Entertainment
Celebrities vs RANGERS novelty match, as Mr IBU’s burial committees announced (Full list)
TUESDAY 25th JUNE: Novelty Match between Celebrities and Rangers Int’l FC of Enugu(to be proceeded with a Fitness Walk from Okpara Square).
WEDNESDAY 26th JUNE: Night of TRIBUTE for Mr IBU (to be preceeded with a Candlelight Procession)
THURSDAY 27th JUNE: Wake-keep at his Hometown Amurri in Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State.
FRIDAY 28th JUNE: Body leaves Eastern Nigeria Medical Center Enugu for Interment/Funeral Rites at Eziokwe Amurri.
SUNDAY 30th JUNE : Thanksgiving Service at the Anglican Church, Eziokwe Amurri.
The CPC Chairman who commended His Excellency Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah the Executive Governor of Enugu State for his support so far, stated that the Service of Songs date and venue will be announced later after due consultations with the Okafor Family.
Below are the lists of The SUB-COMMITTEES for the Burial Ceremony of late Chief Dr John Ikechukwu Okafor.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
-Chief Alex Nwokeabia(Ejiamatu)
Chairman
-Mr Emeka Rollas
AGN President
Co Chair
-Chief Frank Obasi
(Toscana Hotel)
-Amb Joseph Okechukwu
(Joe King) Member
-Lady Edeh Juliet
(Bezaleel)
-Chief Tony Nnaji
WORKS COMMITTEE
-Dr Ben Nwoye
Chairman
-Barr Chinonso Nweke
-Hon Romanus Edeh
Member
-Engr Sunday Augustine
(Ajibola)
Ijeoma Ngene
Gina Olachi
PGs of Autonomous Communities in Amurri
-Chief Dominic Okechukwu Nwuzor(Don Single)
Chairman
-Nkem Owo(Osuofia)
-Patience Ozokwor(Mama G) -Rachael Okonkwo(Nkoli)
-Chidiebere Okoh(Okuluora)
-Dame Nwakaego Jacyntha Nworie
-Untouchable Comedies
WELFARE
-Dame Ugochi Madueke
Hon Commissioner for Culture and Tourism
Enugu State
Chairman
-Chidinma and Chidiebere Aneke
-Lady Christiana Ozioma Ejioofor(Ijele)
-Rejoice Chikadibie
Joy Nwadinobi
SPORTS AND WALKS
Hon Frank Anioma
(Ezesinachi)
SPA to Enugu State Governor on Political Matters
Chairman
Mr Amobi Ezeaku
(GM Rangers Int’l)
Co Chair
Mr Victor Edeh
(FC Bayern African Scout)
Mr Boniface Onovo
Mr Christopher Okafor
(Mboma)
Miss Prisca Okeke
(NANS Chairman Enugu State)
-Uje Nneji
MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
Chairman
-Dr Maxwell Ngene
Co Chair
-Jasmine Onyia (Nasmine Media)
-Lady Christiana Ozioma Ejioofor(Ijele)
-Mr Oscar Iguisi
-OKC Media
-ACJ Favour Amuka
-Johncross Ejimkonye
ENTRAINMENT
-St Mathew Aniemeka
Chairman
-Eze Nnaemeka Charles (Nani Boi)
Co Chair
-Onyinye Ojukwu(La Posh)
-Sunny Olisaemeka DGN
-Ugwu Princewill
-Charles Edeh
NIGHT OF TRIBUTE
“AGN….”
-Chief Steve Eboh
(Ajibo)
Chairman
-Mr Brown Eneh AGN Chairman Enugu State
-Mr Stank Amandi
-Choice Amajuoyi
SECURITY
-SP Ukwu Chibuzor Rtd
Chairman
-Hon Victor Okechukwu Shedrack
Co Chair
-Hon Abel Nwigwe(Agege)
-Mr Chika Olanyaka(Amurri Neighborhood Watch Commander)
PROTOCOLS AND LOGISTICS
-Hon Peter Oramulu
-Prince Tochukwu Nwanjoku
-Ebuka Bartholomew Okoh(Chairman NYCN Enugu State)
-Ejike Nnaji
-Egbo Franklin
-Chidera Peters Okoye
-Onah Joseph Onyemaechi
-Egbo Felix
CULTURE AND TRADITION–
-HRH Igwe Eddy Ogbonna
(Okwe 1 of Eziokwe)
-Chief Sunday Okafor
-Chief Amaechi Okafor
-Chief Kingsley Okafor
(Ibu Jnr)
-Mac Dave
Director of Correspondence
Dr Chiesonu Iziga Eruchalu 1
Dr Maxwell Ngene 2
Director of Hospitality
Mr Brown Eneh
AGN Chairman Enugu State
SPECIAL DUTY
-Dr Chika Obeta Emmanuel
-Arinze Eze(Bravo)
RELIGION LAISON
Pst Handy Uzoma
The widow and children of late Nollywood comic legend, , popularly known as Mr Ibu, have appealed for help as they battle severe financial hardship barely a year after his death.
Speaking in an emotional interview with content creator King Mitchy, the actor’s widow, Stella Maris Okafor, revealed that the family is struggling to survive and is at risk of losing their home due to unpaid rent.
According to her, electricity to their residence has been disconnected for about two months because of unpaid bills, forcing the family to seek places outside their home to charge their phones. She also disclosed that they now fetch water from a community well because they cannot afford to maintain the plumbing facilities in the house.
