Entertainment
Osinachi: “I called Police because her husband was celebrating her death – friend
Enduring a long-term abusive marriage can be quite exhausting, as a result of the huge emotional cost and constant fear of physical assault.
Since the news broke of the unfortunate death of celebrity gospel music star, Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu, from pulmonary ailments penultimate Friday, the horrors she endured in her marriage of roughly 10 years to Peter Nwachukwu from Ukpor community in Anambra state came to light.
In many quarters, it is believed that her death was due to excessive beating and other inhuman treatments by her husband.
As a member of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC) which is headquartered in Abuja, Osinachi led worship ministrations across national and international platforms.
However, the ugly story of her toxic marriage has challenged both the culture of silence in most abusive marriages and the doctrine of divorce in church circles.
With Osinachi’s husband now in security custody for allegations of culpable homicide related to her death, many people who knew the couple closely both as worshippers in DIGC and as a private family share some of their exclusive experiences with the Nwachukwus.
Also, some renowned clerics, including Rev. Fr. John Chinenye Oluoma a.k.a. Fada Oluoma, Pastor Paul Enenche of DIGC, amongst others have weighed in on the basic dilemma faced by many women who seem trapped in very abusive marriages.
When 38-year-old Glory was told about two weeks ago that Osinachi, her bosom friend, had began experiencing severe chest pain, little did she know that it was the beginning of the health challenge that would claim her life.
At the onset of the sickness, no one in Osinachi’s close circle, including her younger brother who resides somewhere in Lugbe district of Abuja, could figure out what the severe chest pain that was linked with her vomiting blood was all about.
In what seemed like a cruel oddity, the late singer’s husband was focused mainly on denying Osinachi’s family members as well as her friends from having access to her while on the sick bed.
Nevertheless, after several efforts to see Osinachi in the hospital, Glory was finally allowed to meet her friend at the National Hospital in Central Business District of Abuja in her final days on earth.
Since April 8, 2020 when Osinachi transited into the beyond, recounting the sad experiences she endured in marriage has not been easy for her friends and family.
Sharing the singer’s ordeal with Saturday Vanguard, Glory alleged, “Osinachi’s husband sometimes poured a full bucket of cold water on her while she was deeply asleep.
“Osinachi told me that he (husband) threatened her that she would die and he would marry another wife. He called her an imbecile. He even told Osinachi’s twin sister that he was going to separate them. He called Osinachi a pig (smelly dirty woman) publicly.
“When we went for music ministration and programmes, Peter would put the children on dry fasting from morning till evening. He would wake them up by 2:00am to pray for eight straight hours while he himself would be fast sleeping. And if they dared sleep off, and he caught them, he would flog them as well as their mother.
“One of Osinachi’s sons has about 25 scars on his back from the strokes of cane which are testimonies of how he manhandled the children. Another of their sons bears 12 cane scars on his own back.
“He monitors them excessively. If not going to church or school, these children don’t leave the house.”
Why Osinachi didn’t open up
Glory admitted that some of the late singer’s friends were aware of her marriage predicament but somehow could not do much to help her situation.
She said: “Osinachi’s husband used to lock me out of their house when I went visiting. He told me to my face that he didn’t want to see me in their house
“He was fond of spitting on her head and face to show his feelings of disgust towards her, but in spite of all the humiliation, Osinachi did not cry out for help.
“One day, she told me that there were three reasons she didn’t want to leave the abusive marriage.
“First, Osinachi said she didn’t want to be the reason people would curse God. Two, she believed divorce was unacceptable to God. Three, she didn’t want whenever, she was ministering people would who gossip her situation as a woman who couldn’t keep her marriage and then undermined her service to God.”
Osinachi was simply avoiding stigmatisation.
Peter Nwachukwu’s secret marriage
While Osinachi and family may have been oblivious that her husband was previously married, because he kept the truth away from them, a close friend of the family said he knew about the mess since 2012, but didn’t mention anything about it to the late gospel music celebrity.
“Peter had said something to me about his first marriage in 2012, but I couldn’t tell if Osinachi was aware of that union,” the family friend said.
Asked why he kept the secret away from Osinachi, the source said: “I didn’t know how she would react. Peter told me that his first marriage was so terrible. That was when I came into Dunamis newly at the Area 1 church in Garki. Till date, he never said anything more to me about that union. It was only yesterday, I now recalled how he gave me the hint a long time ago.”
‘I reported Osinachi’s husband to police because he was celebrating her death’ —Concerned resident
Meanwhile, a concerned resident of Abuja, who spoke in confidence, during his visit to Nwachukwu’s house in Aco Estate Abuja, revealed why he invited policemen to arrest Peter Nwachukwu after his wife’s death.
