Entertainment
Ayefele releases 25th album as ‘manifestation’ hits town
•how his 12/12 car crash anniversary thanksgiving shook Ibadan
For fans of the Tungba gospel crooner, Dr Yinka Ayefele, MON, who have been anxious to relish his new album slated for release this month, the wait is finally over.
Ayefele’s new album entitled Manifestation is due to be officially released nationwide on Sunday, December 19, six days to Christmas.
A statement issued by his media team said the nine-track record is marketed and distributed by Aloy Production International in Lagos.
The ‘new baby’ of the award-winning iconic singer, Manifestation, pushes his discography to 25, not counting thousands of live records and a handful of singles.
Also released, according to the statement, is the video of his 2020 album entitled Ekundayo, which is marketed and distributed by the Ibadan-based Role Model Entertainment Limited.
The Chief Executive Officer of the most popular radio station in the South of Nigeria, Fresh FM, hugged limelight 24 years ago with the release of his debut album tagged Bitter Experience.
The first album chronicled his sad experience in a ghastly car crash on December 12, 1997, on his way to Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
To mark the 24th anniversary of the incident which became a turning point in his life, Ayefele, at a ceremony held in Jogor Centre, Ibadan, on Sunday, December 12, 2021, rolled out the drums to celebrate 12 people who, like the rock of Gibraltar, have stood by him through thick and thin.
It was an event graced by who-is-who in the government of Oyo State and politicians from the opposition parties, including members of the State Executive Council, the House of Assembly and the National Assembly, not leaving out chairmen of federal agencies and boards.
Tagged 12/12 thanksgiving, Ayefele gave out awards to the 12 people who are mostly members of his globally acclaimed Merry Maker Band, particularly Mr David Aremu, his lead talking drummer who goes by the stage name Jegede.
His wife of many years and mother of triplets, Mrs Tope Ayefele, who was among the 12 ‘Samaritans,’ got a four-flat building of three bedroom flats each as a gift from her husband in addition to the award.
Appreciating the ‘good Samaritans’, Ayefele said “Please help me thank these people who have been a strong pillar for me since that unfortunate accident which happened 24 years ago. They have been steadfast and loyal.
“The accident of 24 years ago was my turning point. I thank God for His faithfulness. I thank God for the manifestation of His grace, mercy and goodness in my life at all times.
“Today, my bitter experience has turned to sweet experience. Indeed, ekun mi ti dayo [my sorrowful tear has become joy]. Thank you all for your love, prayers and support,” he said.
The event was held together with the annual Miss Oyo Beauty Pageant hosted by Mayor Isaac Brown, Ayefele’s man Friday and host of the popular political interview programme on Fresh FM called Political Circuit.
Not only did Ayefele reward his band members for their loyalty, he also extended the celebration to 12 lucky winners who had bought entry tickets to the event.
Picked through a raffle draw conducted by the regulatory body, Ayefele in appreciating God for sparing him in the accident lavished nine (9) brand new Hisense refrigerators, a complete living room settee and two brand new TV sets on the winners.
The hall erupted in jubilation as the gifts were given to the winners who were full of praise to Ayefele and prayed for God to continue to bless him.
The Ipoti-Ekiti-born singer assured his fans worldwide he will never let them down, promising to continue to dish out good songs.
Entertainment
Eight Stabbed, Hundreds Arrested at Notting Hill Carnival
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that eight people were stabbed and hundreds were arrested during last weekend’s Notting Hill Carnival, one of the world’s largest street festivals, held annually in west London.
In an update on their policing operation late Monday, the Met reported that five people were stabbed on the final day of the three-day celebration, which is internationally renowned for its vibrant display of British Afro-Caribbean culture.
This followed three other stabbings on Sunday. Three of the victims were left in life-threatening conditions.
Police made at least 230 arrests on Monday alone, including 49 for possession of an offensive weapon.
