Connect with us

Entertainment

Jimi Solanke Dies At 81, Governor Abiodun Mourns

Veteran actor, dramatist Jimi Solanke is dead.

The folk singer, poet, and playwright died on Monday, just 59 days to his 82nd birthday.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has described the death of renowned African culture ambassador, Olujimi Solanke as a colossal loss to the theatre community and Ogun State.

The governor also condoled with the family of the veteran poet dramatist and the people of Ipara-Remo in Remo North Local Government Area of the state.

Mostly remembered by many for his television programme ‘Story land’, on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Solanke reportedly died on Monday morning after a brief illness. He was aged 82. He is survived by his wife, Toyin, children and grandchildren

In a statement, Abiodun said the late Solanke had “consistently put the name of the state in the limelight for very good reasons, especially in the arts right from his days at the University of Ibadan School of Drama.”

The governor urged relatives and other loved ones of the late poet to celebrate his life and ensure that the many legacies he left behind are preserved even for generations yet unborn.

“Renowned for his tireless dedication to the arts, Baba Agba as he was widely known by his numerous fans across the country was a great ambassador of our dear state. He promoted the culture and tradition of the Yoruba race on the global stage with his drama, music, poetry and other works of art.

“In 1961, he emerged as one of the pioneer members of the Orisun Theatre Group, founded by Professor Wole Soyinka. He went on to put in several decades of diverse exposures and experiences into the global entertainment industry across several broadcast stations, countries and festivals, impacting on the sector greatly.

“Many of his admirers still recall with nostalgia, his epic performances at the Western Nigeria Television, WNTV, Ibadan in the 1960s, his unforgettable stagecraft at the World Festival of Negro Arts in Senegal and the amazing skills he exhibited at the Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algeria, all in the 1970s.

“Also to his credit are brilliant performances in epics like Death and the King’s Horseman, Kurunmi, Kongi’s Harvest, The Divorce and Ovaramwen Nogbaisi. These performances and his numerous talents turned him into a global icon of the arts.

“He was at different times described by the Oxford Times and the New York Times as a ‘Skilled Nigerian Actor’ and an ‘Excellent Troupe’ respectively, owing to his performance of Wole Soyinka’s Kongi’s Harvest, during a tour of Europe.

“He sang with Highlife music Legends like Roy Chicago, Eddy Okonta, and Chris Ajilo. He also worked with many global musicians, including Chubby Checker of Twist fame and Millicent Small of Rock Steady. He was with Ralph MacDonald, the lead voice in the chartbuster, Ona La, The Path,” the statement said.

Recalling Solanke’s sonorous voice, impressive gesticulations, near perfect mimicry, and electrifying dances while reeling out folklores with ease, the statement added that the late poet will be greatly missed by all and sundry.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Entertainment

OAP Do2dtun calls out popular radio station over 8 months unpaid salaries

Popular On-Air Personality (OAP) Do2dtun has called out Soundcity Radio for allegedly owing its staff eight months of unpaid salaries.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, the media personality criticized the station’s management, describing their actions as “cruel and inhumane.”

In a series of tweets, Do2dtun expressed his frustration, stating that operating a radio station should not come at the expense of employees’ welfare.

“It’s not by force to open a radio station. Owing your staff for 8 months is very cruel and inhumane. You don’t need a soothsayer to tell you this,” he wrote.

Revealing the station’s name in another tweet, he sympathized with his colleagues and friends at Soundcity, questioning how they have managed to cope under such conditions.

“My friends and colleagues at Soundcity, how do you guys cope? No salary for 8 months? Mehn that’s crãzy!!!!”

The allegations stirred an outcry on social media, with many users sharing their thoughts on the situation.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Speed Darlington drags IGP Egbetokun to court, demands N300m damages

Speed Darlington (Darlington Achakpo), a detained Nigerian singer, has taken the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to court for alleged unlawful detention.

He filed the lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The court has fixed January 13 for the hearing of the fundamental rights enforcement suit.

Justice Musa Liman fixed the date after counsel for the singer, Abubakar Marshal, sought an adjournment to enable the I-G’s lawyer, Garba Audu, study and to respond accordingly to the processes served on him in the open court.

Justice Liman had, on Dec. 23, 2024, ordered the I-G to charge Speed Darlington to court or release him on bail unconditionally within 48 hours.

The judge made the order in a ruling on an ex-parte motion moved by lawyer who appeared for Darlington, David Ihuoma, and adjourned the matter until Jan. 6 for the hearing of the substantive case .

Speed Darlington, 39, was allegedly arrested by the police over allegations of “defamation and cyberstalking” of the ace award-winning artiste, Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy but was released on bail on Oct. 8, 2024.

