Dennison Igwe vs Mark Angel, Portable’s protest advice, Lara Olubo’s death, other top entertainment news last week

Isreal DMW’s estranged wife’s ‘wedding’

Sheila Courage, the estranged wife of Davido’s Logistics Manager, Israel DMW, clarified that her viral ‘pre-wedding’ footage was not actual.

Viral footage showed Sheila with a mystery man, which led to widespread rumours of her impending marriage.

She clarified the rumour on her Instagram story: “It was a wedding shoot, not an actual wedding. Vendors cannot be the ones to post about a wedding before the bride. I apologise for the misunderstanding, but please, it’s a shoot. Save the congratulations and the pitching for the future if you get to know of it.”

Israel DMW married Sheila in October 2022, but the marriage ended a year later.

How my ex-fiance was impregnated weeks before our introduction – Damola Olatunji

Damola Olatunji

Actor Damola Olatunji revealed during an interview on actress Biola Bayo’s show, Talk To B, that his ex-fiancée got pregnant with someone else’s child just weeks before their introduction.

The actor also addressed the rumours surrounding his marriage to actress Bukola Arugba.

In May 2023, Awoyemi, known as Arugba, announced her separation from actor Olatunji. In a statement signed by her lawyer, Samuel Abimbola, the mother-of-two stated that they weren’t married.

They had twins together: a boy and a girl.

He said, “As a matter of fact, this will be the first time anybody will say I’m talking about my divorce. Some said Damola left his marriage, Damola left the house, and I will be like, these are my kids. Feelings die, and love fades. If things are not working in a relationship, it’s better to go separate ways than to become physical. Couples that have kids together should not come online and fight dirty.

“Your kids will grow up one day to read about the things you have said. I am not a deadbeat father. Despite our separation, I still pay my kids’ school fees and meet their needs. My kids will tell you, ‘My dad is the best in the world. They can never lack as long as I am alive. When you have kids with someone, something will always bring you together for life. I get toasted the way ladies get toasted. Both from male and female. Listen, I am not a saint, but I will not do what I will not do”.

Olatunji became famous after he starred in Yomi Fash-Lanso’s movie Ojo (Rain) and has since appeared in several movies, including Man’s Best Friend, Status, Ona MiIyawo, Koro, Toromade, Arewa Ojo, and many others.

‘Nigeria is okay, planned protest unnecessary’- Portable

Portable

Controversial singer Portable revealed on his Instagram page that jobless and lazy human beings are orchestrating the nationwide protest, which was scheduled to commence on 1 August and last for ten days.

The Ogun-born singer stated that he was more significant than the protest, noting that those planning to protest lacked hustle and loyalty.

He warned against being asked to perform during the protest.

The 30-year-old said: “I need money, I’m hustling. It won’t be okay with anyone who tells me to perform during the protest. Don’t you have a producer too? You should also collect the mic and join the protest. Please, I need money; I’m hustling. If you take your job seriously, you won’t join the protest. Don’t fight for Nigeria; fight for yourself.

“Nigeria is okay; you are the one who is not okay. There is money in some places, but you are the one who does not hustle or is not loyal to your helper. You are the one who doesn’t make connections. Some people can help; there are jobs. You are the one who is not working. Fight for yourself.”

Portable, who participated in the 2020 EndSars protest, said he was too rich to join the planned protest. He added that billionaires such as Femi Otedola and Aliko Dangote didn’t partake in demonstrations.

“They said I led the protest in 2020, but it was poor thinking at that time. Now that I have money, I think like a rich man. Have you seen Otedola in any protest in Nigeria to fight for Nigeria? Have you seen Dangote come out with a paper saying “Safe Nigeria? If Dangote wants to speak, he will say, ‘Safe my business’ instead. People like Dele Momodu, you can’t see them. Fight for yourself; Nigeria is okay; you are the one that is not okay. Money is where it is. You don’t want to hustle; you are not loyal to your helper.”

He gained prominence after his single ‘Zazzu Zehh’, where he featured Olamide and Poco Lee.