These arrests added to the scores of others made earlier in the weekend. In addition to the arrests, three firearms were seized, and 35 officers sustained injuries during the event, which attracts around a million attendees every August bank holiday weekend.
The number of arrests and incidents this year closely mirrors last year’s figures when there were 10 stabbings and approximately 300 arrests.
Despite the heavy police presence, with around 7,000 officers deployed, the carnival was once again marred by violence, particularly knife crime. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of revellers enjoyed the event without incident, filling the streets of Notting Hill with colour, music, and dancing.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Ade Adelekan expressed his frustration over the recurring violence, noting that a woman attending the carnival with her child was among those stabbed.
“We only very narrowly avoided a fatality,” he said, urging attendees to report any crimes they witness.
The Notting Hill Carnival, a celebration of British Afro-Caribbean culture, has its roots in the 1950s, following the post-World War II influx of immigrants from former British colonies.
The annual event is known for its feathered dancers, steel bands, and earth-shaking sound systems, symbolizing the rich cultural heritage of the Afro-Caribbean community in the UK.
Entertainment
Portable Granted Bail After Night in Police Cell Over ₦14m Debt
The Lagos State Police Command has freed renowned street artist, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, following a night spent in police detention.
Portable was apprehended on Tuesday in Lagos’ Abule Egba vicinity for purportedly defaulting on the balance payment for a G-Wagon vehicle he had purchased from an auto dealer.
Reports suggest that although the ‘Zazoo Zeh’ maestro acquired the vehicle valued at ₦27 million, he only disbursed ₦13 million, leaving a ₦14 million outstanding balance.
In footage that went viral, Portable was observed scaling a gate as law enforcement officers approached him with an arrest warrant.
Subsequently, another video emerged depicting him being restrained, handcuffed, and conveyed by approximately four policemen into a waiting vehicle.
During the altercation, a female voice, purportedly that of the car dealer, was heard in the background, issuing profanities and recounting Portable’s alleged threats when confronted about settling the debt.
The Police spokesperson in the state, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that Portable was released on bail on Wednesday after spending Tuesday night in police custody.
He further disclosed that both Portable and the car dealer are expected to reconvene at a later date.
“He (Portable) has been released; he was granted bail on Wednesday to come back with the complainant later,” Hundeyin stated, stressing that “the outcome of that meeting will determine our next line of action.”
This incident marks not the first encounter between the singer and law enforcement.
In April 2023, Portable was detained by the police in Ogun State and arraigned on five charges related to alleged assault and theft at the Ifo Magistrate Court, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Subsequently, he was held at the Ilaro Correctional Centre before being released upon meeting bail conditions.
Entertainment
Autopsy Results Fail to Determine Cause of Mohbad’s Death
In a recent inquiry into the untimely demise of Nigerian musician, Ilerioluwa Aloba, better known as Mohbad, held at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof. Sunday Osiyemi, a Forensic Scientist and Pathologist, revealed that the results of the autopsy conducted on the deceased failed to unveil the cause of death.
Speaking before Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi, who presided over the coroner’s inquiry, Prof. Osiyemi cited various factors contributing to the inconclusive findings, notably the significant decomposition of the body due to the extended delay of 21 days before the autopsy was performed.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu, representing Mohbad’s family, emphasised that according to the pathologist, the body should have been exhumed within 12 hours post-burial to prevent decomposition, a critical factor in determining the cause of death.
Shittu further elucidated that the pathologist referenced the administration of certain drugs to Mohbad before his demise, suggesting a potential correlation between the drugs and the difficulties encountered in pinpointing the cause of death.
“He also went further to say that it may be attributed to reactions to certain drugs administered on him before he died. Again he then qualified that to say he does not know whether it is those drugs that actually led to his death,” Shittu stated.
With the cause of death remaining elusive, the coroner adjourned the proceedings to June 11th for further examination and cross-examination of the pathologist’s findings, signaling a continuation in the quest for answers surrounding Mohbad’s untimely passing.
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