Entertainment
Nedu, Ex-Wife Disagree over How Children Were Handed Over to OAP
Comedian Chinedu Ani, better known as Nedu, says his ex-wife, Uzoamaka Ohiri, willingly handed their two daughters to him at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, on Tuesday.
She, however, told The PUNCH that she did so under duress.
Nedu also posted the statement written by his ex-wife at the SCID, wherein she stated, among other things, that she was handing the children over because she had challenges with rent.
In the statement, she said she would be given full access to the children while they remain in her ex-husband’s custody.
The statement she wrote at the SCID reads in part, “I, Uzoamaka, on this 28th day of September, 2021, handed over my daughters, Kaylah six years old, and Praise, four years old, to their father, Mr. Chinedu Emmanuel Ani.
“I brought them back from Owerri where they were staying with my mother, Mrs. Uzoamaka Ohiri, because our rent in Lagos had expired so my kids arrived in Lagos on the 27th of September, 2021.
“Mr. Chinedu has agreed that as the children are with him, I Uzoamaka will have uninterrupted access to the kids and if their school is changed, I will be informed until the court grants any one of us custody of our daughters.”
In addition to explaining how he took over the two female children, the comedian also posted receipts of the air ticket he booked for his ex-wife to fly the children down to Lagos from Owerri where they were staying with their maternal grandmother.
Explaining the issue via his verified Instagram page, Nedu states:
“I am sad that once again, I need to clear the air on what I consider a private matter. But for the sake of all the parties involved, it is pertinent that I do so.
“Please let the following be clear to all journalists, blogs, news platforms, etc;
“1. Contrary to the rumours being peddled around, I do take care of my children and will continue to as it is my duty.
“2. Neither I nor the police forcefully took my kids away from my ex-wife. It was a unanimous agreement. Please feel free to read her handwritten statement and also see the bag with which she brought their clothes.
“3. The children in question were taken to Owerri to live for over a month without my consent or permission. My ex-wife took that decision without consulting me… I paid for the flight for her to go and bring them back to Lagos after it was agreed by all parties that it was better they were returned to Lagos especially as they school in Lagos.
“4. I am a person who believes in doing things the right way and so far on this matter, I have stayed within the provisions of the law. A case was filed against my ex-wife for cyber-bullying and other grievances. She was invited to respond and the matter is ongoing alongside custody resolution.
“I am tired of the sensational manner in which this news is being dispersed. I do not grant interviews or speak on the matter to the press. I would advise my ex-wife and her cousins/sister to follow suit.
“We are not dealing with inanimate objects here but living and breathing beings who will one day deal with the consequences of this fall-out.
“I truly want to continue to focus on my career, my family and my life as I am not the first or the last man to have a failed marriage.”
In a swift reaction, however, the ex-wife told The PUNCH that the Police and Nedu forced her to hand over her kids against her will.
Uzoamaka said that, for several days when she was reporting at the SCID, she was treated as a crime suspect by the Police, while her lawyer was usually not allowed to be in the interrogation room with her.
The comedian’s ex-wife said Nedu was allowed to bring in phones and take pictures at the SCID, while she was always made to leave her phone at the entrance, which, she said, was evidence that the Police were partial.
She alleged that her phone was eventually seized by the Police, all in a bid to prevent her from writing anything about her ordeal on social media.
The 37-year-old mother-of-three wondered why the Police would get involved in a purely civil case and why it was at a Police facility that the children were handed over to Nedu.
She said, “That is so untrue. Those people have dealt with me so much. They have threatened me and forced me to do things that I didn’t want to do.
“My children were not meant to be back in Lagos. Those people have threatened me so much.
“Yes, we’ve been having rent issues. Yes, we’ve been asking him to support and help us, which he has refused to do. So, these people have done a whole lot.
“There is nothing like willingly giving him my children. There was nothing like that.
“Nedu is just hell-bent on getting rid of me. I have a lawyer, but every time he came with me to the Police, they would send him out; but Nedu would be allowed to enter with at least five people, including one NGO woman, Landa, his prophet and his co-workers. They all troop in while they don’t allow me to see my lawyer.”
Uzoamaka and Nedu have been engaged in a messy feud in the last one month.
She had called out her ex-husband, accusing him of domestic violence and refusing to take care of the family.
Nedu had also responded by posting a DNA test result of their first child and only son, which showed that he was not the child’s biological father.
The Punch
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.