Eniola Badmus’ political appointment

Eniola Badmus and Speaker of House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas

Social media buzzed with viral photos of actress Eniola Badmus resuming her role as the Special Assistant to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen.

In May, Badmus revealed that Mr Abbas appointed her as Special Assistant for Social Events and Public Hearings and that she was sworn in the same month.

The pictures she shared during a meeting with Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja received several reactions from netizens, who questioned her standing as a security guard to the Speaker.

She captioned the pictures: “This week Abbas Tajudeen and President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), inaugurated the Governing Council of the institution, earlier this week in Abuja. NILDS, as the research and academic arm of the National Assembly, is a pillar of knowledge, a capacity-building powerhouse, and a think tank dedicated to advancing our legislative processes.

“NILDS mandate was to provide technical and analytical support and comprehensive, reliable legislative research to legislators, their aides, committees, and the legislative bureaucracy in Nigeria and beyond. Over the years, the Institute has significantly strengthened legislative institutions through its rigorous research, legislative support services, training program, and policy analysis.”

The 41-year-old actress started her acting career in 2000 but came into the limelight in 2008 for her roles in Jenifa and Omo Ghetto.

I would have been a drug baron if I wasn’t acting – Kelvin Ikeduba

Nollywood actor Kevin Ikeduba revealed during an interview on Hip TV’s ‘Trending’ that he would have been a drug baron if he hadn’t become an actor.

Ikeduba also declared he would rather die than cast unqualified actors in exchange for sex.

Expressing frustration with the industry’s high rate of unprofessionalism, Ikeduba said, “The movie industry is very big. What works for A may not work for B. Kevin, whom people know, would rather die than give a girl a role for sex because I am very passionate about what I do. So, most times, when I meet mediocre people on set, it hurts me. I will never do that.”

The 47-year-old began his acting career in 2000 and has appeared in several movies, including ‘Son of Mercy’, ‘Chairman’, ‘Lucifer’, ‘Gold Statue’, ‘The King’, and ‘Voltage’.

‘Relax, Jagagban will fix it.’

Controversial actor Yul Edochie revealed on his Instagram that President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi, inaugurated the administrative team of the ‘Relax, Jagaban will fix Nigeria’ movement.

Edochie, who had been vocal about Mr Tinubu’s capacity to build and improve Nigeria, urged people to relax and trust the President.

He stated that Mr Tinubu would train youths in various skills, empower them, create job opportunities, and much more.

The 42-year-old said: “The administrative team of the RELAX, Jagaban, will fix the Nigeria movement, inaugurated by the King of the youths, Seyi Tinubu and led by the genius, Bala Mohammed. One of the smartest brains in the Jagaban administration is in our midst, Garki FCT commissioner Bitrus Lawrence. Relax, Jagaban will fix Nigeria movement is a movement that will train youths on various skills, empower them, and create job opportunities and so much more.”

Edochie joined Nollywood in 2005 with his first film, ‘The Exquires’, where he starred alongside Justus Esiri and Enebeli Elebuwa and got his big break in 2007 after featuring with Genevieve Nnaji and Desmond Elliot in the movie ‘Wind Of Glory’.

Why I stopped the ‘Mama Felicia’ character in my skits – Comedian Josh2Funny

Josh2funny

Comedian and skit maker Chibuike Josh Alfred, aka Josh2Funny, revealed that he stopped playing his famous female character, ‘Mama Felicia,’ in skits because homosexual men made advances at him.

During an interview on the ‘Honest Bunch’ podcast, Josh2Funny said homosexual men harassed him, which appalled and embarrassed him.

He said: “The difference between me and other male content creators playing female characters is that mine was straight comedy. Any gay person who would be attracted to me because of the character is senseless. Because I ensured it was stupid, ‘Mama Felicia’ is a stupid character. It was just ridiculous. I had a lot of advances from gays.

“There was one who chatted with me on WhatsApp to profess love for me, and I started threatening him that I would pray for him to go blind. I told him he was going to be blind in two weeks. Harassment from gays was part of the reason I left ‘Mama Felicia’ character. It was after that that I turned to ‘Brother Zakius.’ Instead of wearing female dresses, I had to start putting on male clothes. Because the advances from gays were becoming embarrassing for me. I just want to make people laugh.”

