Actress and producer, Jumoke Odetola, tells Tofarati Ige about her current projects and other issues
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In the movie industry, women seem to be more successful. Why do you think that is so?
It is not actually what people think it is. On a lighter note though, it is indeed women that run the world. A man could put on an outfit that costs over N1m yet look simple
. But, a woman could spend N100,000 on an outfit and look so glamorous. That men don’t post certain things online does not mean they are not doing well. I know a lot of men in the industry that are doing very well but they are not putting it out there.
When I got to know the worth of some of my male colleagues, I was quite shocked. But women tend to be louder. We talk more about things and love to show off.
What are some of the changes you would like to see in the Yoruba movie industry?
I would want to see a wider acceptance of Yoruba movies. I think people who make Yoruba movies should even be celebrated more because they are projecting our language and culture. I would also want to see a situation where our works get global recognition. Our movies are a way for people to know more about Yoruba tradition and culture.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 1,624 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 137,654.
The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday.
“On the 5th of February 2021, 1624 new confirmed cases and 9 deaths were recorded in Nigeria.
Till date, 137654 cases have been confirmed, 111639 cases have been discharged and 1641 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The 1624 new cases are reported from 23 states- Lagos (535), Plateau (183), Osun (98), Akwa Ibom (85), FCT (83), Ondo (77), Nasarawa (72), Edo (69), Oyo (63), Rivers (52), Taraba (48), Ogun (44), Borno(31), Kwara (31), Ekiti (30), Benue (25), Kano (21), Niger (21), Kaduna (18), Abia (15), Delta (10), Bayelsa (7) and Zamfara (6).
:Our discharges today include 831 community recoveries in Lagos State and 85 in Kaduna State managed in line with guidelines,” the NCDC said.
The Federal Government has lifted the ban it earlier placed on Emirates Airlines.
This is coming after the United Arab Emirates granted the carrier permission to withdraw the Rapid Antigen Testing done prior to the departure of Emirates flights from Nigeria, according to a letter by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
Due to the development, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 directed the immediate lifting of the suspension placed on the operations of Emirates Airlines in Nigeria.
The letter signed by the Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu expected the airline to comply with the directives by the PTF on COVID-19 and other protocols of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Emirates Airlines will be duly informed of ongoing enforcement actions by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority with regards to the established non-compliances to PTF directives and protocols as enumerated in our letter of February 4, 2021,” the letter read.
A butcher in the Ilasamaja area of Lagos State, Tunji Adeniran, has been arrested for alleged defilement of his two stepdaughters, Ope and Ola (pseudonyms), aged 10 and 14 respectively.
Adeniran, 40, had reportedly been molesting the girls, who are in Primary 5, for a long time until recently when Ola opened up to her class teacher.
City Round learnt that the teacher had during a class last week advised the pupils not to allow anyone touch their private parts when Ola suddenly burst into tears.
After the class, she was said to have taken the teacher into her confidence, narrating how Adeniran had allegedly serially abused her and her younger sister.
It was gathered that the state Ministry of Youth and Social Development intervened in the case and Adeniran was arrested on Tuesday.
A social worker with the ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Punch correspondent that the girls had been taken for tests and placed in a shelter in Idi Araba.
The official said, “The result of defilement will be out soon. It was discovered that they have been infected and they were given drugs. According to the girls’ mother, her older daughter had once reported to her that the suspect was having s.e.x with her. She said she also reported her husband to his family but he denied it.
“The woman however said she was not aware her husband was molesting her second daughter. The older girl said the man had been s.e.xually harassing her for about four years. When the woman was further interrogated, she said she was tired of the marriage because the suspect demands sex every day and she could not cope with him anymore.’’
The spokesperson for the police in the state, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed Adeniran’s arrest, adding that he would be taken to court on Monday.
The General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has sued a former Pastor at his church, Mike Davids, to the tune of N5bn for libel.
This was revealed by Apostle Suleman’s legal team in a statement on Friday.
