Entertainment
At 90, I can’t venture into acting again – Iya Osogbo
Veteran Yoruba actress, Madam Grace Owoola Oyin-Adejobi, popularly known as Iya Osogbo on Tuesday said that she would never venture into the business of acting again in her life.
She also spoke for the first time about the day an excited fan nearly ran her into a gutter with her jeep vehicle on her way to the office of one of her children in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State.
According to her, this experience has remained indelible in her memory because her thought was that the day was going to be her last on planet earth, except in the end it did not turn out as she feared initially.
“The fan eventually came down from her car to let me know that she merely wanted to exchange greetings with me. She later enveloped ten thousand naira and dashed me.”
Iya Osogbo who was the wife of the late versatile actor in the Yoruba genre, Chief Oyin Adejobi made these revelations while featuring on Parrot Xtra Hour on Radio anchored by Olayinka Agboola in Ibadan.
The veteran actress added that she started her acting career some 67 years ago and she also mentioned that she had already made her name before she acted in the film titled “Eran Iya Osogbo” thereby correcting the erroneous belief her admirers had held before now.
She said that unlike now when acting has become not only the in-thing and profitable, in her time, parents frowned at people, especially women who ventured into the profession as they were generally regarded as unserious types and therefore wayward.
Madam Oyin-Adejobi expressed her displeasure over the near-nudity being practiced by actresses in Nigeria, advising them not to be deceived by the pleasures of the world but to believe that they can succeed through dint of hard work and the grace of God.
On how she met her late husband, Oyin Adejobi who died in the year 2000, she said that both of them went to the same school and were also living on the same street, saying that right from the start of his career, he was never under a boss.
She said that apart from the death of her husband, the lowest point for her life was when her fourth child, a female died .
“It took me a long time to recover from that experience”, she said.
However, her happiest moment was when she gave birth to her first child, a boy in 1954.
Iya Osogbo narrated further that whenever their theater group went to stage plays or was showing a film in a cinema house, she was the one who used to sell ticket unmindful of what some miscreants might do, “as I know that they all love me adding that it was at Jebba that we raised the gate fee of our shows to twenty Kobo which had a lot of value unlike what obtains nowadays where the value of money is nothing to write home about”.
She admonished younger generation of Nigerians on the need to work hard and be focused.
“I got to attain this age because of God’s mercy. In addition, the Almighty also gave me the wisdom of preserving my body and being moderate in all I have been doing. Our youths should emulate this too. They should learn to be God fearing too.”
Iya Osogbo, who featured prominently in productions like Orogun Adedigba, Kuye, Kootu Ashipa and others will officially turn 90 on Sunday. She equally announced that there will be no formal event to mark the occasion.
She added , “All my admirers including colleagues and family members have agreed to postpone whatever plan they have to celebrate my 90th birthday because we must obey NCDC’s COVID-19 prevention rules.”
Popular Nigerian singer, Adekunle Kosoko, better known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simisola Kosoko, also known as Simi, have welcomed a set of twin babies.
The singer announced the good news via his Snapchat story on Wednesday.
“Asked God for another child and He blessed me double,” Simi wrote.
Although the gender of the babies has not been disclosed, the announcement has since attracted congratulatory messages from fans, colleagues and well-wishers across the entertainment industry.
The development comes months after Simi had hinted at her pregnancy. In December, she shared a video on Instagram, captioned, “From my baby, for my babies,” with the clip showing her baby bump.
The arrival of the twins also comes weeks after Simi featured in a snippet from Adekunle Gold’s recently released music video titled My Love Is the Same.
Adekunle Gold and Simi got married in 2019 after years of friendship and musical collaboration. Both artistes were formerly signed to X3M Music early in their careers and have since remained one of Nigeria’s most celebrated celebrity couples.
The couple welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.
Renowned Tungba gospel musician, Dr Yinka Ayefele, has released a new studio album titled Reflections, adding another chapter to his long-standing influence in Nigeria’s gospel music scene.
The album, which was released on Monday, December 22, 2025, blends introspection with praise, as Ayefele reflects on life, faith and gratitude to God, drawing from personal experiences marked by trials, near-tragedies and triumphs.
Announcing the release in a statement, the Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Fresh Nigeria and Yinka Ayefele Limited, Samson Akindele, said the album captures the musician’s deep reflections on life and his renewed commitment to thanksgiving and praise through music.
Musically, Reflections is rooted in Ayefele’s signature Tungba style, featuring energetic drum percussions, rich string arrangements and call-and-response patterns, supported by harmonious backup vocals from the Merry Makers Band.
The album also incorporates diverse elements, including Tungba hymnals and an Arabic praise chant rendered by a budding female talent, Harike Jesu, who additionally delivers a danceable Fuji-inspired track.
According to details of the project, the opening track focuses on Ayefele’s life journey and lessons drawn from past experiences, while subsequent tracks express appreciation to fans and sustain a flow of upbeat, dance-friendly rhythms.
Reflections is available on major digital streaming and download platforms, including Spotify, Boomplay, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Audiomack, YouTube Music, Deezer and Tidal.
The compact disc version is expected to be released in the coming days under the Yinka Ayefele Music label.
Jamaican reggae icon, Jimmy Cliff, is dead. He died on Monday at the age of 81.
His wife, Latifa Chambers, announced the singer’s passing in a statement posted on his official Instagram page.
Chambers said Cliff “crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” describing the loss as “profoundly saddening.”
She wrote, “I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists, and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career.”
Cliff, revered as one of reggae’s defining figures and widely regarded as the genre’s most influential artiste after the late Bob Marley, enjoyed a stellar career that spanned more than four decades.
A multi-instrumentalist known for classics such as You Can Get It If You Really Want and The Harder They Come, Cliff blended reggae with folk, soul, ska and rock. His music frequently tackled themes of politics, poverty, injustice and social resistance.
He shot to global prominence following the release of the 1972 film The Harder They Come, in which he starred. The movie, partly inspired by his tough upbringing, played a pivotal role in pushing Jamaican reggae onto the world stage.
Reacting to his death, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, described Cliff as “a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world.”
“His music lifted people through hard times, inspired generations, and helped to shape the global respect that Jamaican culture enjoys today,” Holness said.
“Walk good, Jimmy Cliff. Your legacy lives on in every corner of our island and in the hearts of the Jamaican people,” he added.
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