A lawyer and human right activist, Deji Adeyanju alleged that Speed Darlington was apprehended in Lagos State following a petition by Burna Boy, and was moved to Abuja where he had been in detention.

Upon resumed hearing in the matter on Monday, Marshal informed the court that the matter was scheduled for hearing of the originating motion on notice for the enforcement of Achakpo’s fundamental rights.

Although Audu said he was yet to be served with the process, the court however confirmed through the proof of service in the court record that the police were duly served.

The judge thereafter directed Marshal to avail Audu with a copy of the application in the open court.

Justice Liman then asked Marshal if the singer had been released but the lawyer responded in the negative.

Responding, Audu explained to the court that the I-G had already filed a criminal charge against Speed Darlington before the singer filed the motion ex-parte for his release.

He said the singer was admitted to administrative bail but allegedly jumped the bail.

The police lawyer said that the charge, which was filed before Justice Ekerete Akpan of Court 13, came up earlier in December 2024, but could not be heard.

He said an application was also written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the reassignment of the criminal matter to a vacation judge so that the defendant can be arraigned but all to no avail.

He explained that the criminal matter was now fixed for Jan. 15 for Speed Darlington’s arraignment before Justice Akpan.

The lawyer further explained that contrary to insinuation, the police did not flout the order of the court as it would have been difficult to arraign the defendant at the time the order was made going by the Christmas holiday.

Marshal, therefore, prayed the court to direct the police to release the singer to him pending when he would be arraigned.

“We shall be applying pending the trial and arraignment of the applicant that your lordship make an order admitting him to bail.
“If my lord will, as ministers in the temple of justice, we will ensure his presence in court on the day of arraignment,” he said, but Audu opposed the application.

Justice Liman, who agreed that the police were not in deliberate disobedience to the court order, advised Audu to ensure Speed Darlington is released to Marshal, having undertook to produce him in court.

“I don’t see anything the police will lose if granted bail,” the judge advised.

He subsequently adjourned the matter until Jan. 13 for hearing of the substantive matter.

In the fundamental right suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1832/2024, Speed Darlington sued I-G as sole respondent.

The artiste, who urged the court to declare that his arrest and detention violated his fundamental rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, sought four orders.

In the suit filed by Adeyanju, he sought an order directing the I-G to immediately and unconditionally release him from detention facility where he is being kept.

Alternatively, he sought an order mandating and compelling the I-G to produce him before the court to enable the court inquire into the circumstances constituting grounds of his arrest and detention and where it deems fit, admits him to bail.

He also sought “an order directing the respondent to pay the applicant the sum of N300,000,000.00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) only as general, exemplary and aggravating damages for their unlawful and continued detention since the 2024 till date.”

In the affidavit deposed to by Esther Eyisi, a secretary in the law firm, she alleged that Speed Darlington was first arrested on Oct. 4, 2024 for allegedly defaming Burna Boy.

She said he was illegally detained for five days and subjected to severe torture and maltreatment without being formally charged to a court of competent jurisdiction.

Eyisi averred that the artiste was eventually granted bail by the police after spending five days under inhumane conditions.

According to her, on Nov. 27, 2024, the applicant was arrested and detained by officers of respondent on the grounds that he allegedly jumped administrative bail.

This, she said, is in spite of notification from her client about his medical emergency and his inability to report on the scheduled date and obtaining the permission of the officers of the respondent to travel to Owerri, Imo for a performance.

She said the continuous detention of Speed Darlington without arraignment contravened his constitutional rights, describing him as the “breadwinner in his family.”

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Nigeria Nathaniel Bassey to minister at Trump’s inaugural prayer breakfast in US

A Nigerian gospel singer and pastor, Nathaniel Bassey, has been invited to minister at the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20 in Washington, D.C.

The Akwa Ibom-born cleric disclosed this on his Instagram page, sharing a poster of the event.

He wrote: “Let’s raise a sound in America. See you on January 20, 2025.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the U.S. prayer breakfast is a non-political and faith-based event that emphasises prayer and worship as a spiritual support for the U.S. government and presidency.

The event is held once in four years preceding every new administration, and this edition is scheduled to be held ahead of Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance’s swearing-in ceremony.

The prayer breakfast will be hosted by Reverend Merrie Turner at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria Presidential Ballroom, featuring a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Dr Alveda King and Pastor Mario Bramnick.

Bassey, an acclaimed trumpeter and convener of the Hallelujah Challenge, an online Christian worship movement, is known for his hit songs, including “Imela”, “Onise Iyanu”, and “Olowogbogboro.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending