insensible to the misery of the Shegués (children of the streets) who consider him as their father. He dedicates a part of his income and spare time to schools, hospitals and prisons. He is also the founder of the charity the Werrason Foundation that currently welcome more than 400 “shegues” . The main goal of the foundation is not only to make sure those kids do not hang out in the street by providing them a roof and a warm meal but also social activities and education in order to prepare them to get back to a real social life.

The United Nations have awarded him with the title of Universal Ambassador of Peace. In 2001, WERRASON was received in audience by Pope John Paul II. Since then, he dedicates part of his time to all the UNESCO campaigns against AIDS and all sorts of discriminations

RICHARD BEZUIDENHOUT TANZANIAN MOVIE STAR AND BB WINNER IN 2007

Born born in Ilala, Tanzania.August 10, 1982 .
Richard Bezuidenhout is a Tanzanian film student who won the second season of the reality competition Big Brother Africa, in 2007.

He stayed in the Big Brother Africa house for 98 days, before winning the competition on Sunday 11 November.

He was voted the winner of the $100,000 prize by seven of the 13 voting countries, beating second-placed Ofunneka Molokwu (Nigeria) and third-placed Tatiana Teresa dos santos Durao (Angola).

Richard said before the show that if he won the prize money he’d spend it buying film equipment. He is passionate about making movies and considers filmmaker Peter Jackson as his personal inspiration.

A lover of the natural beauty of East Africa, he says that his favourite memory is driving through the Ngorogoro Crater, watching the different wildlife.

He also says that the best places to visit in Tanzania are the Serengeti National Park and the coastal areas, especially Zanzibar.

Bezuidenhout was one of 12 housemates on Big Brother Africa II, which aired in over 40 countries across Africa on DStv's AfricaMagic channel from Sunday 5 August to Sunday 11 November, 2007.
He is married to Richi and have first son.

ASHLEY CALLIE SOUTH AFRICAN ACTRESS ,SHE DIED IN 2008 IN A CAR ACCIDENT.WE STILL REMEMBER YOU

Ashley Callie (1976 – 2008) was a South African actress best known for her role as Leone Haines in Isidingo (from 2000 to 2008). Callie died on 15 February, 2008, as a result of head injuries from a head-on car collision in Johannesburg, South Africa on 8 February, 2008.

BIOGRAPHY
Ashley Callie was born in Johannesburg. She went to St Mary's school, and later received a BA Honors degree in dramatic arts from the University of the Witwatersrand. Callie began her career with a role in the SABC TV production, Homeland, directed by Neil Sundstrom. Thereafter, she starred in a number of series, including Natural Rhythm and Uninvited Guest. She also spent time in Cape Town, South Africa, where she starred in a number of commercials for the local South African market as well as the overseas markets.

On 15 March, 2007, Callie told Lynne Gidis of Top Billing magazine that playing the role of Lee Haines on Isidingo had been a life long ambition; she had been a fan of the South African soap opera since it first aired in 1998. In her interview, she explained how she disliked the fame that came with her celebrity, and how her family was an extremely important part of her life. She also explained why her character, Lee Haines, was not at all like her.[6] During that year, she appeared on the cover of Top Billing.[7]

Also in 2007, she played a role in a movie in Holland; it was originally to be called Surprise; however, the title was changed later to Mafrika[8] and then the producers promised to dedicate the film to Callie's memory.[9] In addition to her role in Isidingo (which she held from 2000 until her death in 2008), Callie was co-owner of La Vista social club, in Melville, Gauteng (Johannesburg); but she sold her shares in 2007.

In 2006, for her role in Isidingo, she won the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) for Best Actress. The award took place on 28 October, 2006, at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg, South Africa. [3][10] On 29 February, 2008, Callie won the Mzansi Star Actress award at the inaugural Stars of Mzansi awards ceremony, held at the South African State Theatre in Johannesburg. The award was accepted on her behalf by Robert Whitehead (who plays Barker Haines in Isidingo), and Steven Miyambo (who plays Orlando).

After her death, South African Minister of Arts and Culture, Dr Zweledinga Pallo Jordan called Callie the image of the new South Africa: "We were truly blessed to have a young, gifted, South African," he said, " who stretched all the sinews in her body to reflect the ideals of a united, non-racial and non-sexist society... the ministry is deeply shocked and saddened."[13]
DEATH
The tunnel in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, where the accident took place

On 8 February, 2008, Callie was on her way home from the Pirelli Calendar launch in Hyde Park, when her Smart Car collided with a red Renault on the corner of 4th Avenue and Tana road (in Linden), at around 22:30 SAST.

She was immediately rushed to the Johannesburg General Hospital, where she underwent surgery to alleviate pressure on her brain. Four days later, her sister, Lauren Callie, told the media that Callie was said to be in a stable condition in hospital. Callie then died in hospital shortly thereafter, due to complications from her injuries.
A portrait of Ashley Callie at her memorial service
[edit] Memorial service

Callie's memorial service was held on 21 February, 2008, at the Johannesburg Country Club.[] At the service, people described Callie as both radiant and charming, and that the ceremony itself was a celebration of her life. "We are not going to beat our breasts or don sack cloths and ashes," said Kate Turkington, a close family friend and master of ceremonies, speaking at the service, "We are here to celebrate Ashley's life, and what a life it was."

ISIDINGO FOOTAGE

Callie's character, Lee Haines, continued to be portrayed on screen from February to March 2008 since Endemol, the company behind the production, still had unaired footage of the actress; however, the character was eventually written out when she disappeared after learning of her mother's death, and then mysteriously died, while away, although it was not revealed how.