Entertainment

Naira Marley freed at last!

Published

7 years ago

May 30, 2019

Eric

The bail application hearing for Naira Marley was held on Thursday, May 30, 2019, before Justice Oweibo, at the Federal High Court located at Ikoyi, Lagos.

The court premises was packed with supporters of the music star as there was barely any space for people to move around. As usual, the security apparatus was able to match the crowd who came to support their ‘idol’ on his bail application hearing.

Even the efforts of the security operatives could not deter the teaming supporters who wanted to catch a glimpse and escort Naira Marley into the courtroom Naira Marley arrived in the court premises some minute after eleven in the morning, with the security operatives of the Nigeria Prison Service. His fans who came in large number were spotted all over the court premises chanting praises to their supposed ‘idol.’ Even the efforts of the security operatives could not deter the teaming supporters who wanted to catch a glimpse and escort Naira Marley into the courtroom. Naira Marley to court wearing a black T-shirt and black trousers, this time around he looked a bit relaxed.

Naira Marley’s legal team, unlike his previous arraignment, came in full force and prepared. He was defended by not just one but nine lawyers who all came to get him out of jail. Top on the list of Chief Olalekan Ojo (SAN) who was supported by Olayinka Ojo, M. Oregba, Femi Martins, Akinwale Kola Taiwo, Afeez Olabisi, Ebuka Anyim, Adeboyo Adedokun, and P.I. Uwakwe.

Olalekan Ojo started off by apologising to the Justice Oweibo for not showing up at the previous arraignment which he attributed to the heavy downpour. Olalekan Ojo started off by apologising to the Justice Oweibo for not showing up at the previous arraignment which he attributed to the heavy downpour. He, however, commenced his bail application for Naira Marley by stating that the defendant filed a written 18 paragraph affidavit by Naira Marley’s mother on Thursday, May 30, 2019, after getting served a the court an affidavit on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. He then went on to pray the court to grant Naira Marley bail based on liberal grounds.

The defense counsel went to debunk the insinuation that Naira Marley was going to jump bail if granted bail. He went on give a Yoruba proverbs which say ”A person cannot steal the trumpet that belongs to the king because he has nowhere to blow it,” which according to him means that, there was no way Naira Marley was going to jump bail or become a flight risk as presumed by the EFCC counsel.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo opposed Naira Marley’s bail application, citing several grounds of which he wanted him remanded in prison custody. According to him, there was a counter-affidavit filed by the investigating officer of the EFCC, whose findings leaves them with no doubt that bail application should be rejected.

He went to remind the Judge that Naira Marley as a celebrity has a lot of influence on his fans and young Nigerians at large and granting him bail will send a wrong signal to the general public. According to him, there is an upsurge of cyber crimes in the country which if not handled legally, is a time bomb waiting to happen in Nigeria. For Rotimi Oyedepo, he prayed the Judge to give an accelerated hearing of the case rather granting Naira Marley bail.

He, however, granted him bail to the tune of N2M and two sureties; one a civil servant with the grade level 10 and second surety with a landed property in the jurisdiction where the case is being held.

After listening to both prosecution and defense counsel, the judge gave his ruling. According to him, the EFCC hasn’t been able to present enough evidence to keep Naira Marley in the prison custody. He, however, granted him bail to the tune of N2M and two sureties; one a civil servant with the grade level 10 and second surety with a landed property in the jurisdiction where the case is being held.

The next hearing date was fixed but a tentative date was given which is between 22, 23 and 24 of October 2019.

Entertainment

Joeboy Stars on Easter Edition of Glo-Powered African Voices

Published

3 days ago

April 3, 2026

Eric

Nigeria-born Afro-pop star, Joeboy, whose melodies now ripple across continents, takes centre stage this week on the Easter edition of African Voices, the Globacom-sponsored CNN magazine programme.

In a captivating session from Lagos, show anchor Larry Madowo drew out the rhythm of Joeboy’s journey, tracing the arc from a starry-eyed university dreamer to a maestro whose songs now traverse the globe like whispered secrets carried on the wind.

Born Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa-Donus in 1997, Joeboy—affectionately dubbed Afrobeats’ “lover boy”—embarked on his musical odyssey in 2017 with a viral reinterpretation of Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You.

This pivot from rap to melodious crooning caught the discerning eye of Nigerian artiste and entrepreneur Mr Eazi, who, upon discovering him on Instagram, extended an invitation to join the emPawa Africa Talent Incubation initiative—a sanctuary for budding African talents where raw potential is nurtured into brilliance.