The man, who is married to one of Osinachi’s close friends, said Mr. Nwachukwu was arrested by the police in his house, because he drew suspicion upon him when he started paying more attention to the serving snacks and drinks to people who came to mourn with him.
“When I heard that he was in the house celebrating and consoling other people, I was mad and said ‘No’ this can’t be happening. Something is amiss.
“I quickly recalled that when Osinachi’s twin sister came around last two weeks, we all went to the hospital to visit Osinachi, Peter walked his wife’s twin sister out of the ward. Even when my own wife was praying for Osinachi, he kept telling her to cut the prayer short.
“But, he is now begging (for mercy) at the police station. The man started trying to confess, because now he has said it was no longer cancer of the throat that killed his wife.”
“Osinachi’s husband served Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu (former Anambra Governorship candidate), who has maintained that he is not interested in supporting any act of violence, and had repeatedly warned him to desist from abusing women.”
How I would have handled Osinachi’s predicament —Pastor Enenche
Pained by Osinachi’s unpleasant marital experiences, her pastor, Dr. Paul Enenche of Dunamis Gospel International Centre Abuja, insisted that justice must be done in the case over her untimely death at 42 years.
The cleric said he will do everything humanly possible to ensure the speedy dispensation of justice in Osinachi’s case. He also applauded security agents for launching an investigating into the case..
He said, “Justice will be done. The full weight of the law. Whatever may be the mystery behind Osinachi’s death will be unraveled. Whoever is responsible for her death, man or woman, will be exposed and justice shall be done. Osinachi’s life cannot be wasted just like that. I am sure the police is investigating.
“It is a loss on the side of the devil. Whatever be the balance of the mystery of this whole situation, we ask that God unravels it. We speak peace in the atmosphere.”
Enenche was visibly dismayed by the revelation of Peter Nwachukwu’s first marriage which he carefully concealed from Osinachi and her family for over a decade.
In candour, Pastor Enenche said he was not aware of the day-to-day abuses the late gospel music celebrity endured in her turbulent marriage.
Shocked when he was informed of Peter’s leaked photographs that capture his white wedding with a woman who is not Osinachi, he queried: “Which picture? What are you people talking? Peter married a first wife and nobody knows? I am about to cry now. Osinachi is not aware of this? This is a total mess. (The union with Osinachi) was not a marriage.
“Why? What is this? Man married before in church with a child and then got into another marriage and beating the wife? One beating was enough, if not too much. Jesus Christ! Why didn’t you tell me? These information are coming a bit too late.”
The Pastor said that he would have dissolved the marriage, if he had been made aware of Osinachi’s terrible ordeal in the hands of her husband.
According to him, “Sister Sharon told me about her sister who was in a violent relationship whom I didn’t know and have never met. I told her ‘Tell your father and mother to go and pick her up.’ They went and did so under 24 hours.
“I sent them airfare and told them to meet me. I said to them ‘It is better you’re alive than to live in a marriage you will die needlessly.’ My wife reminded me that if I could do that for someone I have never met, how much more for Osinachi?
“The only thing compulsory in life is to make heaven. Marriage is not compulsory. It is better to be alive and not be married than to be married and die unnecessarily.
“If you find anyone in this situation bring them out you don’t need their permission. I once told an abusive husband that with the way he was maltreating his wife that I may one day ask her to leave the marriage, and personally wed her, if she wants to remarry and stand by her to show the world that domestic violence is not acceptable. That was what eventually calmed the situation.”
Enenche’s last words with Osinachi
The clergyman also recalled his last conversation with Osinachi a day before she died, when he told her she would travel out of the country with him for ministration.
“She was healthy and very okay on Thursday. We spoke everyday. I told her, ‘You will go with me to Cameroon.’,” Enenche said.
In describing the late gospel artiste, he said though Osinachi may have struggled to stay in the marriage as most terribly abused women do, Enenche noted that the singer never allowed her situation to dampen her faith in God or deter her from making an impact in life.
He said, “We appreciate God for the life she lived. Some people live and pass out of this life without any impact. Nobody remembers them for anything. We thank God for the quality of life that Osinachi has lived. We thank God for the global impact all over the world. We appreciate God, because this impact cannot die. She has passed on to eternity, but this impact cannot die.
“Above all, thank God also for the children she has left. They are a representation of her to the next generation. Thank God for her sister for the mantle shall remain in this family.
“The anointing cannot die. All he children can sing like her. It is the devil that will pay for Osinachi’s death. The children will be liberated and the anointing will be multiplied.”
Also reacting to Osinachi ugly marital experience, a renowned Catholic priest at Christ the King Church in Kubwa district of Abuja, Fr. John Chinenye Oluoma a.k.a. Fada Oluoma, advised members of the public undergoing spousal abuse not to wait until their cases become too critical or late before quitting the union.
