Entertainment
Ifeanyi: The Death of Nigeria’s Most Popular Baby
By Eric Elezuo
A dark day it was on November 1, 2022 when Nigerians woke to the shocking news of Davido and his fiancee, Chioma’s son, Ifeanyi’s death. The news, which filtered in at midnight throw celebrity posts, hovered like a grand rumour until it gained ground, and became confirmed. Ifeanyichukwu ‘Davido’ Adeleke has died. He drowned in a swimming pool in his father’s house in highbrow Banana Island.
The news threw the country into unbelievable grieve, causing politicians and entertainers to shift their priories and programmes amid tears. Ifeanyi was only three years old; an age he attained only a week before his death. An age that was celebrated with pomp, pageantry and total exuberance.
Much as the parents of the child have not uttered a word on the issue till date, the Lagos State Command through its publicity department led by SP Benjamin Hundeyin, has continually kept the public abreast of the situation, culminating in its Saturday announcement that autopsy authorised to determine the cause of the child’d death was out. The content according to him, revealed that the boy some people have come to rever as Nigeria’s most popular baby died as a result of drowning.
Hundeyin said, “Autopsy has been concluded. It confirms the boy (Ifeanyi) drowned.”
Earlier, the Police had picked up all eight domestic staff on duty when the child died for questioning. They later released six, and detained only the cook and the nanny, who were directly in charge of Ifeanyi. The Police hinted that they may be charged for negligence.
It was reported that the nanny was with the toddler when the cook came to join them. The nanny claimed to have moved away to receive a call leaving the child with the cook who also insisted that he left the boy in the care of the nanny. The child’s body was later found at the bottom of the pool by a security guard 20 minutes later.
Analysts have wondered why it took the Nanny a whole 20 minutes to discover that the child was not with them, and why security guards in the facility do not regularly patrol the surroundings if it took 20 minutes for the guard to spot him.
A lot of people have said that Ifeanyi was a victim of circumstance arriving with so much fanfare as his mother was so loved among the four baby mamas of the star artist, Davido.
The pair broke the internet when on Chioma’s 23rd birthday, in 2018, Davido caused a stir on social media when he released a song titled ‘Assurance’ in homage to her. While lavishing love on her, he also generated a torrent of reactions by presenting her with a N45 million Porshe as a birthday gift. The car came with a plate number which reads ‘Assurance’.
Davido had specifically gone to the studio to release a single dedicated to Chioma. The song broke music charts, and placed Chioma on a great pedestal in Davido’s love line. However, shortly after their talk of the town traditional marriage, and birth of Ifeanyi, the two parted ways as a result of Davido’s alleged involvement with another woman overseas and another alleged romantic affair between Chioma and Davido’s staff, Peruzzi.
The disagreement reached a head recently when Chioma, an Economics undergraduate at Lead City University, learned that the singer had impregnated yet another woman.
Much as Chioma Rowland is greatly hit by the unfortunate death of the child because it was her only child, Davido is equally devastated as the child was his only son. His other baby mamas had daughters, Imade and Hailey, for him.
Imade Adeleke is the product of his romance with Sophie Momodu while he had Hailey Veronica Adeleke with an Atlanta-based lady popularly known as Amanda ‘Mandy Play’ on Instagram.
Their separation, more than setting them apart further cemented their love, and hyped their personalities. It was not therefore, a surprise when in June 2022, the duo made a drama comeback, setting 2023 for the wedding ceremony.
The circumstances that brought his parents together, broke them apart and brought them back again, have made the young Ifeanyi to remain in the limelight as the unofficial most popular in Nigeria. His popularity was shored up when his third birthday party took over the entire internet.
Though the last of the unfortunate has not been heard, Nigerians continue to mourn a boy many have said was finer than most beautiful girls; a boy many said was Nigeria’s most popular baby.
May the innocent soul of Ifeanyi rest in peace!
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in New Mexico along with their dog, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office told CNN. He was 95.
Their causes of death have not been confirmed, but foul play is not suspected, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila told CNN on Thursday morning.
Deputies responded to a welfare check request at the home around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday and found Hackman, Arakawa and a dog deceased, Womack-Avila said. An investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said. The gas company is assisting in the investigation, The Associated Press reported.
The welfare check was conducted after a neighbor called authorities, concerned about the couple’s well-being, CNN affiliate KOAT reported.
A search warrant shows that Hackman, his wife and their dog had been dead for some time, and the couple’s bodies were in different rooms when deputies found them during the wellness check, the AP reported.