Josh2Funny gained fame for his viral ‘DontLeaveMe’ skit and performed on America’s Got Talent.

Chiwetalu Agu’s wife’s birthday

Chiwetalu Agu and wife

Nollywood veteran Chiwetalu Agu said he wouldn’t have made it this far in life without the support of his wife, Nkechi Agu.

The actor showcased his romantic side in a video he shared on his Instagram page to celebrate his wife. He appreciated her for her encouragement during difficult timvow vowed to continue loving and adoring her.

In the clip, Agu kissed his wife, serenaded her with his melodious voice, and sang the ‘Happy Birthday’ song for her.

“I want to thank you for being an amazing person and for letting me be your husband. Even God knows I wouldn’t have made it this far without your support,” he said. Thank you for being one of the major reasons I refuse to give up on life. I might not have gold or silver to give you, but believe me when I say my love for you will remain My Queen,” the 68-year-old said.

He began his acting career with Nigerian television soap operas before appearing in Nollywood movies. He was featured in several movies, including The Lost Okoroshi, Ada Omo Daddy, Only You & Me, and The Trade.

Actress Ngozi Nwosu speaks about unqualified Nollywood producers

Ngozi Nwosu

Veteran actress Ngozi Nwosu lamented about the influx of unqualified producers churning out subpar content, prioritising profits over quality storytelling during an interview with Pulse.

She expressed disappointment with the film industry, saying modern Nollywood movies lack originality and relatability.

Nwosu added that many modern Nollywood films have unrelatable, wishy-washy storylines and lack research, leading to a decline in the industry’s overall standards.

“Many people who are not supposed to be producers are now producers. Wishy-washy stories every day. There are some stories you read, and you know immediately this is from foreign movies. They are not relatable. People have become lazy. They don’t want to research again because they are after the money. We no longer relate as we used to anymore. We used to go to our fellow actors’ houses and drink water, but you can’t do that anymore because you don’t know who to trust. All leaves are lying down, but you don’t see the one with a stomach ache.

“People in our time were more careful with how they represented themselves, but now everybody does whatever they want. Today, if you like, be naked; no one cares—a lot. You see, we started with VHS. So when you talk of improvement, there’s been a lot. The movie industry has improved tremendously. But, the problem is that before, we used to work with time and rehearse and discuss. When a writer brings a script, we put it on the table for people to discuss. But today, it’s not like that.”

The actress debuted in a home video with Living in Bondage, an Igbo-language film that began the video film era of Nigerian cinema.

Nasty Blaq, fiancee expecting first child

Nasty Blaq and wife

Skit maker Nasty Blaq announced on his Instagram page that he would soon become a father. He shared photos from a maternity shoot with his partner, Esther James.

The comedian described his relationship with Esther James as magical.

Nasty Blaq wrote in his caption. “From the first laugh we shared to the love that blossomed, our journey together has been magical.

“Now, we’re about to write a new chapter- welcomeing our baby into the world. With you by my side, every moment feels like a dream come true. Cheers to the adventures of parenthood and the joy that awaits us.”

He gained prominence in the skit-making industry for his humorous videos on social media platforms 2018.

Lara Olubo’s death

Late Lara Olubo

Television presenter Lara Olubo died on Friday. Her colleague, Adeyinka Alaseyori, announced her death on Instagram.

She wrote: “It is shocking news, but who are we to question God? Thank you for making your mark here. May God console the entire family and grant you eternal rest, Aunty Lara Olubo.”

As of press time, her cause of death remained unclear. Olubo gained recognition for her Miliki Express, Eto Baba Eto, and Oju Oja programs on Orisun TV.

Dakore Akande’s legal action

Dakore Akande

Actress Dakore Akande issued a cease-and-desist notice against the controversial Instagram blog Gistlovers over an alleged romance with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Gistlovers shared pictures and names of women alleged to be Mr Akpabio’s mistresses in a now-deleted Instagram post, reacting to his refusal to apologise to Senator Natasha Akpoti for a comment the blog deemed disrespectful to women.

