One of the quickest routes of getting rid of stress, boredom, or feeling happy about life, in general, comes through entertainment activities. The good news about such activities is that you don’t have to participate to feel the magic, by merely watching those activities you are sure to feel good again. Entertainment encompasses all activities that are designed to bring pleasure, relaxation, amusement, and satisfaction to a person. What other facts about entertainment do you need to know?

This ranges from movies, games, sport, dancing, music, comedy, and more. Even books, carnivals, storytelling, and road trips are classified as entertainment.

Beyond the pleasure these activities bring, there are other benefits attached to entertainment. Therefore, we compiled 100 surprising facts about entertainment to aid you to understand more about it.

Amazing Facts About Entertainment

1. Have you heard of the dancing plague of 1518 in France? People just danced uncontrollably until they collapsed!

2. The Hausa-language cinema is referred to as Kannywood a sub-industry of Nollywood, mainly based in Kano— The largest film industry in Northern Nigeria.

3. More people are beginning to find video games more fun— An estimated 2.7 billion people played video games in 2020 alone.

4. Fortunately, entertainment cuts across all cultures all over the globe, but varies based on cultural preference. Therefore, what one culture finds entertaining might not amuse others from a different culture.

5. Did you know that AMP is an acronym for Association of Movie Producers? An association consisting of producers of video films in Nollywood.

6. Entertainment activities serve as a means of achieving insight and intellectual growth. Oftentimes, participating requires active cognitive ability.

7. Audience is an important part of entertainment activity. Some entertainment activities aren’t fun without an audience to crown the event.

8. Surprisingly, Nigerian producer spends between $50,000 and $200,000, or even more to produce a standard movie.

9. You mustn’t be physically present to enjoy the fun of entertainment. You can as well get the excitement through digital media in the form of film or video games.

10. Have you heard of spectator sports? These are sporting activities that have a high number of viewers compared with those willing to participate. This is because these sets of sports are dangerous like archery.

11. According to a 2018 IMF report, Nollywood accounts for 2% of Nigeria’s GDP, whose total value is about $500billion.

12. Entertainment itself has unlimited potential when creativity is introduced— Creativity guarantees continuity, modifications, and longevity.

13. Nigeria’s film industry is referred to as Nollywood— It got its name from an article in The New York Times back in the early 2000s.

15. Nollywood was the name used to describe Nigerian cinema in an article written by Matt Steinglass in 2002.

14. The colour of the Olympic rings was designed by Frenchman and founder of the International Olympic Committee, Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1912.

16. Recently, video games are now used as part of the promotion and marketing for other media such as films, anime, and comics.

17. Surprisingly, other films Industries like the Ghanaian English language cinema and African diaspora films made specifically to capture the Nigerian audience are also referred to as Nollywood.

18. Playing video games is a way of building a friendship with others when played for pleasure not competitively.

19. It’s believed that Nigeria’s film industry name doesn’t reflect its Africa originality and uniqueness.

20. The majority of Nigerian films seek to portray Nigeria’s ethnicity and religion as they uphold the Nigerian culture.

21. Did you know that your heart will increase in its performance when you regularly exercise? This is because the heart is a muscle that needs frequent exercise to keep it fit and healthy.

22. One of the films that skyrocketed the Yoruba-language cinema to the front line was named “Ajanu Ogun” in 1976.

23. Entertainment has been in existence for thousands of years and every day it’s subjected to modifications to make it more interesting.

24. The benefits of dance are numerous especially the Africa dance— it imparts cultural moral and ethical values.

25. Kannywood began to adapt the Indian film approach because more Hausa audiences find Bollywood movies more attractive.

Fun Facts About Entertainment

26. Did you know that Sanusi Shehu of Tauraruwa Magazine created the term “Kannywood” in 1999?

27. The longest boxing match in history lasted 110 rounds and went on for over seven hours— It was played in 1893 by Andy Bowen and Jack Burke.

28. Oftentimes, it’s difficult to differentiate between a Nigerian film and a Ghanaian film due to the merger between both film industries.