He gave the advice while stressing that there’s nothing godly, pious or Christian about women remaining in a marital union with men who beat them mercilessly and put their lives in danger.
In a Facebook post he made recently, Fada Oluoma wrote: “In one of the parishes I worked, a woman always came to me with bloodied nose and swollen face, fatal decoration from the man she called her husband. It was always a dilemma counseling her because I could see her helplessness. The next thing she feared more than loosing her life to her beastly husband was actually losing her marriage to him. To worsen her case, she didn’t have anything doing economically.
“Long story short, I finally convinced her to run for her life, after receiving more bouts of life threatening beatings. I paid for her transportation to her Uncle’s house. After two weeks, she came telling me that the man called and begged her to come back, she was obviously looking for my approval for her chicken hearted and Lilly livered disposition. In my magnanimity, I chased her back to her uncle’s house.
“After some months, the man went to beg. When I was consulted, I told the uncle to give the man two major conditions: One. Empower the woman economically. Two: Deposit an undertaken never to beat her with the police and the uncle.
“Death in marriage by the hand of an abusive spouse is avoidable, don’t honor it. We all woke up to the sad news of the death of Osinachi, a gospel singer, famously known for the song EKWUEME. Suddenly, the cause of her death started filtering. I’m now reading that she died from injuries from violence by her husband.
“The news going round now is that she was enduring this violence for years. So, her death, for me, was avoidable. Whatever made her to stay in that marriage despite constant life threatening violence CAN NEVER be godly.
“There’s nothing pious and righteous about enduring life threatening violence till death. The Bible never says “Blessed are those who are killed by their husbands or wives, for theirs is the kingdom” nope, it rather says “Blessed are you when men persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account, rejoice and be glad for your reward will be great in heaven” Mtt 5:11-12.
“If spousal violence is the cause of Osinachi’s death, she won’t be the first, I don’t know if she will be the last, but I hope her’s will help in the liberation of many women in such situation.
“The Catholic Church has no place for divorce in marriage, it’s not a lexicon in catholic sacramental theology. Yet, there’s separation and dissolution. Separation is allowed when the life of any spouse is realistically threatened. It’s called SEPARATION FROM BOARD AND BED.
“So hear me once more, run away from the spouse that wants to kill you by any means, run for your life. Some women find it difficult to run because the man is their only source of sustenance, this is why Osinachi’s case befuddles me. She was a celebrity, so I don’t think she couldn’t cater for herself or kids in the event of separation, if the story is true.
“I repeat, there’s nothing godly, pious or Christian about staying with a man who beats you mercilessly and puts your life in danger. God can save you miraculously from accident, armed robbers, bandits etc but you see a violent husband or wife, you have to save yourself: RUN.
“Ladies, get a job or career or trade, just have something doing for a living, marriage is not employment or social welfare for jobless women. You will need it. If your husband is financially buoyant and negotiates with you to stay off work for the sake of raising your children, that’s fine by me, but insist on him paying you a reasonable amount you fix in an account for as long as you stay home for the kids, E get why.
“May the soul of Osinachi and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace
The Nigerian entertainment industry has been thrown into mourning following the death of veteran Nollywood actor, Francis Duru, who passed away at the age of 57 after a brief illness.
His family confirmed the sad development in a statement published on the actor’s official Instagram page in the early hours of Friday, October 23, 2026.
Announcing his passing, the family expressed appreciation to fans, colleagues and well-wishers for their prayers and support during the difficult period.
“We, the family of Francis Duru, regret to announce his passing following a brief illness.
“We appreciate your prayers, love, and understanding. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen,” the statement read.
The late actor is survived by his wife, Adokiye, and children.
His death comes barely four months after he publicly dismissed widespread reports suggesting that he was battling a life-threatening illness.
In June, Duru had taken to Instagram to debunk the claims, describing a video circulating online about his health as false and criticising those responsible for spreading the information.
Born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Duru received his primary and secondary education in Cameroon before relocating to Nigeria, where he studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, graduating in 1996.
He began his acting career in 1989 with his debut appearance in Missing Mark, directed by the late Ndubuisi Oko.
However, his breakthrough came in 1995 when he played Ahanna in the iconic Nollywood movie Rattlesnake, produced by the late renowned filmmaker, Amaka Igwe.
The performance established him as one of the industry’s prominent actors and paved the way for a successful career spanning more than three decades.
Among his notable movie appearances were Blood Money (1997), Stigma (2013) and Mboputa (2020).
His contribution to the Nigerian film industry earned him several recognitions, including the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards for his performance in Mboputa.
He was also honoured with the United Nations Ambassador of Peace award in 2007 in recognition of his positive influence on young people.
Beyond acting, Duru served as interim president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria in 2010 and received a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards that same year.
His passing marks the end of a distinguished career that helped shape the growth and development of Nigeria’s film industry.
