The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • No woman can replace you, Dare Melody pays tributes to late wife one year after

    No woman can replace you, Dare Melody pays tributes to late wife one year after

    Gospel singer Dare Melody has marked the one-year death anniversary of his wife Adedoyin’s with tributes on Instagram.

    He expressed deep grief and longing for her, describing her as the “heartbeat” of their family.

    Adedoyin died in October 2024 and was buried in Eruwen, Ikorodu, Lagos with many gospel artists and friends in attendance.

    In his message, Dare Melody wrote, “My beloved and Adorable wife ( Adedoyin Mary Odunuga) One year ago, we bid farewell to my beloved wife, the heartbeat of this family and the love of my life. Your departure left an unfillable void, a stark emptiness where your vibrant spirit once danced and painted. Our home, once alive with your laughter, now echoes with solemn reminders of your absence. You were the heart of our family, and your presence is still felt every day.

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    “The seasons have changed, yet our sorrow remains, a constant confirmation to the light you brought into our lives. Our daughters have grown a year older, their eyes reflecting your childlike spark, now tinged with the sadness of loss. Each milestone, without you, has been a bittersweet testament to our enduring love.

    “Though it’s been a year since you departed, your loving memories remain etched in my heart. No woman can ever take your place in my heart. May your soul rest in perfect peace. Myself and our lovely kids miss you terribly. Odigbere! Odi Arinako!! Odi Ojuala!!!”

    Dare Melody has been open about the pain of living without his wife and the challenges of single parenthood.

    He also revealed that Adedoyin faced personal struggles, including pressure from some members of his extended family during her lifetime.

  • Saskay speaks on struggles with European education system

    Saskay speaks on struggles with European education system

    Former Big Brother Naija housemate Tsakute Ladi Jonah popularly known as Saskay has opened up on her experiences navigating the differences between the Nigerian and European education systems. 

    Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Global Security and Strategy at the Brussels School of Governance in Belgium, Saskay revealed that she faced significant challenges adapting to the new academic environment.

    In a recent social media post on X, Saskay highlighted the stark contrast between the two systems, noting that Nigerian students are often taught to memorise and reproduce lessons in exams, whereas European students are encouraged to think critically, explore knowledge beyond the classroom, and apply it to real-life scenarios.

    She wrote: “Schooling in Nigeria made me learn exactly what I was taught and spit it out in tests/exams.

    “Schooling in Europe says I need to learn what I’m taught, read more outside of school work and apply that knowledge to real life situations in texts/exams.

    “It’s a bit of a struggle tbh especially since I’ve never learnt how to do the latter.”

    Speaking of challenges, Saskay in the past, revealed that she had waited five years for the opportunity to pursue her Master’s degree, facing moments of doubt and uncertainty along the way. 

    She explained how she had almost settled for a course that wasn’t her passion before this opportunity arose.

  • Nigerians prefer foreign recognition over local talent- Erigga

    Nigerians prefer foreign recognition over local talent- Erigga

    Rapper Erigga has expressed frustration over Nigerians’ value for international recognition more than local talents. 

    Speaking in an interview with Yanga FM, the artist reacted to the then relocation of the Headies Awards to the United States, noting that it reflects a wider problem of Nigerians valuing foreign recognition more than local achievements.

    Erigga noted that Nigerian artists often prioritise showcasing foreign talent, despite the thriving music industry and large audiences in Nigeria. 

    “Nigerians have this attitude when it comes to our own; we don’t regard our own. The average Nigerian prefers to show you 300 people wey dey dance to him song for London than to show you 5,000 people doing the same in Nigeria.

    “I feel like music should be for everyone. Regardless of where you are, you should appreciate your own because they (London) appreciate their own. We have this disconnect issue; we prefer what is outside.

    “Sometimes people be like, ‘Erigga, do one English rap for me,’ and I’m like, shey me na English professor? I dey educate people wey I meet for street,” he said.

  • Why I married my abusive husband – Ngozi Nwosu

    Why I married my abusive husband – Ngozi Nwosu

    Veteran actress Ngozi Nwosu has revealed why she married her late husband despite ‘red flags’ of physical violence. 

    In an interview with Ayo Adesanya, Nwosu said despite her initial decision to call off the wedding, her elder sister begged her not to discontinue the marriage plans, urging her to endure the abuse, assuring that it’d get better

    Nwosu said that the physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her late husband almost led her to walk away from their wedding day.

    Nwosu revealed that her late husband’s violent behaviour was a recurring issue, citing an incident where he dragged her by her hair, causing her to bleed. 

    She said: “I don’t believe marriage is a do-or-die affair. When the domestic violence is too much, you’ve got to move. If you take it once, get ready, you must be ready to take it for the rest of your life.