29. Exercise helps improve your body endurance by building your muscular system.

30. Nollywood USA movies typically tell Nigerian stories. They usually star-established Nollywood actors, alongside upcoming Nigerian/African actors living in the diaspora.

31. As a result of modern technology, certain swimsuits make one move faster in the water compared with the human skin.

32. The advent of the entertainment industry came about due to the increasing demand for entertainment activities that now record and sell entertainment products.

33. Nigeria film industry celebrated “Nollywood@ 20” in the year 2013— Although it’s believed to be much older than 20 years.

34. Reportedly, the “Association of Nigeria Theater Arts Practitioners (ANTP)” are planning to rename the industry into another term that would encompass the entire history of the Nigerian film industry.

35. Participation in competitive sports helps boost your self-confidence, especially when you or your team becomes the winner.

36. Entertainment activities are one thing that’s capable of holding the full attention and interest of its audience.

37. Have you heard about Nollywood Reinvented? It’s an online publication that publishes content exclusively in the industry.

38. Video games are still referred to as computer games because all video games require a computer processor.

39. One of the earliest documentaries intended to introduce Nollywood to the western audience was Jamie Meltzer’s Welcome to Nollywood in 2007 in the USA.

40. Sport paves the way for making new friends— it helps bring together people from different communities, backgrounds, religions, and beliefs.

41. Did you know that Latola Films was the first and earliest film production company in Nigeria? It started movie production as far back as 1962.

42. Children who actively play sports develop stronger bones and muscles which results in fewer chances of physical injuries.

43. Video games can be entertainment at the same time a competition, which has created room for social connections.

44. Did you know that entertainment can be scripted and unscripted? Scripted entertainment includes performance in theatre and concerts while unscripted entertainment takes the form of spontaneous children’s games.

45. Did you know that Nollywood produces about 50 movies weekly? This leads to an average of 2,500 movies annually.

46. Did you know that theatrical dance is also known as performance dance? It’s usually carried out on a stage to tell a story.

47.  Did you know that aerobic exercise improves your body’s ability to transport and utilize oxygen in the lungs and blood?

48. Nollywood’s top two movie directors are Kemi Adetiba; ‘The Wedding Party’, ‘King of Boys’ and Tope Oshin; ‘We Don’t Live Here Anymore’ ‘Up North’ and ‘New Money’.

49. Did you know that the diameter of a baseball hoop was once almost double the size of a basketball?

50. Hopefully, if Nollywood is judiciously organized it’s said to create more job opportunities in the nearest future—Double its current employment rate.

Surprising Entertainment Facts

51. Surprisingly, one of the top-notch movies that brought the Nigerian film industry to the limelight came from the Yoruba-language industry— A notable example is “Mosebolatan”(1985) by Moses Olaiya which grossed ₦107,000 (approx. 2015 ₦44.2 million) in five days of its release.

52. Playing video games improves your cognitive ability because it involves quickest and agility to avoid being kicked off by an opponent.

53. In some regions cooking is considered as an entertaining performance, carried out among professionals either competitively or for the fun of it.

54. Recently, there has been an increased demand for video games not just by kids but by adults too.

55. Here are the top 5 movies that have hit an all-time high in the cinema chart, they include The Wedding Party 2 (#522 million); The Wedding Party (#453million); Chief Daddy (#387million); King of Boys (#245 million) and Merry Men (#230 million).

56. To make video games more interesting and engaging there has been the inclusion of audio sounds.

57. There is a slight difference between video games and computer games— Video games depend heavily on graphics display while computer games aren’t dependent on the graphics display.

58. Nollywood mainstream media in Nigeria are TV, Radio, and print media.

59. The advent of technology brought about the increased demand for video games.

60. Ebony Life TV/EbonyLife Films is one of Nollywood’s top-notch production companies.

61. Regular exercise reduces hypertension by keeping the heart and blood vessels healthy.

62. Nollywood encompasses all films produced in Nigeria irrespective of the language used, be it English, Hausa, Yoruba, or Igbo. 

63. Appropriately-designed video games have been seen to provide value in education across several ages and boost comprehension levels— Video gamers put in so much concentration in playing video games.