The partnership bore fruit in 2018 with the release of Fààjí, featuring Mr Eazi, and soon after, Joeboy was signed to Warner Music Africa. From there, his ascent became a symphony of milestones: the intoxicating single Baby in 2019, followed by Beginning, which amassed over 23 million views on YouTube, and Love & Light the same year.

Collaborations with Mayorkun yielded the spirited tracks Don’t Call Me and All for You, further cementing his place in the Afrobeats constellation.

Joeboy’s debut album, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic, unfurled in February 2021, a melodic tapestry of youth, hope, and desire. By 19 May 2023, he unveiled his sophomore studio effort, Body & Soul, preceded by the evocative singles Sip (Alcohol), Contour, Body & Soul, and Duffel Bag. In 2023, he teased the world with Only God Save Me and the extended EP Body, Soul and Spirit, offering listeners a window into the essence of his artistic spirit.

February 2024 marked another milestone as he launched his own imprint, Young Legend, soon releasing Osadebe, a track that resonated nationwide with the familiar warmth of homegrown brilliance.

Joeboy’s dedication has been richly rewarded. He clinched Best Artiste in African Pop at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards and Best Pop at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival. His music has earned numerous nominations, including at the City People Entertainment Awards and The Headies, affirming his status as a luminary of contemporary African sound.

The Easter edition of African Voices featuring Joeboy will air on DSTV Channel 401 at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, with repeats at 11 a.m.; Sunday at 3:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Monday at 3 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.; and Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. The schedule will be mirrored the following week, culminating in Monday at 3 a.m., giving audiences multiple opportunities to bask in the artistry of a musician whose voice carries the pulse of a continent.

Entertainment

Hollywood Action Movie Superstar Chuck Norris Dies at 86

Published

2 weeks ago

March 20, 2026

Eric

Chuck Norris, the US martial artist and Hollywood action star most famous for his role in “Walker, Texas Ranger,” has died, his family said Friday. He was 86 years old.

“It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the family said in a statement on Instagram.

“He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives,” the statement said.

Norris reportedly fell ill on Thursday on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

Norris turned 86 last week, marking the event with a video of him boxing on social media and saying, “I don’t age. I level up.”

Entertainment

Great Facts About the Forthcoming Oscars You Need to Know

Published

3 weeks ago

March 14, 2026

Eric

By Samantha Ofole-Prince

Below are great facts about the forthcoming Oscars most entertainment buffs may not have know…

1. Oscar is a nickname. The origins of the nickname are not clear, but a popular story has been that Academy librarian Margaret Herrick thought it resembled her Uncle Oscar and said so. The Academy staff began referring to it as Oscar, but the Academy itself didn’t use the nickname officially until 1939.

2. Each Oscar statuette is individually handcrafted, and the Oscar statuette stands at 13½ inches high and weighs 81/2 pounds.

3. The Oscar statuette is the most recognized award in the world and statuettes have been presented since the first initial awards banquet on May 16, 1929.

4. At age 74, Clint Eastwood became the oldest winner to date in the Directing category.

5. Hattie McDaniel is the first African American to win a best supporting actress Oscar. She won for her role as Mammy in the 1939 movie “Gone with the Wind.”

6. Halle Berry is the first African American actress to win best actress Oscar. She won in 2002 for “Monster’s Ball.”

7. In 2002, Denzel Washington became the second African American actor to win the Oscar for Best Actor (“Training Day”), and the first African American actor to have won Oscars for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor (Sidney Poitier was the first to win an Oscar in 1963 for “Lilies of the Field “).

8. Whoopi Goldberg and Chris Rock have previously hosted the Oscars, but Billy Crystal remains the longest serving host. Crystal has hosted the Oscars nine times to date.

9. Attendance at the Oscars ceremony is by invitation only. No tickets are sold to the public and in Oscar history; only three circumstances have prevented the Academy Awards presentation from going off as scheduled. The first was in 1938, when destructive floods all but washed-out Los Angeles and delayed the ceremony. In 1968, the Awards ceremony was postponed out of respect for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who had been assassinated a few days earlier, and in 1981, the Awards were postponed for 24 hours because of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

10. The longest Oscar telecast was the 74th Oscars show in 2002 which had a running time of 4 hours, 23 minutes. Shortest Oscar telecast was the 31st Academy Awards in 1959 which had a running time of 1 hour, 40 minutes.

The Oscars, one of the most-watched live entertainment events of the year, will be held on Sunday, March 15 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC, streamed live on Hulu. With 16 nominations, Sinners set the record for most nominations for a film for the 98th Oscars.

Samantha Ofole-Prince is a U.S. journalist and movie critic who covers industry-specific news that includes television and film.