Entertainment
Celebrities Unite for Peace Ahead 2023 Elections
A non-partisan body of eminent individuals in Nigeria’s entertainment industry has charged Nigerians to come together in order to achieve a hitch-free and peaceful elections come 2023.
The entertainers who under the aegis of Celebrities United for Peace (CUP) include actors, artistes, poets, among others, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
The member of CUP frowned at the degree of hate speech, fake news, and sentimentalism which is rife on social media. They also encouraged Nigerians to embrace patriotism and seek collective interest above other individual or sectional interest.
On Tuesday, CUP organized a media briefing with the theme ‘2023 General Election and National Peace/Order’ in order to express their plans and line of action toward the elections.
Present at the briefing were the Special Adviser to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Steve Eboh; Dr. Mrs. Olusola Darasimi; the President of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas; representatives from the Department of State Service (DSS); veterans and upcoming acts in the entertainment industry; among others.
Addressing pressmen at the briefing, the convener of Celebrities United for Peace (CUP), Mr. Andy Chukwu observed: ‘Owing to the commencement of electioneering campaign in line with INEC directives, electorates are bound to pitch tents with different political parties and candidates. This usually gives rise to verbal warfare as supporters are always ready to go the extra mile to market and promote their candidate. Sometimes this results to hate speech, dissemination of fake news to discredit their opponents with resultant violence’.
‘Having carefully considered the effect of these vices we have offered ourselves as mediators between the citizens, the political parties, and the candidates to educate them on the need to jettison hate speech, fake news, and shun violence before, during, and after the elections. As we have experienced even before the advent of the 2023 general election calendar, the social media space, regional platforms, and religious communities have been unnecessarily charged by fake news, social instigation, tribal, and religious sentiments’
‘Our ultimate goal is to reignite unconditional patriotism amongst the citizenry and make the protection of our unity and peaceful corporate existence an endearing necessity of collective interest. To this end a peaceful 2023 election becomes sacrosanct. Our focus is to disabuse the minds of all stakeholders and the general public from extremism, hate speech, fake news dissemination and violent engagement throughout the electoral process. The expected impact of this will activate a national conscience-oriented mentality and strategic hacking of these vices from the roots will dismantle agitated structures of conflict and guarantee a rancor-free election’, NAOSNP gathered.
Assuring Nigerians about the nonpartisan nature of the group, Andy Chukwu shared: ‘We are quite aware that most creative minds have pitched tents with different political camps and interests. We, Celebrities United for Peace, are devoid of any partisan interest or tribal alignment, as we are committed to moderating and nurturing the conscience of all for the emancipation of a united and peaceful Nigeria beyond the 2023 election.’
The convener used the opportunity to praise the efforts of all security agencies in Nigeria to avert violence and maintain orderliness. ‘But for the gallantry of our law enforcement agents especially the DSS whose capacity in intelligence gathering and management have ensured national stability as most of these vices are obvious threats to our national unity and security at large’, Chukwu concluded.
In the same vein, the President of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas briefly addressed pressmen. ‘We are not interested in a party, we are interested in Nigeria, in good governance and peaceful elections. That is why we are having this. We want a greater Nigeria.’
‘If you see an actor campaigning for a candidate, they are free to campaign but Actors Guild of Nigeria is not the one campaigning, the Producers Guild is not the one campaigning, Nollywood in general is not campaigning. We are interested in Nigeria. We also want to tell the principals of each political party, please can you convince us with your ideas about good governance’, Rollas noted.
Chief Magistrate Court in Ifo, Ogun State, sentenced Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, also known as Portable, to three months in prison for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
He was offered the option of paying a N30,000 fine.
The court found Portable guilty of two charges stemming from a November 18, 2022, incident in Okeosa, Ilogbo.
According to the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Olumide Awoleke, the singer attacked an officer, obstructed an arrest, and was involved in the theft of studio equipment.
The charge sheet listed three offences: conspiracy to conduct assault, physical attack on an officer, and theft of music equipment, including a Yamaha studio monitor and an AKG microphone.
“That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, and others now at large, on the 18th day of November 2022 at 11:00 hrs, in Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit: assault, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State 2006.
““That you, Habeeb Okikiola Olalomi, on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned district, did unlawfully assault one Osimosu Emmanuel Oluwafemi (male) by beating him all over his body, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 351 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.