Through her lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba Legal, Akande threatened legal action against Gistlovers.

The statement partly reads: “This letter serves as a formal cease-and-desist notice demanding that you immediately remove the incriminating post containing a picture of our client falsely connecting her to the Senate President of the National Assembly of Nigeria, Senator (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio, as well as false remarks on Instagram.

“You will refrain immediately from making any further defamatory statements about our Client. Your slanderous remarks are actionable under the law per the provisions of Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act. Failure to comply with this demand will leave us with no choice but to pursue aggressive legal actions against you. These actions may include seeking damages, injunctive relief, and legal costs incurred due to your defamation.

“Let me be unequivocally clear: I categorically deny these baseless accusations. I have never been involved in any such relationship or met the Senate President in any capacity. These statements are entirely false, malicious, and defamatory. The spread of these fabrications has caused me significant distress and poses a potential threat to me, both personally and professionally. I want to emphasise that there is absolutely no truth to these allegations.”

The actress began her acting career in 1999 and starred in movies such as Chief Daddy, Men Do Cry, Emotional Crack, and Shattered Illusion.

Gospel singer Segun Obe weds

Gospel singer Segun Obe married Nita Segun-Obe in Accra, Ghana. He shared pictures from the wedding on his Instagram page.

He wrote: “Not a word failed of ANY GOOD THING which the Lord has spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass (Joshua 21:45). Exactly a week ago, I got hitched by the love of my life, Nita Segun Obe, in the city of Accra in Ghana. God is never too early or too late…He is always right on time. To God be the glory.”

Obe is known for songs like Iro Halleluyah, Thank You, E Side, and Cast Away.

Iyabo Ojo’s son graduates

Iyabo Ojo and son

Actress Iyabo Ojo announced on her Instagram page that her son, Festus, had graduated from Altinbas University in Istanbul, Turkey.

She thanked her son for making her proud and acknowledged her challenges as a single mother.

“Your graduation is a testament to your hard work and dedication. Congratulations! May this new chapter bring you greatness, blessings, happiness, and prosperity. As a single mother, it hasn’t been easy, but I give God all the glory for our success. From Riverside City College in California to Altinbas University in Istanbul, Turkey, it can only be God.

“To every single parent out there who’s been told they can’t make it, we are the true heroes and champions! We’ve proven them wrong, and I’m proud to be among them. We’re the true president-general in the nation. Yes! I’ve fulfilled my duty as a great mother, and now it’s time to plan weddings and spoil future grandchildren silly. To all my fans and loved ones, I say thank you, thank you, thank you.”

The 46-year-old debuted in 1998’s Satanic, an English-language film, and has since appeared in over 150 films.

Dennison Igwe vs Mark Angel

During an interview on ‘Honest Bunch,’ Denilson Igwe, Mark Angel’s former comedy partner, alleged that he used his content and denied him royalties from it.

Igwe said they started the comedy together, and he invested all his life in it before leaving when the firm was at its peak.

He said, “I was the one that started Mark Angel Comedy. I’m an orphan… Mark was the elder brother of the house. He was a security guard at Kilimanjaro, GRA, Port Harcourt. I was learning camera work from a man called Ifeanyi, and I stole one of the cameras. So, in our free time, we shoot comic videos. Mark then suggested that we create a Facebook page [to post our comedy videos], which I accepted, not knowing even when it was monetised.

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“I just kept filming. Then, suddenly, in 2014, Mark bought a car. I asked him how he could afford it, and he lied that someone gifted him the car, and I accepted. I haven’t received a dime from Mark Angel Comedy revenue then. He started paying Emmanuella N20,000 monthly. Her parents were poor, so they didn’t even know the value of what their daughter was doing. No one knew the revenue it was generating. 2016 was the first time he gave me N50,000 and told me that the comedy wasn’t generating revenue. And we were making $160,000 monthly off Mark Angel Comedy’s Facebook revenue then.”

Mark Angel started his YouTube series of comedy shorts in 2013. His videos often feature child comedians like his cousin, Emanuella Samuel, and “Aunty” Success Madubuike, among others.

As of press time, Mark Angel had not responded to the allegation.