The statement was in response to how Pastor Davids had sued Suleman for N2bn for allegedly interfering in his marriage to Pastor Faith Edeko who now heads the Utako branch of Omega Fire Ministries in Abuja.
Pastor Davids had alleged that his estranged wife confessed to sleeping with Apostle Suleman in the presence of their young daughter at a hotel, adding that his wife was hypnotised by Suleman.
Davids had also written a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, alleging threat to life, a matter which is now under investigation.
However, in a statement by his legal team led by Osa Director, it was stated that a libel suit was being instituted against Davids.
“Apostle Suleman, through his legal team led by Osa Director Esq, For: Osa Director And Co, is launching a 5bn suit at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, against Pastor Davids for ‘conspiracy to blackmail and defamation of character,” the statement read.
He said the IG, in a suit with Number: FHC/ABJ/CS/115/2021, had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to arrest Pastor Davids over petition of alleged blackmail, defamation and threat to Apostle Suleman.
The statement said Pastor Davids was expelled from the ministry in 2018 for acts inimical to the body of Christ and had for the past six years been attempting to blackmail Apostle Suleman.
The statement further read, “It has come to our knowledge that one Mike Davids has purportedly filed a lawsuit against our client, Apostle Johnson Suleman and seeking N2bn as damages for alleged interference in his marriage which has since been dissolved a few years ago.
“We are yet to be served with any court process. However, our client has refrained from joining issues with the said Mike Davids as his utterances are mere hallucinations of a man on the fringes of lunacy and desperation to survive.
“For the record, Mike Davids was a pastor in our client’s church but expelled since 2018 for acts inimical to the body of Christ. He has for the past six years been attempting to blackmail Apostle Suleman.”
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has continued to put the heat on drug traffickers with the latest arrest of a businessman at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
And another man was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, with over three kilograms of cocaine.
NDLEA said Adeleke Kazeem Biola was arrested at the Lagos Airport with 1.5 kilograms of cocaine on Wednesday, during the outward clearance of passengers on Emirate airline to Dubai.
A Lagos-based businessman, Onu Oluchukwu Friday, was caught with 1.527 kilograms of the illicit drug at the Abuja airport. According to the Commander, MMIA Command of the NDLEA, Mr. Ahmadu Garba, the suspect, Adeleke was intercepted at the departure hall of the Lagos airport with the hard drug neatly concealed in a false bottom of his travel bag.
He acknowledged that the series of arrests in the past three weeks follows the offensive action approach deployed by his command in line with the directive by the new Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency, Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd).
The Commander, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Command of the NDLEA, Mr. Kabir Sani Tsakuwa, explained how a plumbing materials dealer, Onu Oluchukwu Friday, was arrested at the departure lounge of the Abuja airport on Thursday, January 28. He said “during outward clearance of Ethiopian Airline ET 910 en route Abuja-Addis Ababa -New Delhi, India, the 39 years old suspect, a native of Umuaku-Isiochi village in Abia State was intercepted at the boarding gate screening and referred for scanning.
“The passenger proved positive for ingestion. He excreted 83 wraps of substances, which proved positive for cocaine and weighed 1.527kg.
“The suspect who claimed he is into plumbing material business in Lagos came into Abuja for the purpose of trafficking drugs said he would have been paid N1,500,000 on delivery to one Chibuzo Nmadu, a Nigerian based in India.” He said his Command remains committed to the mission of the new leadership of the agency to disrupt the supply chain and reduce the demand for illicit drugs in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the anti-drug agency, Marwa, sent his commendation to the commanders of the Lagos and Abuja airports commands and their teams for their vigilance.
He urged them to intensify efforts so that the mission to rid the country of the scourge of illicit drugs can be collectively achieved, the NDLEA statement added.
Chrissy Teigen has revealed that her late son Jack's due date falls this week. The cookbook author was just 20 weeks along when she lost the pregnancy on Sept. 30 after being diagnosed with a partial placental abruption, which bed rest, hospitalization and blood transfusions failed to heal.
