Entertainment
Ibinabo’s AGN Faction Rejects Caretaker
Ibinabo Fiberesima’s fac
tion of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) kicks against the newly set up caretaker Committee of AGN. They are insisting that the State Chapters of AGN are not aware of the selection of the Caretaker Committee members. Fiberesima’s faction stated that Ibinabo is still the president of the association.
It was gathered that the governing body of Nigerian actors, AGN is being faced with a fresh crisis after the short peace it had enjoyed in a short while. A statement signed by the secretary of the Ibinabo camp of AGN, Abubakar Yakub, reads:
“The National Executive Committee of AGN received the news of a group purported to have set up a Caretaker Committee to take over the Guild as a shock because no group/stakeholders approached the National Executive Committee on the said meeting.
Also, our State Executive Committees were not aware of the purported meeting. Much as we would not like to respond to the resolution of the said stakeholders meeting which looks like a child’s play to us, however we need to set the records straight for avoidance of doubt by our teeming members and the general public.
The fact is that Ibinabo Fiberesima remains the only elected president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). The matter between St Maradona Mclive Johnson and AGN which judgment was pronounced by the Justice T.S. Tshoho of the Federal High Court Lagos on March 16, 2015 is a subject of appeal at the Federal Court of appeal Lagos, No:Ca/l/498/16″.
“Until final judgment is given by the Supreme Court, if it takes us there, it will ever remain like that. Examples abound of how State Governors were sacked by tribunals and even appeal courts but were never removed from office until Supreme Court gives it’s final judgment.
Our states’ executive committees were not aware of the meeting including over 85 per cent of State chairmen across the country. So the chairmen that attended the said meeting did so in their individual capacity and not on behalf of their state AGN chapters.
The National President is not also moved by all these distractions as she remains focused and committed to the welfare and wellbeing of our members.
She cannot be cowed out of office. We have respect for the rule of law and shall abide by the result of legal and constitutional process in order to entrench a lasting peace in our noble Guild.
Spotify yesterday revealed a significant surge in heartbreak song streams in Nigeria during the Valentine’s Day season, with a 626 percent increase between 2022 and 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lagos, Nigeria by Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa Phiona Okumu.
Okumu said, “Spotify data reveals a surprising trend, a massive surge in heartbreak song streams.
“Nigerians are turning to their playlists to express their emotions, with a staggering 626 per cent overall growth in heartbreak streams from 2022 to 2024.
“This Valentine, the sound of love is accompanied by the sound of heartbreak, and the data shows it’s louder than ever before.”
She said on Valentine’s Day, most surprisingly, male listeners streamed heartbreak songs at a significantly higher rate than female listeners, with a 362 per cent increase compared to 169 per cent among women.
“This could suggest that men resonate with the feeling of heartbreak more and turn to music as a private outlet for processing emotions.
“Whatever the reason, one thing is clear, when love is in the air, so is heartbreak and Nigerian men are pressing play on their pain more than expected.
“While Valentine’s Day is often celebrated with grand gestures, heartbreak is a common theme on Valentine’s Day -more than what’s publicly shown,” she said.
Nigerians will join their counterparts across the world to mark the 2025 Valentine’s today.
Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has joined MLS side San Diego FC’s ownership group as a club partner.
SDFC announced today that Tems joined the ownership group through her company, The Leading Vibe.
In the process, Tems became the first African woman to be involved in MLS ownership.
“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a club partner,” SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour said in a statement.
“Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which, of course, has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organisation.”
Reacting to her addition as the latest partner in SDFC’s ownership group, the singer said: “I am thrilled to join San Diego FC’s ownership group and to be part of a club that celebrates creativity, culture, and the power of community.
“Football has a unique way of bringing people together, and I am excited to help build something special in San Diego, a city that thrives on diversity and innovation.”
Fashion and beauty entrepreneur, Toyin Lawani, has claimed she is enduring back pain and that her spine is degenerating.
Lawani revealed this in a video posted on social media last Tuesday.
In the clip, she opened up about her experience with epidural anesthesia, an injection administered to pregnant women in the spine to reduce pain during childbirth.
The mother of three claimed that since receiving the injection, she has not felt like herself.
She accused doctors of not fully informing women about the long-term side effects of epidurals.
According to Lawani, she received the anesthetic injection during the birth of her last two children.
She said, “When you hear ‘epidural,’ run. Doctors tell you about the side effects but do not tell you about the long-term effects on your body. I have about three friends having the same issues that I am having.
“Like, I am just 42, how did I end up with spine issues? I have a degenerating spine. I have implants in my spine. I go paralyzed. I can’t stand for a long time. I can’t even breathe properly sometimes because it affected so many things in my body when I had the surgery.
“They will not tell you because you just want the pain to go away. I have had two epidurals. I had my first as natural birth. The last two were epidural. The last one I had epidural because I had to undergo a surgery and I had no choice.
“See, the pain does not stop. My back is killing me and my spine is degenerating.”