PHOTOS FROM THE BLACKBERRY Y! BLACK BALL ~ Àjumọ̀kẹ́ Magazine

Unveiling of Y! Magazine by Adebola Williams
Y! Magazine dazzled on Sunday night with its annual Black Ball, held at Landmark Events Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Guests for the evening experienced a night of brilliant entertainment and were privy to the exclusive unveiling of the brand new look for Nigeria’s hottest youth-oriented magazine, Y!

There was dancing, champagne, spectacular prizes from BlackBerry, and best of all, plenty of fun, style and class.
The evening was hosted by rap genius MI Abaga, who was accompanied by the 3LiveChicks: Tosyn Bucknor, Anita Isedeh and Oreka Godis. Celebrity guests there to have a good time, entertain and to connect as the year draws to a close were celebrities such as gorgeous gentlemen Joseph Benjamin and Uti Nwachukwu; sexy sirens Toke Makinwa, and Waje; fashion maven Mai Atafo and crooner Bez Idakula. And what would a party be like without blogger Linda Ikeji?

The superb hosts kept thing rolling throughout the night, starting with introducing singer Waje’s flawless rendition of the Christmas classic, ‘Silent Night’. Then the excitement kicked in as R ‘n’ B singer Praiz took on the role as the evening’s Prince Charming, hunting down his very own Cinderella. His lady of choice was celebrity photographer, Toni Tones, who was treated to a heart-fluttering serenade by the charming singer, and one more surprise—a coveted pair of Christian Louboutin shoes.

And the fabulous gifts kept on coming! Y! put guests in the drivers’ seat for the evening as they selected Efua De-Marro to win The best dressed male and a slick, sleek, WatchLocker Wristwatch. Oreka Godis did the ladies proud for best dressed, and was picked by the crowd to win the coveted BlackBerry Porsche phone. Not to be outdone, Jennifer Ukoh and Lala Akindoju won smartphones after emerging winners of the couple dance competition with their respective partners, Alex Ekubo and OC Ukeje. Chizoma Chukwueke also won a smartphone for adding the most persons at the event on her phone at the event.

“We are very excited about this partnership with Y!,” said a Blackberry representative. “The Blackberry brand continues to be the most powerful tool for connectivity in Nigeria and even across Africa with its BBM chat, amongst other features, this ties in with the aim of the Y! brand of connecting people with ideas and cultural milestones that will enrich their lives.”

The night would not have been complete without some outstanding entertainment for the evening. Performances by artists like Ruby, Bez, Timi Dakolo, Praiz, Jaiye and newcomer rock band Treadstone, kept the energy levels up and made sure the audience had a fantastic time at the Black Ball.

Finally, it was time for the big Y! 2.0 reveal. Y! Managing Editor Adebola Williams revealed the cover to a stunned and appreciative audience. Featuring the iconoclastic actress Tonto Dikeh, the illustrated cover—a pioneering look for a lifestyle magazine in Nigeria—had the guests applauding with delight.

The annual Y! Ball also did what it did best—announce the Annual best dressed list for 2012. Did your favourite make it? The list included For the men, Lynxxx, D’banj, Ohimai Atafo, Yvonne ‘Vixen’ Ekwere, Genevieve Nnaji, Eku Edewor, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, and many more.

The annual Ball was a night to remember for guests with fabulous prizes courtesy Blackberry, superb company and world class entertainment. Stay tuned for next year’s Ball!