    “My husband is this kind of violent person. I went to the kitchen to boil water, and he broke the kitchen door. I will never forget that day till I die. I plaited Bob Marley, he drew me, and one strand of the attachment came out with blood.

    “I didn’t know where I got the strength from, but I picked up a pestle. I was ready to kill him that day and go to jail. My neighbours saw me naked.

    “When I saw the domestic violence coming from his side, I walked away a day before our marriage and refused to sign the registrar.

    “Don’t fall for any man who beats you and begs you later. Once bitten twice shy. If you take it once, you just be ready to take it for the rest of your life”.

    Ngozi Nwosu emphasised that women should never tolerate abuse, stating that if a man is violent, it’s a clear sign to walk away. 

    She urged women to prioritise their safety and well-being, recognising that abuse can escalate over time. 

  • How I became depressed after BBNaija – Sammie

    How I became depressed after BBNaija – Sammie

    Former Big Brother Naija housemate Samuel Jacob popularly known as Sammie has opened up about his struggles with depression after the show. 

    In an Instagram video, he revealed how he experienced depression multiple times, crying alone in his Lekki house, despite appearing fine on the outside.

    He revealed facing financial difficulties, with more debit alerts than credit alerts, making it hard to sustain life in Lagos. 

    Sammie said: “One year after the show, I cannot count how many times I was depressed. Facts. I would be in my Lekki house. I would cry. Big boy like me with my beards. I would sit down and I would cry.

    “And tell God why. There days I would say God thank you. There days I would say ah ah.

    “There days I would not have lights. My meter would do beep. All of these factors are things that kind of affected my lifetime because living in Lagos became very difficult for me.

    “I didn’t know what exactly what to do with life because I was not done with school. I left for the show. Now I am in Lagos.

    “The so-called star boy but, I was not making money. If I go through my alerts, I will see debit alerts, then I would now see one credit alert of one million naira.

    “Then that’s how the money would go. For before, debits, debits, debits, debits. So there was no money coming in but there was a life to sustain and it was messing my head up.

    “Above all, you see people around you living a life. In Lagos, you see one small boy pull up in his G-Wag and play. Everybody’s living.

    “Others are living fake life. If I go dey follow person. I don’t even know what to say with regards to that. But my point is, you have a personal life and how you influence that life matters if your mental health is in order.

    “I say again, with regards to what’s happening around you, you have a personal life after the show and how that personal life is influenced is determined by where your mental state or your mental health is. Me, I will cry in my house. I will go through a lot.

    “I will now chop my indomie. I will now wear my fine shirt and I will now go out. Nobody will know I’m going through a lot”.

  • How I got my moniker – Okele

    How I got my moniker – Okele

    Popular Yoruba comic actor, Tunde Usman aka Okele, has revealed the interesting story behind his moniker, which has now become a household identity in the Nigerian movie industry.

    The actor recounted that the name originated during his early days in theatre when he was just finding his feet as a performer.

    “During my early stage in acting, we had a rehearsal and I was selected to play one of the King’s aides. I was given the name Okele in the script,” he said. “The rehearsal took place in an open space where passersby could stand and watch us. I vividly remember that after each rehearsal, the kids around would run after me, calling me Okele. That’s how the name stuck.”

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    According to the comic actor, the nickname gained more recognition than his real name, and before long, even his colleagues and fans began to identify him as Okele both on and off the screen.

    “At that time, a lot of us still had our personal jobs. I was into electronics repair, while others had their own trades. Our group eventually disbanded, and I joined another acting troupe,” he recalled. “From there, we created a smaller group and drew a lot of inspiration from the late Baba Suwe’s comedy series, ‘Erin Keeke.’

    Over the years, Okele has grown to become one of the most recognizable comic actors in the Yoruba movie industry, known for his unique sense of humor, timing, and natural comedic delivery.

    “People like us must not die with the talent in us. They must do a very mighty seminar that the upcoming ones will gain from it,” he said.

  • Abuja International Film Festival celebrates 22nd anniversary with global showcase

    Abuja International Film Festival celebrates 22nd anniversary with global showcase

    The Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) is set to celebrate its 22nd edition from November 6, 2025 to November 10, 2025, with an opening ceremony and a closing awards gala.

    The festival, which has run consistently for over two decades, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, received over 1,592 entries from 80 countries for the 22nd edition.

    The festival will screen 70 films and feature several panel discussions and capacity-building workshops.

    Nigerian films dominated the top honors, with ‘Ajaga,’ ‘Kakanda’ and ‘Safari’ among the top nominees. They were joined by international contenders ‘Iriso’ from Japan and ‘I just live,’ from Russia, which were leading nominees in the golden jury.

