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From Fathia to Funke | By Tunde Busari
About five years after I had picked the cd from my distributor at Iyana Ipaja back then, I just found the time to watch the content of Fathia Balogun’s IYA ALALAKE. I recall that the poster, which advertised the film, stimulated my urge to pick the cd, seeing Fathia in a completely odd costume of a female musician behind microphone, backed up by men at a live show.
Regardless of the story being told by the film, Fathia proved she is an all-rounder performer by her proficiency, deliberately sustaining the humorous intent of the film with her regular chant of ofooro mantra at every tensed mood. I still want to believe that beyond theatre, the film is an exposition of a reality of life and times of a Yoruba female songbird with her beauty in being rave of her time and ugliness of being a nuisance to her supposed clients.
She determines which show to attend and which to snub even after having pocketed engagement fee. In predictable conspiracy with her manager acted by Muyiwa Ademola, she commits the crime without considering feelings of her disappointed clients. But she meets her match in a serving soldier whose wife insists in having Fathia performed at her occasion. As usual she disappoints and finds herself arrested and subjected to physical punishment by a team of soldiers.
It’s funny I could not watch the film to the end to have a full grasp of its theme. The disk was embarrassingly skipping and thus putting my patience to test. However, I must buy another copy of the two-part cd to enjoy the fun by Fathia, Iyabo Oko, her mother from whom she inherits music; Femi Adebayo, a band member, Sanyeri, another band member, Kamilu Compo, Fathia’s frustrated husband.
I enjoy dialogue between Fathia and that guy when he is pressed to assert himself as her husband over another disagreement. Fathia charges and reminds him the history of their marriage, including how she is the breadwinner in the matrimony. Wow! The man is speechless on the spot, perhaps wishing a force took him out of sight. His immediate reaction is a visit to Oga Bello, perhaps an uncle, to protest and seek permission to call it quit with Fathia. Oga Bello, however, advises him against divorce. The option he gives him unfortunately disappears with the skipping cd, denying me the rest of the hilarious story.
It is said that Fathia is a Delta blood but water of Lagoon in her system is thicker, for she is more Yoruba than an Ile-Ife daughter, for instance, born by parents who say Yoruba speaking is prohibited in their household. One who is not very deep in Yoruba culture would have messed the Iya Alalake character up because there are some non-verbal communication skills required to give more meaning to the script. God bless the talents of Fathia the more because she is really impressive in that film.
Before I sign off this Wednesday morning, I need to make a stopover at Funke Akindele’s residence with a warning to other celebrities to thread softly. If Funke had read my last week message through Alhaja Salawa Abeni titled BEHIND THE CURTAIN, she probably would not have got her fingers burnt.
I wrote: “The wisdom here is that celebrities should always be in charge of themselves, regardless of situations they find themselves. They shouldn’t be carried away by smiles or hard look of the public to fall cheaply and stupidly too into veiled traps by which they are surrounded.”
Prophetically, I added: “Assuredly, however, hers (Salawa Abeni) is not going to mark the end of such scandal as our celebrities appear to be unmindful of their status, thereby engaging in series of unholy acts behind the curtain and sometimes in the public. They should be reminded that lens of phones is watching everyone, everwhere and everything. So they should watch their back so that they don’t receive Salawa message.”
Will they listen? Hmmnn, time will tell. But certainly, failure to manage fame is a sickness plagued most of these people in entertainment, going by their occasional pellets which they fire at one another over trivial issues like skirt and blouse, shoes and bags, cars and other mundane acquisitions.
The Kano State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo over allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and breach of public trust.
The notice was presented yesterday during plenary by the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini Dala, who said the action follows Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dala said the allegations stem from Abdussalam’s tenure as Commissioner for Local Government (2023–2024) and his current role as deputy governor. He accused the deputy governor of diverting funds meant for the 44 local government councils.