“That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, on various occasions in the year 2022, at Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District, did steal some musical equipment, including a Yamaha H55 studio monitor, a complete Studio 2 interface connection cable, and an AKG P420 condenser, thereby committing an offence contrary to Sections 384 and 383 and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2006.”
Chief Magistrate Babajide Ilo ruled that Portable was guilty of assault and resisting arrest, sentencing him to one month in prison with a N10,000 fine option for the first count, and two months with a N20,000 fine option for the second.
Juju music singer, King Sunny Ade, has finally spoken to dispel the swirling rumour that he has been kidnapped.
For several days, social media platforms were abuzz with speculation that the musician had been abducted, leaving his fans both worried and confused.
In response to the frenzy, Sunny Ade took to a video released by his wife, Mrs. Bose Olubo-Adegeye, to dispel the unfounded rumours.
“Nobody kidnapped me,” the renowned singer said with his accustomed calmness.
“I pray, as I don’t want anybody to kidnap me. I believe the whole world is in love with me. This is me, King Sunny Ade.
“I have to thank God and you, my fans, for the concern. I have been doing my shows. I was at a show last Saturday at Lekki, Lagos. I am on my way to have a show, and I am coming back again to play in Lagos, as well,” he said.
Sunny Ade, fondly referred to as KSA, reassured his fans, thanking them for their concern and love.
The musician explained that the confusion surrounding his absence could have been linked to the fact that some of his children hadn’t seen him recently.
“I know my children are in love with me, and they want to see me. I didn’t go anywhere. This is me. I thank the children, too, for their concern as well,” KSA added.
The 78-year-old star, who is known for his vibrant performances and contributions to Nigerian music, expressed his continued passion for music.
“By God’s grace, enjoyment continues. I am still in music. Music is my life; it is my business, and I will continue to do it.”
The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria has voiced strong objection to ban imposed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s trending song, “Tell Your Papa.”
The IPMAN President, Pretty Okafor, emphasised that the ban was likely to backfire, as it only serves to amplify the song’s reach and relevance in light of the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigerians.
Okafor stated: “The first major mistake is banning the song because it’s going to make the song even go viral right now. Those who haven’t heard about the song or haven’t even listened to it will go now to look for the song and will start promoting it. The song has practically pinched the government somewhere, that’s why they ordered for the ban. So, there is already a mistake that has been made by the NBC or even the government by paying attention to that particular song.”
Discussing PMAN’s position on the matter, Okafor remarked, “We don’t have the power to offer the artiste support right now because it is a very sensitive issue, so, we need to be careful. We will just be watching because people are dying and the suffering is too much. How do we repair the economy? We cannot pretend that all is well. The song is telling us the truth, and there is nothing wrong with that song.”
The NBC barred Nigerian radio and television stations from airing the trending song, “Tell Your Papa,” by popular rapper Eedris Abdulkareem, citing its “objectionable nature.”
In a memo dated April 9, 2025, and issued by the Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Susan Obi, the commission declared the track “Not To Be Broadcast” under Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
This section prohibits content deemed inappropriate, offensive, or in breach of public decency from being aired on Nigerian broadcast platforms.
According to NBC, while the song had gained momentum across social media platforms, its lyrical content failed to meet the standards of responsible broadcasting.
The statement titled, “Restriction on broadcasting ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem,” reads, “The National Broadcasting Commission has identified the song ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem, currently trending on social media, as content deemed inappropriate for broadcast due to its objectionable nature.
” It is, therefore, classified as Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB), as it violates Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“The commission requests that your station exercises discretion and refrains from airing this song to maintain responsible broadcasting standards.”
The controversial song, released earlier this week, targets Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, calling on him to confront his father over the worsening socio-economic conditions in Nigeria.
In the track titled “Tell Your Papa,” which was shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Abdulkareem delivered a blunt message, painting a grim picture of the hardships facing everyday Nigerians.
The song comes in response to Seyi Tinubu’s recent comments in Adamawa State, where he described his father as “the greatest President in Nigeria’s history.”
In the hard-hitting lyrics, Abdulkareem raps, “Seyi, tell your papa country hard. Tell your papa people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga.”
“Seyi, how far? I swear your Papa no try. Too much empty promises. On behalf of Nigerians, take our message to him; kidnappers dey kill Nigerians.
“Seyi, try travel by road without your security, make you feel the pains of fellow Nigerians. You dey fly private jets, insecurity no be your problem.”