64. Video games help you develop better hand-eye coordination since it involves the simultaneous use of the hands and eyes.

65. Interestingly, most Nollywood movies are produced within the space of one month.

66. Playing video games improves bodily coordination especially actions games, involving challenges that switch attention between different locations.

67. Video games help enhance mental health by triggering the feel-good hormone in the brain— Dopamine.

68. Did you know that some Nigerian stakeholders view the name Nollywood as a form of imperialism? This is because the name was coined by a foreigner.

69. Did you know that the longest tennis match lasted eleven hours and 5 minutes? It was John Isner of the USA and Nicolas Mahut from France.

70. Medically, sport and exercise promote better sleep by triggering chemicals in the brain that can make you feel relaxed.

71. Dancing is a way of generating fun, it’s considered as performing art that involves a sequence of movements.

72. Surprisingly, Olympic gold medals are made from sterling silver and not solid gold since they came into use.

73. Regular sporting activities enhance lung efficiency— Exercise causes more oxygen to be drawn into the lungs which leads to the exhale of harmful body gasses.

74. Sadly, it’s argued that the celebration of Nollywood@20 was false but a means to solicit funds from the political figures for the industry— As a result of the greed and selfish interests of its organizers.

75. Exercise decreases stress hormones by stimulating the release of endorphins that boost your energy level.

Exciting Facts About Entertainment

76. Engaging in regular exercise reduces anxiety, negative emotions, and depression. This is attributed to the fact that you feel happier at the end of each exercise activity.

77. Did you know that the first Hausa culture film was named “Turmin Dinya”(The Draw) in 1990?

78. Sports with others helps you build a strong relationship by creating an avenue for you to learn about other people’s personalities.

79. Recently, Nollywood employs more than 1 million people. This is because the industry requires a large number of professionals and technicians to guarantee success.

80. Frequent exercise helps you manage your weight by burning excess body calories.

81. Oldest evidence of dancing dates back to 9,000-year-old paintings in India at the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka.

82. Video games aren’t complete without interaction with a user interface or input devices.

83. Did you know that films produced by Nigerian filmmakers living in the diaspora are popularly called Nollywood USA?

84. A golf ball has on average 336 dimples. Although there are no official rules about how many dimples a golf ball can have, most feature between 300 and 500

85.  “Kongi’s Harvest” was the first Nigerian indigenous feature movie produced in 1970 which was based on a play written by Wole Soyinka.

86. Sports were played on the moon in 1971 by Alan Shephard and Edgar Mitchell—Shephard hit a golf ball while Mitchell threw a  javelin.

87. Did you know that there are over 8000 sports on planet Earth?

88. Wrestling is one of the oldest sports still in existence, it originated in Greece in 776 BC.

89. Video games culture has evolved alongside internet culture which has brought about the increase of mobile games

90. The release of the direct-to-video movie, “living in Bondage” (1992), arguably marked the boom in the video film era in Nollywood.

91. Nigerian filmmakers have been forced to make films outside Lagos due to the high cost of film production in Nigeria to cut costs.

92. Research has shown that video games have health benefits such as reducing stress and dealing with daily work pressure.

93. Surprisingly, the name Nollywood is still a subject of many controversies since there isn’t any clear definition for the term.

94. Laugh tracks used in television shows were mostly recorded in the ’50s. That means we are hearing the voices of those who have died long ago. Although, sound engineers are beginning to upgrade by using computers to produce those sounds.

95. The Nigerian Yoruba-language cinema began to delve into movie production as far back as the mid-1960s.

96. Globally, The Atari ET video game is regarded as the worst video game ever.

97. Historically, before the invention of written languages dance was an important part of the oral and performance methods of passing stories down from one generation to the next.

98. Did you know that video games players have better visual-motor skills compared with non-players? This includes the resistance to distraction and the sensitivity to information in the peripheral vision.

99. Participatory dances are carried out primarily for social interaction or exercise— This includes folk dance, social dance, or group dance.

100. Participating in sport improves your team spirit mindset. Especially when you have to work unitedly with others during sport.