According to the majority leader, Abdussalam allegedly received N1.5 million monthly from each council between June 2023 and January 2024, totaling N462 million. Between February and July 2024, he allegedly collected N3.255 million monthly from each council under the guise of special assignments, amounting to N726 million.
Dala also accused the deputy governor of abuse of office, claiming he facilitated payments of N10 million from each council to NovoMed Pharmaceuticals Limited, totaling N440 million, in violation of state procurement laws.
“The misuse of official capacity to confer undue advantage constitutes abuse of power and undermines public trust,” Dala told lawmakers, adding that the allegations amount to gross misconduct under the Constitution.
The impeachment notice was reportedly endorsed by 38 lawmakers, meeting the constitutional threshold to proceed. The Speaker has acknowledged receipt, and the House is expected to serve the allegations on the deputy governor.
If approved, a panel may be constituted by the state Chief Judge to investigate the claims.
As of filing, Abdussalam had yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
The Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that he had joined the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, made the announcement during a media briefing in Abuja, attributing his decision to what he described as irreconcilable differences within the PDP.
The lawmaker said the emergence of the NDC would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system by providing a credible opposition platform.
According to him, the party recently received its certificate of registration from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “Last week INEC issued a certificate of registration and we now have the newest party in Nigeria known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress and our symbol is victory, the victory sign.
“So, my dear Nigerians, you now have a credible alternative opposition party known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress.”
Dickson noted that although the party’s registration took longer than expected, its eventual approval was a welcome development for the country’s democratic landscape.
“Yes, it is coming at this time. We would have wished it started some years or months back. We don’t control INEC and their processes; they delayed. We don’t also control the judiciary, but thank God it has finally arrived,” he said.
The senator also stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must not slide into a one-party system, insisting that political diversity remained vital for national stability.
“This nation cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria is not designed to be a one-party state.
“We are a very diverse nation culturally, religiously and politically and that is the beauty of our country.
“So anyone or any party promoting one-party rule in Nigeria is mistaken. We build political parties and get involved in movements to access power for the good of the people, not for our personal benefit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission recently announced the registration of two new political parties.
The parties are the Democratic Leadership Alliance and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, bringing the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
The announcement was made by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with political party stakeholders for 2026.
According to him, the Democratic Leadership Alliance completed the required verification process, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old alleged drug lord, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had reportedly been on the agency’s wanted list and that of British authorities for over 15 years.
Ilomuanya was apprehended in Lagos on Monday, February 23, 2026, following what the agency described as a high-level, coordinated operation by officers of its Special Operations Unit.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi.
Babafemi said the suspect’s arrest ended a prolonged manhunt linked to his alleged involvement in drug trafficking activities across Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
According to the statement, Ilomuanya was first arrested in February 2003 in the United Kingdom and convicted for drug trafficking.
He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment but was released after serving two years following a successful appeal.
Babafemi added that the suspect was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 over drug-related offences.
He said, “He was granted administrative bail but jumped jurisdiction and fled to Nigeria.
“Typical of a recidivist, Ilomuanya was in November 2018 arrested in Nigeria by NDLEA operatives following the discovery of two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in his Obinugwu, Orlu Local Government Area country home in Imo State and at his No. 3 Barrister Declan Uzoma Close, Lagos residence where officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine and extensive production equipment.
“He was subsequently charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos, after which he jumped court bail and has been on the run since then.”
Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the agency’s ongoing war against drug trafficking networks.
Marwa said the operation demonstrated the agency’s resolve to track down criminal elements regardless of how long they evade the law.
He said, “This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who think they can hide behind borders to escape justice.
“Whether you jump bail in London or set up clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will eventually catch up with those who choose to undermine the health, security, and future of our nation.
“We remain committed to our international collaborations to ensure that Nigeria is not used as a sanctuary for global drug lords.”
Marwa also commended officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism and persistence in tracking down the suspect.
He added that the agency would continue to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and international cooperation to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.
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