Teigen, who has two other children with husband John Legend, admitted to her Twitter followers that the looming due date has left her feeling "off." She added that she's due to undergo a surgical procedure on Thursday to treat her endometriosis, and has been experiencing period pangs that feel like "baby kicks."
"My little Jack would have been born this week so I'm a bit off," the 35-year-old star tweeted on Wednesday. "I truly feel kicks in my belly, but it's not phantom. I have surgery for endometriosis tomorrow ... but the period feeling this month is exactly like baby kicks. Sigh."
my little jack would have been born this week so I'm a bit off. I truly feel kicks in my belly, but it's not phantom. I have surgery for endometriosis tomorrow...but the period feeling this month is exactly like baby kicks. sigh.
She went on to share a video of her stomach trembling, writing, "I'll pretend it's him [Jack] saying hi."
The poignant post struck a chord with many of Teigen's followers, several of whom shared their own experiences with confronting a once-anticipated due date following a painful pregnancy loss.
"Thank you for being so transparent about your pain," read a comment from a fellow grieving mother. It’s a s****y community to be a part of, but it is a community."
Abia Government on Thursday placed a ban on public gatherings as part of efforts to tackle the rising cases of coronavirus in the state.
Mr Chris Ezem, Chairman of Abia COVID-19 Inter-ministerial Committee, announced this at a stakeholders meeting in Umuahia.
He said that the ban was necessitated by the need to tackle the disease as the second wave of COVID-19 takes its toll on Nigeria.
Ezem who is also the Secretary to the State Government, said that government would implement the measures it applied during the first wave to curtail the spread of the pandemic.
He disclosed that non-compliance to the directive issued by the government could lead to a total lockdown.
As the kick-off date of the Lagos State’s Bus Reform Initiative approaches, commercial bus (popularly known as Danfo) drivers in the state have expressed mixed feelings over the project.
While some of the drivers agreed to buy into the initiative, others kicked vehemently against it.
“Removing yellow buses is not reasonable,” said a driver at Ikeja Bus Stop who identified himself as Barckly.
“Although, the plan to bring in 5,000 buses to Lagos is a good one but the idea of banishing yellow buses is not commendable.
“Government should allow the new buses and yellow buses work, we all know that these new buses cannot go into the interior of Lagos to pull people out, which yellow buses do. If we also look at timing, these government buses cannot start working as early as 3 am which is the (time) people start leaving for work.”
An efficient transportation system that would move the over 21 million people in Lagos has remained a huge challenge for successive administrations.
Last year, Akinwunmi Ambode, the Lagos State governor, announced a Bus Reform Initiative, a three-year plan aimed at introducing over 5,000 air-conditioned buses to replace the Danfo buses.
Mr Ambode said the Danfo buses, which are mostly old and rickety, are no longer befitting for the state’s mega city status.
Brooklyn Beckham is excited for what the future holds.
The eldest son of Victoria and David popped the question to model Nicola Peltz, 26, in July last year, with the pair spending every minute of every day together since.
And the 21-year-old couldn't help but gush over what's to come as he took to his Instagram Story to share what he wants to be when the pair tie the knot.
Hosting a mini Q&A with fans, one curious follower asked Brooklyn what he wants to be when he grows up.
"An amazing dad and husband," he wrote alongside a heart emoji.
Brooklyn and Nicola announced their engagement back in July by posing up for a romantic picture, taken by Harper.
Former housemate of Big Brother Naija 2020, Tochuckwu Okechukwu -Tochi has disclosed what she did to a former girlfriend after valentine’s day celebration.
The reality TV star, in a recent post via his Twitter account, revealed that a lady he once dated gifted him a pair of boxers as Valentine’s Day present.
He wrote on Twitter;
''Funny story way back a girl gave me a pair of boxers for valentine the day i wore it was the day we broke up 😂😂 Amaka if you are reading this u are mad 😠''
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, has upheld the Lagos State government’s right to restrict commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke Marwa) within six local government areas and nine Local Council Development areas, LCDAs, in the state.
Justice Mohammed Liman agreed with the arguments of Lagos State Attorney-General, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, that the restriction of motorcycles and tricycles on major roads in the state is in line with the provisions of the Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.