“We fetch water from the well because I have not paid the house rent. They have even cut my lights for two months now. No lights since. Every night we go to look for a place to charge our phones. It is not easy,” she said.
The situation has also affected the education of the couple’s three children, aged 14, 12 and 10. Stella Maris said the children have been unable to continue their schooling due to outstanding tuition fees.
“Right now, they cannot go to school again. I can even show you the message the school sent me today,” she said while displaying a notice from the school.
One of the children, a 14-year-old daughter who hopes to follow in her father’s footsteps as an actress, appealed to members of the entertainment industry for support.
“I want to thank God for my mum. She tries everything she can to feed us and pay our school fees. If you are in the industry with my dad and you see us now, please come and help us,” she pleaded.
Mr Ibu died on March 2, 2024, at the age of 62 following a prolonged illness that included multiple surgeries and the amputation of one of his legs. His treatment reportedly consumed much of the family’s resources despite public fundraising efforts mounted during his hospitalization.
The family’s current predicament has sparked widespread concern on social media, with many Nigerians calling on colleagues, fans and well-wishers of the late actor to support his widow and children during the difficult period.
Veteran Nollywood actor, Abdulsalam Taofeeq, popularly known as Tioroju Mondusi, has opened up about what he described as the most painful experience of his life, revealing that two of the five children he raised were not biologically his.
The actor made the emotional revelation during a recent appearance on the African A-List podcast, where he spoke candidly about the collapse of his marriage and the events that followed.
According to Mondusi, the betrayal remains the deepest wound he has ever endured, despite having forgiven his late wife.
“The person who hurt me the most in life was my wife,” he said. “The experience brought tears to my eyes. She is late now, and I pray God forgives her.”
Recounting the ordeal, the actor said that about five years ago, he returned from a film location to discover that his wife, who was heavily pregnant with their fifth child, had disappeared. Efforts to contact her were unsuccessful for two days.
When he eventually reached her, she allegedly refused to reveal her whereabouts. Concerned, he visited her mother’s residence, where he was informed that she had reportedly undergone a traditional introduction ceremony with another man.
Mondusi said he later came across photographs from the ceremony and confronted her. According to him, the situation took a dramatic turn when she questioned whether he was truly the father of the child she was carrying.
“She came back home and asked me who told me I owned the pregnancy,” he recalled.
The actor further alleged that after giving birth, his wife insisted that the child’s naming ceremony be held at his residence despite publicly claiming that the baby was not his.
Angered by the development, he said he involved the police and prevented the ceremony from taking place at his compound.
The dispute eventually ended up in court after his wife filed for the dissolution of their marriage. Mondusi claimed it was during the court proceedings that she admitted the newborn child and their third child were fathered by another man.
“She confessed in court that the third and the last child were not mine,” he said, alleging that she had maintained a long-term relationship with the man involved.
The veteran actor also disclosed that his former wife died last year after battling depression. He claimed that the man she left him for later abandoned her and returned to his own family.
The revelation has since generated widespread reactions on social media, with many expressing sympathy for the actor and reflecting on the emotional impact of broken relationships, infidelity and paternity disputes.
Speaking on News Central Television in a video shared on X on Thursday, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, House of Representatives aspirant described the incident as an abuse of power, adding that it raised concerns about citizens’ safety and data protection in the country.
Ike confirmed that he has initiated legal proceedings against Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
“It was shocking. It was so disturbing that I felt unsafe. I felt insecure. For the first time, I’m feeling like, is anybody safe in this country anymore? That kind of feeling, that’s what it was like to me.
He alleged that the incident reflected what he described as political recklessness and abuse of authority.
“It’s an abuse of power. It’s the extreme to radicalism, political radicalism. It’s basically telling Nigerians that we’re in charge, we know you all, (0:52) we’ll do what we want and we can get away with it. That’s very, very irritating and I feel very disturbed by this,” he added.
The actor said his legal team had already written to the parties involved, including Olayinka, INEC, his political party, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police, to formally document the complaint.
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 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 news of his passing was announced on Tuesday by a fellow actor, Tony Akposheri, in an Instagram post.
Akposheri expressed shock and sadness over the death of the actor, recalling their recent interactions.
He revealed that they had recently spent time together during the New Year, sharing memories and discussing future plans.
“Today, my heart is heavy. Davis Ofor, fondly known as Clarus from New Masquerade, is gone.
“We crossed into the New Year together, laughing, talking, sharing memories, and speaking hopefully about the days ahead,” he wrote.
“We spoke about life, about plans, about how far we had come. None of us knew that time was already counting differently for you.”
Describing the late actor as more than just a screen personality, Akposheri paid tribute to his character and impact.
“It is hard to believe that the voice I heard not long ago is now a memory. Hard to accept that someone so full of life can suddenly become a story we tell.”
He added, “Rest well, my friend. You came, you gave joy, you made your mark, and you will never be forgotten.”
Clarus gained prominence for his role in New Masquerade, one of Nigeria’s most popular television comedy shows, where his character became a household name.
Details surrounding the cause of his death were not immediately available.
Ofor rose to prominence for his role as Clarus in New Masquerade, a widely acclaimed Nigerian television comedy that aired on the Nigerian Television Authority and became a household favourite in the 1980s.
His portrayal of the comic character earned him national recognition and endeared him to audiences across the country, making Clarus one of the most memorable figures in Nigerian television history.
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