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.
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”.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
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.
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.
“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.
Legendary Afro-Juju musician, Sir Shina Peters, has revealed the unusual strategy used to rebuild his public image after he left Prince Adekunle’s band.
According to the ‘Ace’ star, the unusual strategy involved being styled like a madman and paraded in public to change the public narrative.
The veteran musician made the shocking revelation during his appearance on ‘The Honest Bunch podcast,’ where he opened up on the backlash he faced after parting ways with his former band.
“When I left Prince Adekunle’s band, people protested against me, saying that I left my father because of money,” Sir Shina Peters recounted. “Then, the owner of my record label, Tunde Savage, who was the marketing director of Daily Times, alongside the weekend editor of Concord Newspapers and Evening Times editor, all came up with an idea.”
According to the ‘Ace’ crooner, his record label boss designed a publicity stunt that would evoke sympathy and reshape public perception about him.
“The owner of the label called me one day and said I would plate my hair and not loosen it for three days. He also asked me to tear some of my old clothes, which I did,” he narrated. “On the third day, they loosened the hair but didn’t comb it. Then I wore the torn clothes, and they took me to Oyingbo Market to buy ewedu. As I was buying it, they captured everything on camera, but I didn’t know what they were up to.”
The dramatization didn’t end there. Sir Shina Peters said they later took him to Badagry, where Julius Berger was constructing an overhead bridge, and instructed him to act like a mentally unstable person in public.
“They asked me to eat like a madman all because the first day I left Prince Adekunle, people didn’t find it easy and were mad at me. So all the gimmicks were to change the narrative and earn empathy from fans,” he explained.
Nigerian film star and director, Muyideen Oladapo Kofosi, aka Lala, pleasantly surprised many when he went back to school, despite acquiring fame, to complete his tertiary learning at the Obafemi Awolowo University. A few years later, he received a Master’s degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Lagos, and is currently eyeing his PhD. Unknown to many, Oladapo had been industrious even before amassing fame so much that he built and ran a bakery in Surulere, Lagos, long before his face became popular for acting. He has been in the industry for over two decades, and in this interview with The Nation’s Entertainment Editor, GBENGA BADA, the thespian opened up on his career, life and education.
How have you been able to put working and schooling together?
First, it all depends on your wish and passion. My father always tells us that my fortune is in my palm. He said all the lines in my palm aren’t there for nothing. You have to catch up to realise who you are and if what you’re doing is right. It’s just like rechecking if you’re still on track.
Did you actually pick up a banking job after your studies, as speculated in some quarters?
About the bank, let me clear the air. What happened is that I worked with an organisation, and they were into properties, they were into real estate. I was an ambassador, and I did skits for them. That’s where I dressed like a baker, and the internet picked it up, saying I had become a chartered accountant, and if you want to borrow money, come to me. I had to tell them I’m still an actor and a thespian. Banking is good, but it’s not my way.
How true is the tale that you owned a bakery?
I have a bakery. I had a bakery from the onset, even before I became popular in 1996. The bakery is still there in Surulere. It’s called ‘Kososi’ bread. People still patronise. I opened another one at Shomolu last year, so there are two bakeries now. The name of the first bakery was Kososi because that was my nickname then, Saheed Osupa and Femi Branch still even call me that name, 80% of people call me Kososi.
You have been involved in both film and stage productions. What are your experiences?
The film and stage are the same act, but not in the same form being presented. In movies, you go to many locations, but in a stage play, everything happens in one place, even though we still have one locale. The stage play can be converted to different places and it’s more tasking than the film. Screen actors can’t act on stage. Stage acting isn’t just for anybody; the difference between the two is there. If there are mistakes in a screen acting, you can still say cut and re-act and even edit during post production but you can’t do that in stage acting. If anyone makes a mistake in a stage play, that means you have spoiled everything. In a stage play, I have to know my lines and also know my colleagues’ lines in case one person misses their line, so I can always cover for them. Opera is also a type of stage play where actors sing and act. They perform musically in a practical setting. As a director, I also have a music director who would also write in musical language. The actors have to sing in a unique way to make it more professional. Some plays are westernised, and so we have to match them up and make them more traditional, so it’s tasking.
