Entertainment
How Akala was used to turn my life around – Femolancaster reveals
Fast-rising Nigerian Juju musician, Otunba Femi Fadipe better known as ‘Femolancaster’ has revealed how the personality of former Oyo State Governor, Otunba Christopher Alao Akala brought him into limelight in the musical industry.
According to him, “The special album I waxed for His Excellency, Otunba Alao – Akala in 2005 and 2006 brought me fame even though I had been singing since 1999.
“I will say it here that Otunba Akala was used to turn my life as a musician around. He used his personality to encourage and lift me up. May God continue to be with him and his family too.”
Femi, a marketing graduate from the Kwara State Polytechnic made these revelations while featuring on a weekly radio show, anchored by Olayinka Agboola, in Ibadan during the week.
While speaking about how he got his stage name in the music industry, he said , “It started in my secondary school days. I used to visit one of my cousins studying at the University of Ibadan who was staying at Kuti Hall. One day he just called me Femolancaster and the name sounded odd to me.
“I rejected it immediately and asked not to be addressed as such but the more I rejected it, the more I got popular with it. I did not like the name. However, today, even my mum calls me nothing than Femolancaster”.
Speaking on his relationship with other musicians, “I am at peace with all my colleagues. I am not fighting with anybody, I have cordial relationship with them. I am an Ijesha man, I am after fame and money”.
When asked about the Nigerian musician that has impacted most on his life, he quickly raised the name of a popular musician, Dr Yinka Ayefele.
He said he is his role model and mentor in the industry as the creative musician has helped him to ride on his shoulder to achieve greatness and success in the music industry.
“I can remember one of my trips to the United States of America – there was an opportunity I could have missed but Dr Ayefele did not allow me to miss it. He permitted me to open the stage for him in California and other cities while in the US.”, he said.
Femolacaster , also used the opportunity to admonish Nigerian youths to put God first in their daily endeavors and to shun hard drugs as it is capable of ruining their future.
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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