Hackman was found dead Wednesday in a mudroom, and Arakawa was found dead in a bathroom next to a space heater. There was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the countertop near Arakawa, the AP reported.
Medical examiner’s reports with the final cause of death “generally take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to generate,” said Chris Ramirez, spokesperson for the New Mexico medical investigator’s office.
CNN has reached out to Hackman’s representatives.
The actor’s death comes just days before the Academy Awards on Sunday.
Hackman’s performances in such films as “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers,” “Unforgiven,” and “The Firm” elevated character roles to leading-man levels.
Hackman’s best roles were often of conflicted authority figures or surprisingly clever white-collar villains, such as the iconic, evil Lex Luthor in the “Superman” film series in the 1970s and ’80s. Many held a hint – sometimes more than a hint – of menace.
He won an Oscar for his portrayal in 1971’s “The French Connection” of New York cop Popeye Doyle, a detective who gets his man but at a high cost. His surveillance expert in 1974’s “The Conversation” is single-minded to the point of obsession, losing all perspective.
He won his second Oscar for his performance as Little Bill Daggett, the violent sheriff in Clint Eastwood’s 1992 film, “Unforgiven.”
Source: CNN
Nigerian music star, Patoranking, is guest this week on the Glo-sponsored African Voices, the magazine programme of the Cable News Network (CNN) International.
He will share the story of how he rose from the slums of Lagos to global fame to host of the programme, Larry Madowo.
The programme will equally host Ghanaian Derrick Cobinnah, who has been using his “Forces Help Africa” to turn round for good the fortunes of Ghanaian war veterans.
Patoranking, whose full name is Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie, hails from Onicha in Ebonyi State. He was born in Lagos on 27 May 1990. He is a Nigerian Afrobeats and reggae-dancehall singer and songwriter who starred out in life as a street musical performer.
He has won notable awards including Headies, Vodafone Ghana Music Awards as well as the MTV Africa Music Award in recognition of his hit albums including God Over Everything (2016), Wilmer (2019), Three (2020) and World Best which was released last year.
Patoranking has used his wealth and his position as a UNDP Regional goodwill ambassador to champion the cause of youth development in Nigeria.His counterpart, Derrick Cobinnah, has been employing his Forces Help Africa, a non-government organisation to render help and support to war veterans who are sick, injured, displaced or destitute.
The current edition of African Voices started airing on DSTV Channel 401 om Saturday, with repeats coming up on Sunday at 7p.m. and at 4 a.m. on Monday.
Entertainment
Behold the Prophetess: DJ Cuppy Foretells End of Singlehood in 2025 As Nigerians Offer Advice
Disc Jockey, DJ Cuppy, has prophesied that Valentine’s Day 2025 will be her last one as an unmarried woman.
The 32-year-old, in a post on X, expressed faith in God to help her get a husband.
“Happy #ValentinesDay to me! Manifesting that this is my last one unmarried… Lord, do your thing!” she wrote.
There have been diverse reactions to her post. While some professed love to her, others dished out unsolicited advice and even made recommendations for life partners.
Ogunniyi Taiwo (@tcarz45) wrote: “Baby come let me give you love unconditionally.”
Another X user “SanTa ExqCobar”≠ (@SanTaExqCobar) commented: “If na bad character make you never marry, change am. Happy Val.”
Mr Gibenny (@mrgibenny) suggested: “@uchecrypt is single @cuppymusic. @Crypto__hub is single @cuppymusic. Choose either of them, you won’t regret it.”
Mezie Abia (@MezieAbia) had this advice for Cuppy: “I hope you do realize that the Lord will not find husband for you? Go out there and make use of your woman skills to lure a man who will stick with you. We can’t have a good number of handsome and single men roaming the cities, and you’re always worrying and disturbing Lord to do His thing every damn year.
“Heaven helps those who help themselves, therefore, make a haste while the sun shines (sic).”
Olubunmi Aro (@bummiearo) wrote: “Don’t be under any pressure to marry please.”
Sulucious (@sulucious) asked Cuppy to marry him. “Let get married, na you they fine who get money,” he wrote.
DJ Cuppy announced her relationship with British boxer, Ryan Taylor, in December 2022.
After getting to know each other for 25 days, she disclosed that they got engaged.
However, after un-following one another on Instagram in July 2023, the couple gave rise to rumour that they were no longer together.
Cuppy later opened up about the failed relationship while recounting the setbacks in her life at an event.
Born as Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, DJ Cuppy is the daughter of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola.