Was your background originally theatre? What’s the plan going forward? Are you planning to go into stage performances or back to movies?
I started from the stage with my boss, Dagunro Alakija. I have been in his group for years. He took me to places, including Cameroon. The influence of school/academics is different because it’s a formal setting. What I didn’t realise before I got back to school, there were some theories that had to go with some movements. Schooling also made me realise the genres of stories I used to write that I didn’t know about before, like satire, unknowingly. There were some movies I wrote about that I didn’t really know about. I wrote ‘Omo Ni Kara’ where Funsho Adeolu acted like an imbecile, I acted as his junior brother, it was satire too, I didn’t know that was the genre. It was school that made me realise that. School made me know the theoretical aspect of it. I graduated from the OAU, and so my first job was a stage play. A professor called me, saying that he wanted to direct a stage play and he wanted me to be a part of it. The professor gave me a role that challenged me. One thing I like about myself is that I love facing challenges, and if I don’t face challenges, I won’t conquer them. Challenges prevent you from being stagnant.
What is the full pronunciation of your name?
Muyideen Ademola Kososi. My parents named me that.
So, what is the story behind the Kososi?
We had a family friend who used to cure all types of diseases. He used to stay in Ilorin then, Alhaji Dauda. Anytime he came to our house, my dad would give him all the room upstairs to attend to his patient. His name was Alhaji Dauda Kososi, and during my naming ceremony, he said he wanted to give me one of his names, so he named me Kososi. Since then, that’s how I was called that name. For Lala, it was from a movie I got the name from, during a Funke Akindele movie. People like the name, so I now produced another movie, and I used the name again, but the very first movie was ‘Ekuro.’ Another person was actually meant to be given the role, but I got it. They were going to remove me because they wanted to give it to another person. I got angry and just went to another location in Osogbo. Funke insisted I’d play the role. She cried and insisted that I would act the role; my mind had even already shifted from it, but they started calling me, and I didn’t pick up. Then Funsho Adeolu called and asked where I was. I told him I was in Osogbo. He asked me to come to Lagos the following morning, as Funke insisted I had to act that role. I told my friend Afod I had to be in Lagos. I drove back to Lagos. When I got to Lagos, I just stayed in my car and didn’t talk to anyone. In the movie, I was to act as a hooligan, and I had to say exactly what was in the script. I couldn’t say anything outside the script, but fortunately, my character was free, so I had to just flow. When I was about to play, I did it so well and said something I wasn’t meant to say, which got the director angry, but we were able to handle it in a fun way.
Actress and producer Ruth Kadiri has opened up about how her journey into acting and screenwriting began, revealing that her first major step in the industry started with a visit to the National Theatre.
In a recent podcast with Jay On Air TV, Kadiri recalled how her passion for the arts led her to discover screenwriting.
“Growing up in the slum and getting out of it wasn’t really easy and I remember going to National Theatre. I went there, I wanted to act. I got there and there were like 1000 people or more, I just look everywhere, I said, ‘there’s no way I’m getting this role. The crowd is so much, there’s a lot of people that are intimidating you,’ and then I saw a notice that says screenwriting and stuff, I think maybe it was God. I just sha went into the office,” she said.
Kadiri explained that what followed was a stroke of luck that changed her life forever.
“I got there, I saw the man, he had three students I think they were waiting for the fourth one that one wasn’t coming, I said ‘sir please me I want to write’ he’s like ‘you have to pay.’ I said ‘I don’t have transport to even go home.’ He said ‘okay you can come.’ So it was free. He added me to his class for free and he taught me the basics.”
That opportunity, she revealed, became the foundation of her career.
“Doing that basic literally got me to where I am today because when I wrote my first script, that movie became a hit. I wrote that script and the producer obviously did not believe in me. I think he sent it out. He sent it to Tonto Dike and Uche Jombo and a couple of them, and I think Tonto kept telling him ‘oh this script, I really like it, I really like it.’ He didn’t even want to pay me. I didn’t care, I was like ‘just give me small role’ so he came back and said ‘okay let’s shoot it. I was just happy that they were going to shoot my film, my script. That one was a hit and the next one. That’s how it just started,” she said.
