GOSSIP (fortune)

Those around the Sheikh have gathered the usual suspects in the roster of their local performers: there is Aster Aweke and Amelmal Abate as Ephrem Tamru and Tsehaye Yohannes are included. If there is any new blood there, it is latest sensations such as Gossaye Tesfaye and Abinet Agonafir. Interestingly, there will be an exceptional presence of Teodros Tadesse, whose photograph is missing from the poster organizers published, who has been absent from the home turf for over a decade now.

And there is a giant missing from the group of local performers. Mahmoud Ahmed will not be entertaining his fans at home, travelling overseas for the Ethiopian millennium bash. Does this reveal any strained relationship between the singer and the Sheikh and those around him? The latter might have felt that Mahmoud became an international figure following recognition and his receiving of prestigious award from the BBC, according to gossip.

The number of people anticipated to dance the last day of the millennium is also subject of discussion at the gossip corridors. Only less than 10 days away from the New Year, the much talked about influx of Diaspora is disappointingly low. Judging from a mini-party held at the Sheraton on Friday night, it is rather limited number of people from the Diaspora that are making their presence felt; and majority of them are from European countries.....more