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    In the acting categories, Nigeria’s Lateef Adedimeji, Daniel Erin Effiong and Ikechukwu Onanaku made the outstanding actors category, while Osas Ighodalor, Amina Shehu, and Uche Montana were amongst other nominees in the outstanding actresses’ category.

    In a statement released by festival media officer Abah Duker, several distinguished individuals would receive the Special Recognition Award for their contributions. Honorees for the 22nd edition include: Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos, Alhaji Abah Mohammed of Kano and Dr. Supo Olusi, the MD/CEO of the Bank of Industry.

  • Tope Alabi: God orchestrated my marriage with Soji

    Tope Alabi: God orchestrated my marriage with Soji

    Popular gospel singer, Tope Alabi, has opened up on the divine circumstances that led to her marriage to music producer, Soji Alabi.

    In an emotional recount, the award-winning singer revealed that their love story was never planned but rather orchestrated by God through a series of unexpected events that began during her early years as a movie soundtrack artist.

    The union has gone ahead to stand the test of time and remained strong for nearly 25 years.

    “I was already recording soundtracks for movies at that time,” she recalled. “I remember being paid N200,000 by Highwaves Video Mart to record an album. When I got to Soji Alabi’s studio, I was told he no longer worked there and no one knew his whereabouts.”

    Determined to deliver on the project, Tope said she proceeded to another studio owned by Soji’s former boss, confident that they could replicate his sound quality. But after completing the album and submitting it to the client, she was met with rejection.

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    “Highwaves rejected the music, saying it was of low quality and didn’t meet the standard they knew me for,” she said. “I was so disappointed. I decided to return to Soji’s old studio to ask for his home address, hoping to find him and beg for his help. To my surprise, I met Soji there. I told him I had been looking for him and explained everything that happened.”

    According to the gospel star, Soji immediately offered to help, but with a much smaller budget. “He asked if I could raise N20,000 instead of the N200,000 I was originally paid. I told him I had nothing on me, and we eventually worked out the project with just N10,000,” she recounted.

    At that time, Tope said her relationship with Soji was strictly professional. She was in an abusive relationship and had no romantic connection with him.

    “I was already living with my ex-partner, who physically abused me at will, but Soji was just a working acquaintance,” she said. “It was after I left that abusive marriage that Soji and I became close as friends. He would take me out for movies, restaurants, and also look after my daughter. From there, we grew so close and eventually got married a year and a half later.”

  • Mzigo raises awareness for sickle cell warriors

    Mzigo raises awareness for sickle cell warriors

    In Nigeria, and across much of Africa, the plight of sickle cell warriors continues to face uncertain times. Beyond the need for a structured health insurance framework, there remains a critical gap in public awareness, one the Mzigo Film Project is determined to bridge.

    Produced by actor and filmmaker Emmanuel Ikubese, Mzigo leverages the power of film and storytelling to drive sickle cell advocacy across the continent. At a private screening held at Jewel Aeida, guests were deeply moved by the emotional journey of Uchenna (Emmanuel Ikubese) and Ikunda (Elizabeth Michael), the lead characters.

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    The film narrates the ordeal of two lovers who choose to marry despite their genetic incompatibility, only to face the devastating realities that follow.

    Speaking during an interview, Ikubese revealed that Mzigo was inspired by a personal tragedy involving a relative.

    “Living with sickle cell in this part of the world comes with a lot of burden. We’ve been shortlisted for awards and international film festivals, but beyond that, our goal is to use ‘Mzigo’ as a tool for advocacy, to challenge myths, promote education, and change false narratives surrounding sickle cell.” he added.

  • Mr. EMMY set to release‘ Emmy The Striker’

    Mr. EMMY set to release‘ Emmy The Striker’

    Nollywood actor and entrepreneur, Adisa Jamiu Opeyemi, aka Mr. EMMY is gearing up for the release of his latest film entitled ‘Emmy The Striker.’

    The movie, written, and produced by the actor under his production company, Emmy Films and Entertainment, features a stellar cast and tells a gripping story of resilience and the everyday struggles of African youth.

    Speaking about the project, Mr. EMMY described it as a story that goes beyond entertainment to highlight youth empowerment and the value of social responsibility.

    “I’m currently working on my new film project, ‘Emmy The Striker’, which explores youth empowerment and social values,” he said.

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    “I’m also growing my content creation platform to tell more inspiring African stories. In the future, I plan to venture into large-scale film production and collaborate with international filmmakers to take Nigerian storytelling to the global stage,” Mr Emmy added.

    Beyond the screen, the actor doubles as the CEO of Emmy Edu Tour International, a travel agency that complements his entertainment career.

    “Acting is very rewarding emotionally, it gives me fulfillment and recognition but financially, it’s not always consistent, especially when you’re still building your name. My travel agency business helps balance things out and provides stability,” he explained while comparing the two ventures.