The judge dismissed for want of merit, a fundamental rights suit filed by a lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, challenging Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s executive order authorising the restrictions.
While delivering judgment in a Suit no. FHC/L/CS/173/2020 between Olukoya Ogungbeje V Lagos State Government & 7 Ors, the court said it assumed jurisdiction in the case on the premise that both the Federal High Court and State High Court exercise concurrent jurisdiction over fundamental human rights cases.
“The restriction of motorcycles, tricycles within six Local Government Areas and nine Local Council Development Areas in the State is not an infringement of Fundamental Human Rights,” Justice Liman held.
He said that Ogungbeje, who admitted being a car owner and not a motorcycle or tricycle operator, could not complain of his right in any form being infringed on by the executive order.
Justice Liman, dismissed the applicant’s originating summons for lacking in merit.
Reality tv star, Kiddwaya has said he doesn’t need Instagram to make an impact in society.
According to him, Instagram has got nothing on him since they put his account under shadowban, making it hard for his fans and business partners to reach him. In a now-deleted tweet, he blamed a group of unidentified people who reported his again.
In a tweet he made yesterday, the billionaire son has asked his followers to forget the photo-sharing app since it is not the only medium he can use to make an impact in society. According to him, his presence will be felt with or without being on the app.
A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced two persons, Moshood Ogunshola and Wasiu Lekan to death for armed robbery in Lagos.
Justice S. S Ogunsanya delivered the judgement in charge No.ID/359C/13 between Lagos State vs Moshood Ogunshola and Wasiu Lekan.
The defendants, who pleaded guilty, conspired and robbed one Wasiu Rasaki of his Motorcycle at Ile Eja, Ikotun while armed with a machete.
The robbers were arrested by the Police and arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery which contravenes the Criminal Justice Act of Lagos State.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Adebayo Haroun, urged the Court to sentence the defendants accordingly having found them guilty of the charges against them.A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced two persons, Moshood Ogunshola and Wasiu Lekan to death for armed robbery in Lagos.
Justice S. S Ogunsanya delivered the judgement in charge No.ID/359C/13 between Lagos State vs Moshood Ogunshola and Wasiu Lekan.
The defendants, who pleaded guilty, conspired and robbed one Wasiu Rasaki of his Motorcycle at Ile Eja, Ikotun while armed with a machete.
The robbers were arrested by the Police and arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery which contravenes the Criminal Justice Act of Lagos State.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Adebayo Haroun, urged the Court to sentence the defendants accordingly having found them guilty of the charges against them.
The Trial Judge, Hon. Justice Ogunsanya found the two persons guilty of the charges, which is punishable under section 261 and 297 of the Criminal Justice Law CH. C.17 Vol. 13 of Lagos State 2015.
“You are hereby sentenced to death on the counts of conspiracy to commit Robbery and Armed Robbery ” Justice Ogunsanya ruled.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's determination to keep the details of their son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor's birth completely secret resulted in "tears of frustration and despair" behind the scenes, an expert has claimed.
Rather than following the approach used by Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Sussexes did things their own way - keeping the location to themselves.
The Daily Mail's Rebecca English claims that Harry became "morbidly obsessed" with keeping the information completely private, but many fans supported their decision.
Reflecting on the time, she writes: "Behind the scenes, matters were so fraught that more than one official — as I know from personal experience — was reduced to tears of frustration and despair."
The secrecy surrounding Archie's birth has become the topic of conversation again after it was revealed that just weeks after his birth Meghan and Harry changed their names on his birth certificate.
It emerged that 'Rachel Meghan', her first and middle names, were removed from her son's certificate a month after giving birth.
In its place, the document listed Archie's mum as the more formal 'Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex.'
It has caused a baffling row, with the couple claiming the decision came from Buckingham Palace while insiders say that's unlikely.
Meghan and Harry released a strongly worded statement on the issue, saying: "This was not requested by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex nor by The Duke of Sussex.
