Entertainment

Legendary singer, Onyeka Onwenu slumps, dies in Lagos

Onyeka Onwenu, iconic Nigerian singer and songwriter whose music ruled the airwaves in the 80s and 90s, is dead. Onwenu slumped and died on Tuesday night after a performance at a birthday party in Lagos. She was aged 72.

In what turned out to be a tragic event, Onwenu, dubbed the elegant stallion by the Nigerian media in her hey days as a music star, died at Reddington Hospital in Lagos, where she was rushed to shortly after performing at the birthday party of Mrs Stella Okoli of Emzor Pharmaceuticals.

According to an eye witness, after performing on stage, the iconic singer walked back to her seat, where she slumped. Emergency services were quickly called in and she was rushed to Reddington Hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos where she was pronounced dead.

“it is very sad. Onyeka Onwenu just performed at the birthday of Mrs. Stella Okoli today, and after performing, she slumped. She was taken to Reddington Hospital and she couldn’t make it,” the eye witness said. The cause of death was not known as of press time.

Born on 31 January 1952, Onwenu was a multifaceted artiste and activist whose music ruled the airwaves across four decades. She was a singer, songwriter, actress, broadcaster as well as a social and human rights activist.

She was also a former chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture.] In 2013 she was appointed the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.

Onwenu hailed from Arondizuogu, in Ideato North, Imo State, but was raised in Port Harcourt. Her father was the Nigerian educationist and politician D. K. Onwenu, who died when she was four years old in an autocrash a week before his appointment as Minister for Education. She was the youngest of five children.

Onwenu had a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Communication at Wellesley College, Massachusetts, and an MA in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research, New York.

She worked as a tour guide at the United Nations, before returning to Nigeria in 1980 to take part in the mandatory one-year national youth service at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), in Lagos, Nigeria.

Onwenu began her music career in 1981 while still with the NTA, releasing the album For the Love of You, a pop album which featured an orchestral cover of Johnny Nash’s “Hold Me Tight”, produced by Berkley Jones. Her second album was Endless Life, produced by Sonny Okosun, and included another cover – the Everley Brothers’ “Walk Right Back”. Both records were released under the EMI label.

However, Onwenu’s first album with Polygram, In The Morning Light, which was recorded in London, was released in 1984. It featured the track “Masterplan” written by close friend Tyna Onwudiwe.

In a career spanning more than four decades, Onwenu was known for hit songs such as “You and I”, “Wait for Me” (which she did with legendary juju artiste King Sunny Ade) “Iyogogo” and “Dancing in the Sun.”

As an actress, Onwenu’s first movie role was as Joke, a childless woman who adopts an abandoned baby in Zik Zulu Okafor’s Nightmare. She featured in numerous Nollywood movies. In 2006 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the movie “Widow’s Cot”.

She was also nominated that same year for Africa Movie Academy Award for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” in the movie “Rising Moon” ] In 2014 she was in the movie Half of a Yellow Sun with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandiwe Newton, and Lion Heart

In 2000, Onwenu caused a stir when she protested against her former employer NTA over their refusal to pay royalties on her songs. NTA 2 Channel 5 had used “Iyogogo”, a track from the Onyeka! album, in station idents without asking her permission).

After then Director General Ben Murray-Bruce blacklisted her from transmission, she embarked on a hunger strike outside the station’s premises The protest was called off after six days when Onwenu and NTA came to an arrangement regarding royalties.

Entertainment

Popular TikToker involved in ‘Justice For Mohbad’ movement dies during live stream

A popular TikToker known as Disturbing, who was involved in the ‘JUSTICE FOR MOHBAD’ movement has d!ed during a live stream.

A video making the rounds on social media shows the moment he suffered what looks like a seizure before passing away in front of the camera.

Investigative journalist, Temilola Sobola, shared the viral footage on Instagram.

“A popular TikToker known as Disturbing who was also into JUSTICE FOR MOHBAD passed away some hours ago while he was on a live video,” he captioned the post.

Reacting to the incident, some social media users alleged that Disturbing had been seen vocally cursing individuals linked to the late singer Mohbad’s case, including Mohbad’s mother, widow, his brother Adura, and Liam, during his live broadcast.

The cause of his death cannot be ascertained at the time of filing this report, however some people suggested that it may be a result of substance abuse or heart attack.

The deceased is survived by his mother, a pregnant wife and children.

Entertainment

Court remands musician Terry Apala over naira mutilation in Lagos

Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, April 25, 2025, remanded a musician, Terry Alexander Ejeh, otherwise known as Terry Apala, in a Correctional Centre for alleged mutilation of the Naira notes.

He was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, April 25, 2025, on a one-count charge of mutilating the Naira notes.

The charge reads: “That you, TERRY ALEXANDER EJEH, on the 5th day of January, 2025, at La Madison Place, Oniru, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by marching on the same and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.”

He pleaded not guilty to the offence when it was read to him.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, prayed for a trial date and also urged the court to remand him in a Correctional Centre.

The defence counsel, Felix Nwabuda, informed the court of a bail application dated April 23, 2025 and prayed the court for a short date for the hearing of the application.

“ Whilst praying the court for a short date for the hearing of the bail application, I will be craving the indulgence of the court to release the defendant to the defence.

“We undertake to produce him in court. He will not evade hearing. He came in from the United Kingdom on April 23, 2025; and on the invitation of the EFCC, he came on his own.”

The prosecution counsel, however, opposed the application, saying, “ the application is alien and unheard of.”

“I urge the court to afford us the opportunity to look at the application and respond properly so that the court can make a well -informed ruling,” he said.

In a short ruling, Justice Aluko refused the application of the defence.

Justice Aluko adjourned till May 5, 2025 and ordered the remand of the defendant in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the determination of the bail application.

Entertainment

We can not continue like this – AGN president reacts to death of Nollywood actors poisoned on movie set

The president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, has reacted to the death of two unidentified Nollywood actors who were poisoned on a movie set in Owerri, the state capital.

Nollywood actor Stanley OnTop, in a post via his Instagram page on Friday, revealed that four actors were rushed to the Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri, and two were pronounced dead on arrival.

He said the two deceased persons and other crew members ate rice and drank wine provided by the unnamed movie director after shooting a movie.

Reacting, the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) shared an update on Instagram on Sunday, stating that the actors in question were not members of the Guild. He expressed concern over the increasing number of unlicensed filmmakers in the country.

He also urged all actors and actresses to get ready for the annual prayer gatherings aimed at preventing deaths in the industry.

He wrote: “So sad some actors who are not members of Actors Guild just lost their lives while filming in Owerri. We have repeatedly warned that Actors must join the Guild to practice in Nollywood..

“Barely a week after the memorial service of our member Late JNR Pope, tragedy struck in Owerri involving two promising young actors.

“They are not members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria but this points to two things:

“1. The devil still wants this pattern of mass death repeated on an annual basis. If not for God the death toll in Owerri could have been four persons. Exactly the same number last year in Asaba. Please let all Actors and indeed Nollywood prepare for this year’s prayer outingwith @realjerryeze @streamsofjoyabuja

“2. We cannot continue like this. Everywhere in the country people just wake up and equip themselves with cameras and they have become Nollywood

“This is a bad trend. These people camp themselves in an unhealthy, unverified environment making content. Content creators have to be licensed.”