Entertainment
Dagrin’s Raw, Rare Talent, Deserves Immortalisation – Yakky
Since Dagrin’s demise on April 22, 2010, comments have been trailing the shocking and avoidable death that took away the life of the then foremost indigenous rapper.
As the tradition has been, remembering Dagrin, Yakky, a friend of the late rapper, who featured him in a song “Gbadun You”, reflected on his relationshtip with the Pon pon pon crooner.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday, Yakky described Dagrin as a “rare raw talent”, who will be difficult to replace.
“My relationship with Dagrin dates back to 2009. That same period, I featured him in a song Gbadun you. He was a true friend, who wanted growth for his friends. He was the one who advised me to be a make-up artiste, while we were shooting the video of his song Pon pon pon. He would always tell me, Yakky, do it like this, Yakky, try it this way. Very painful he died so early.
Reacting to the controversy trailing his collaboration with Dagrin, Yakky disclosed that he had to remix his song with Dagrin, featuring GreyC, Ayoola, Pepenazi, and retitled Adunni, not to leverage on it for stardom but “due to repeated dreams, calling for it”.
He however, called on all stakeholders in the entertainment industry to endeavour to keep the memory of Dagrin alive.
“Dagrin was very creative and hardworking and if he were to be alive, he would have made Nigeria very proud. For such a creative, talented star, we all in the entertainment industry should find a way to immortalise him,” Yakky said.
Lending his voice to the credibility of immortalising Dagrin, Nigerian-born Chicago based artist, Temi Yakubu, popularly known as Fresh, described Dagrin as an enigma, that died at a time the Nigerian entertainment sector needed him most. He shared his experience working on the song Beremole featuring Dagrin.
“I was thrilled by Dagrin’s intelligence when we met. He was thorough. His death threw me off”.
In the same vein, Producer Cool Breeze, said Dagrin’s death is still shocking.
“We had an appointment for the next day. Hearing the news of his death was quite unbelievable,” he said.
Born Olaitan Olaonipekun, Dagrin died on Thursday, April 22, 2010, eight days after his car ran into a stationary truck in front of Alakara Police Station, off Agege Motor Road, Mushin, Lagos. He was buried on Friday, April 30, 2010. He was 26 years old.
Organisers of Big Brother Naija have announced the opening of auditions for the show’s 11th season, unveiling registration details and requirements for prospective housemates.
In a statement on Saturday, the organisers said, “It’s time! #BBNaija Season 11 auditions registration is here,” noting that registration will run from May 16 to 20 for candidates seeking to qualify for the physical audition stage.
They explained that applicants must register via africamagic.tv/bigbrother, fill in personal details, and select preferred audition dates, locations and times, with physical auditions scheduled to hold between May 22 and 24 in Lagos, Abuja and Enugu.
According to the organisers, “AUDITION IS FREE”, and only persons aged 21 and above with valid identification documents are eligible to participate. They also warned that the registration portal will close once capacity is reached.
The statement further cautioned applicants on data usage and participation rules, noting that by submitting entries, participants grant the organisers permission to use audition materials in perpetuity and across global platforms. It also warned that multiple registrations could lead to disqualification.
The announcement comes months after the conclusion of Season 10, which returned to screens on July 26, 2025, featuring 29 housemates competing for a N150 million grand prize.
Imisi Ayanwale emerged as the winner of the season after securing 42.8 per cent of the total votes, ahead of finalists including Dede, Koyin, Sultana, Kola, Jason Jae, Mensan, Isabella and Kaybobo.
Past winners of the reality show include Mercy Eke, Laycon, Whitemoney, Kellyrae, Phyna and Ilebaye, with anticipation now building for Season 11 as viewers await possible new twists and format changes.
Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Genevieve Nnaji, is making her return to television in “Wahala”, a new six-part drama produced by BBC Studios.
The series is based on the novel “Wahala” by Nikki May and will air on BBC One, with episodes also available on BBC iPlayer.
It is adapted for television by BAFTA-nominated writer, Theresa Ikoko.
BBC confirmed the cast on Tuesday, announcing a female-led ensemble that includes Adelayo Adedayo, Deborah Ayorinde, Cush Jumbo, and Susan Wokoma, alongside Nnaji.
Set in London, Wahala follows four Nigerian-British women whose close friendship is tested as they navigate work, relationships, and family life. Their lives begin to shift when hidden secrets from the past resurface, bringing betrayal and tension to the surface.
Speaking about the project, Nnaji said: “I’m very happy to be joining Wahala and to be working with such a brilliant team. It’s an intriguing story, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Popular Nollywood actor, Alex Ekubo, is dead. He was 40.
His death was confirmed on Tuesday by his colleagues, Funke Akindele, Bolanle Ninalowo, and Godwin Nnadiekwe, who claimed to be his ally.
Sharing on her Instagram story, Akindele wrote, “Hmmmmmm. Rest in peace, Alex. I tried to reach out to see you one more time, but I guess you knew best. May your kind soul rest in peace, Alex. ‘Ore mi like you fondly called me, I will always remember and cherish the good times we shared together. Rest in Peace, Alex.”
Meanwhile, Ninalowo, who is now in the United States, also mourned on his page, writing, “Rest on, Alex. May God heal your family and us all.”
Nnadiekwe, on the other hand, shared, “I’m struggling to find the words. This news has truly broken me. Nollywood has lost a rare soul, and I’m lost for words because this wasn’t the plan, Alex Ekubo. To think you already prepared your Will — It’s heartbroken, I can’t quite describe. Rest well, my friend.”
As of the time of filing this report, his family has not issued a statement on his death.
Recall that fans across social media recently expressed concerns for Ekubo following his first public appearance after months of social media silence.
The light-skinned movie star had been absent from Instagram since December 30, 2024, sparking speculation about his well-being.
However, a recent video that surfaced online brought him back into the spotlight, though it also raised further questions.
In the viral clip, Ekubo was seen interacting with a group of children, appearing noticeably slimmer and subdued.
The video, posted by user @AsakyGRN on X (formerly Twitter), was captioned, “Alex Ekubo spotted for the first time since disappearing from social media.”
The footage triggered a wave of emotional reactions from fans, many of whom noted a significant change in his appearance and questioned his wellbeing.
Before his demise, the actor dismissed marriage in favour of his quest to earn more money in the film industry.
In January 2023, his then-lover, Fancy Acholonu, in an interview, revealed that she dated the late actor for five years without them having any intimacy.
The US-based model also called off her wedding to Ekubo in December 2021, after apologising to the film star a year later for calling it off.
Acholonu affirmed her love for the actor, saying that “like our shirt says, Nothing makes sense when we’re apart @alexxekubo you still have my heart.
“I miss you, I love you, and I’m truly sorry for all the hurt & pain you and your family went through with our breakup.”
She noted that her actions were out of character, and she has realised she could have controlled her emotions and not been so overreactive.
However, in a post on his Instagram page, Ekubo implied that he was aware that some people were curious about why he has not yet been married.
The film star said he was more interested in making money. He urged people not to bother about his marital status.
The Punch
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