"To see this UK tabloid and their carnival of so-called “experts” choose to deceptively whip this into a calculated family “snub” and suggest that she would oddly want to be nameless on her child’s birth certificate, or any other legal document, would be laughable were it not offensive.
"‘There’s a lot going on in the world; let’s focus on that rather than creating clickbait."
Royal sources have revealed this has been met with a sense of “bewilderment” in the Palace.
One royal source claimed that Meghan ordered her staff to make the change to Archie's birth certificate in order to "to fall in line with amendments she'd already made to her passport".
In short, Meghan already stylised herself as 'HRH The Duchess of Sussex', dropping her given names - and wanted some form of continuity.
However, courtiers have diplomatically suggested the tone of Meghan and Harry's statement from their spokesman was "somewhat unfortunate".
One aide said: "There is no set protocol with these things.
"The birth certificate is a civic document so there are options on how it is filled out. The language used suggesting it was 'the Palace' who 'dictated' it is somewhat unfortunate, as it certainly wasn't addressed like that.
"The statement and its wording poses more questions than it answers unfortunately."
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 1,340 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 136,030.
The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Thursday.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has predicted that Nigerians would be compelled to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general election.
He said it is because of the inability of the APC to tackle challenges of insurgency, banditry and corruption.
The Governor noted that with the current economic woes of the country and escalating banditry, it was obvious that Nigerians have realised they made a terrible mistake to have voted for APC.
The Rivers State governor stated this on Thursday shortly after inspecting the Greater Interchange and Underpass being constructed by Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in Yola.
Wike said he was impressed with the developmental stride of the Adamawa State governor. According to him, it was gladdening to note that similar feat was being replicated in the states governed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors.
The governor declared that Nigerians were apparently unhappy with the way the APC-led government has mismanaged the affairs of the country.
“Are Nigerians happy? The answer is no. If Nigerians are not happy, what is the expected result that you intend to get? Obviously, Nigerians would want APC government not to govern them in 2023.”
He stated that with the overwhelming infrastructural development taking place in all the PDP states which Nigerians can attest to, it will be impossible for the PDP not to win the 2023 general elections.
“I believe that Nigerians are now knowing that they have made a mistake and they want to correct the mistake by voting for PDP and no longer APC.”
He pointed out the latest ranking of Nigeria as 146th most corrupt country in the world based on recently published Transparency International Corruption Index report, was indicative that the APC administration claim of fighting corruption has been misleading.
“What you see is vindictiveness. Today, if I want to leave PDP and go to APC, I will no longer be corrupt. The moment I remain in PDP, I’m corrupt. So corruption is based on the party you belong to. That is their definition of corruption and that is why everybody is disappointed.”
The Governor maintained that the country has never been divided and insecure the way it has been under APC leadership.
He explained that he was in Adamawa State to thank Governor Fintiri for honouring the invitation of Rivers people to commission some projects recently. And to use the opportunity to see what his counterpart is doing in Adamawa State.
“I am shocked, overwhelmed with what I have seen. I was asking him where he was getting the money from. The kind of construction going on is as if Nigeria economic problem does not affect Adamawa State. And that is what we have always said, whatever opportunity you have, whatever privilege you have, you try to make your people happy by providing them with the basic infrastructure.”
The UK's coronavirus hospital death toll has increased by 728 - with the youngest victim aged just seven years old.
The daily deaths figure dropped by 330 compared to the same time last week, and by 226 compared to yesterday's total.
The young child was among the 630 patients who died in England's hospitals.
All who lost their lives were aged between seven and 102.
All except 30, aged between 40 and 99, had known underlying health conditions.
Scotland reported 53 new deaths in the 24 hours to Thursday, Wales recorded 35, and Northern Ireland confirmed 10.
Scotland's death toll for the entire pandemic is now 6,322.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in today's daily briefing that 183,418 people have now tested positive in Scotland, up from 182,269 the previous day.
The daily test positivity rate is 4.9%, down from 5.1% on the previous 24 hours.
The rise in deaths in Wales brought its daily toll to 4,867.
There were a further 544 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 194,525.
