Entertainment
US Senate Declines To Fast-Track TikTok Bill
A bill that would force the sale of TikTok from its Chinese owners or see it banned in the United States will move cautiously in the US Senate, key lawmakers said, after it sailed through the House.
The bill’s whirlwind House passage on Wednesday, and its backing from US President Joe Biden, had raised alarm bells that the app, used by 170 million in the United States, could be shut down within months.
But hopes from TikTok’s foes that the Senate could also move quickly were dashed, with key senators saying they would put the proposed law through the usual legislative process, which can take months.
“These fields are evolving and changing so rapidly that you can do a lot of damage by moving too quickly or without the facts,” Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, told the Washington Post on Friday.
Passing major legislation is especially difficult in an election year, and backers of the bill have bitterly predicted that the House’s proposed law would die in the Senate.
“What we’re likely to see happen in the Senate is people will nickel-and-dime it, a death by a thousand cuts,” Republican Senator Josh Hawley told Axios.
“Nothing that Big Tech doesn’t want moves across the Senate floor,” he said.
Senate leaders who would be in charge of shepherding the proposed law through a complicated amendment process and bringing it to a vote have been noncommittal on the bill.
After the House vote, Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat who chairs the Commerce Committee, said that she would “try to find a path forward that is constitutional and protects civil liberties.”
Republicans also expressed caution, and on Thursday former president Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to any ban of TikTok, asking his supporters to focus their anger on Facebook-owner Meta instead.
Trump’s position, which was surprisingly ignored by Republicans in Wednesday’s vote, is a reversal from his efforts as president to force TikTok away from ByteDance, its Chinese owner, efforts which were ultimately blocked by the courts.
Some Western governments have voiced concern about TikTok’s soaring popularity, alleging that the app’s ownership makes it subservient to Beijing — and could be used as a conduit to spread propaganda — claims TikTok and Beijing deny.
The White House has said Biden will sign the bill if it reaches his desk.
AFP
Entertainment
2Baba in talks with Defense Minister to leverage music for Nat’l Security
In response, the Minister described the initiative as one that strongly aligns with the Federal Government’s non-kinetic strategy for tackling insecurity, noting that 2Baba’s influence and credibility among Nigerian youths position him as a powerful mentor and voice for positive change.
•Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa , and music icon, Innocent Idibia (2Baba)
Nigerian music icon, Innocent Idibia, better known as 2Baba, alongside his team has met with the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa to discuss the prospect of using music as a tool to counter violent narratives among young Nigerians.
During the meeting held in Abuja, 2Baba unveiled an initiative designed as a national, culture-driven intervention that leverages music to promote behavioural change and youth reorientation.
The campaign seeks to transform entertainment into a force for positive social influence, particularly at a time when some music narratives and visual aesthetics risk normalising aggression and harmful “hustle culture.”
Explaining the vision, 2Baba said the campaign aims to turn up conversations around lasting solutions to insecurity, break down barriers limiting access to creative talent, and activate youth engagement through experiential platforms, and ultimately helping to turn down the culture of violence.
In response, the Minister described the initiative as one that strongly aligns with the Federal Government’s non-kinetic strategy for tackling insecurity, noting that 2Baba’s influence and credibility among Nigerian youths position him as a powerful mentor and voice for positive change.
Entertainment
Tiwa Savage foundation to train 100 African music talents
As part of its first programme, the foundation will choose 100 creatives from across Africa for a four day intensive training in Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026.
Photo: Tiwa Savage (middle) flanked by Senator Daisy Danjuma (left) and Founder of The Delborough Hotel, Stanley Uzochukwu, at the venue that played host to the official unveiling of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation.
The Tiwa Savage Music Foundation is set to discover, train and support 100 emerging music talents across Africa.
As part of its first programme, the foundation will choose 100 creatives from across Africa for a four day intensive training in Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026.
The foundation was unveiled on March 9, 2026, in Lagos during a launch attended by major figures from entertainment, business and the public sector.
At the event, the 46-year-old singer said the project would go beyond grooming performers and would also pay attention to other important parts of the music business.
“This is everything to do with music, film scoring, music publishing, music therapy, production, sound engineering,” the award-winning singer said.
Savage emphasised that the goal of the foundation is to help talented young Africans gain the training, structure and opportunities they need to grow.
“We don’t lack talents in Nigeria, we have so much talents. What I want to do is to be able to create access so that people that have the talent can find the right infrastructure, education and can also be a bridge and pipeline to the rest of the world,” Savage said.
Entertainment
Ben TV Chairman , Alistair Soyode Nominated for African Business Awards 2026
The award ceremony , scheduled for 29 May 2026, recognises outstanding achievement and leadership within the creative, media, and entertainment industries.
The African Business Chamber (AfBC) has nominated Alistair Soyode African – Growth – Diaspora – Engagement – Founder, Nigeria in Diaspora Leadership Forum & Chairman, Ben Television for the AfBC Creative, Media & Entertainment Industry Excellence Award.
The award ceremony , scheduled for 29 May 2026, recognises outstanding achievement and leadership within the creative, media, and entertainment industries.
It celebrates individuals, organisations, or enterprises that have demonstrated exceptional creativity, commercial success, and cultural impact across sectors such as film, television, music, fashion, digital media, publishing, advertising, and the performing arts.
Recipients are recognised for elevating African narratives, driving innovation, expanding global reach, and contributing meaningfully to economic growth, cultural influence, and industry development.
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