Amb. David Obama Onyekachi Christopher Geoman, popularly known as The Green Panther and Son Of Grace, is a Nigerian multi-talented entertainer, singer, songwriter, actor, beat maker, emerging music producer, humanitarian and youth advocate whose remarkable journey began at an unusually young age.
Born on 16 January 2010 through a Caesarean section at St. Gerald’s Catholic Hospital, Kaduna, David is the third child and first male child of High Chief Amb. Christopher Columbus Onukwugha Geoman and Lolo Stella Geoman. He hails from Ezuhunguru in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, while his upbringing and formative years have been closely connected to Kaduna State in Northern Nigeria.
From his earliest years, David displayed an unusual interest in performance and creativity. His father noticed his talent when he was just three years old and encouraged him to nurture and develop his abilities. That early encouragement became an important foundation for what would eventually grow into a multifaceted career.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
David began his nursery and primary education at St. Anne’s Catholic Nursery and Primary School, Kaduna. After completing his primary education, he proceeded to St. Augustine Boarding College, Kujama. However, insecurity in the region eventually forced the school to shut down, prompting him to continue his secondary education at Demonstration Secondary School, Kaduna.
On 8 August 2026, David graduated from Demonstration Secondary School, Kaduna, where his talents earned him recognition as the Most Talented Graduating Student. He also made history as the school’s first prom king.
Following his secondary education, David began studying Theatre Arts at Veritas Catholic University, Abuja, where he is among the pioneer students of the institution’s Applied Arts Department.
FROM AFRICAN MICHAEL JACKSON TO THE GREEN PANTHER
David’s artistic journey began with one of the world’s greatest entertainers, Michael Jackson.
As a child, David was fascinated by Jackson’s music, dance and stage performances. He studied the legendary entertainer closely and began performing as a Michael Jackson impersonator. His remarkable performances earned him the nickname “African Michael Jackson.”
However, David’s ambition gradually moved beyond imitation.
As he matured, he began developing his own artistic identity. The young performer evolved from the African Michael Jackson into The Green Panther, and eventually embraced Son Of Grace as a broader personal and creative brand.
The transformation reflected a desire to build an identity rooted not only in entertainment but also in creativity, purpose, faith, humanitarian service and youth empowerment.
MUSIC WITH A MESSAGE
David’s transition from performing to songwriting and recording came at an exceptionally young age.
At just eight years old, he wrote and recorded “Heal Nigeria,” a song inspired by his observations of the challenges facing his country and his desire for peace and positive change.
The song became the title track of his first album, which also featured songs including “This Life,” “Orphans Cry,” “I Am Alive” and “Clearing My Head.”
For David, music is more than entertainment. It is a means of communicating ideas, expressing emotions and addressing issues affecting society.
One of the major milestones of his early musical career came when a song composed and performed by him was adopted as the Diaspora Anthem by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).
His performance journey has also brought him onto major platforms and alongside established names in Nigerian entertainment, including 2Baba (Tuface Idibia), Burna Boy, Di’ja, Small Doctor, Ibro, Zule Zoo, MC Tagwaye, Klint da Drunk, Ozzy Bosco, Gordons, Acapella, Rita Orji, Zack Orji, Chucks Mordi and Zeb Ejiro, among others.
He has also performed at major entertainment events, including One Lagos Fiesta and Panafest in Ghana, expanding his artistic exposure beyond Nigeria.
RECOGNITION AND AWARDS
David’s accomplishments extend beyond music and performance.
At the age of eight, he received a National Humanitarian Award. At nine, he was honoured with a Global Peace Ambassador Award and the Abuja Entertainment Stars Award.
At 10, he received recognition from the Africa Dance Academy, Nero Dance Academy and BEA, while also becoming an associate member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Chapter.
At 11, he became a brand ambassador for the Save Young Talent Foundation.
At 12, he was inducted into the 1,000 Nigerian Peace Ambassadors, while at 13, he was inducted into the Kaduna Political Awards Hall of Fame.
His subsequent recognitions include the Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths Award for Exceptional Talents, the Personality of the Year Award by the North Satisfied Awards, as well as brand ambassadorships involving NIDCOM, London Til Career Institute UK and Celina Celebrity Magazine.
These recognitions reflect the breadth of David’s activities across entertainment, humanitarian service, peace advocacy, journalism and youth development.
THE BIRTH OF SON OF GRACE
On 16 January 2026, David marked his 16th birthday by officially launching the Son Of Grace brand at his alma mater, St. Anne’s Nursery and Primary School, Kaduna.
The launch represented an important turning point in his journey as he sought to give his growing career a more defined identity and purpose.
The vision became even more concrete on 19 September 2026, when he unveiled the operational headquarters of the Son Of Grace platform in Kaduna.
The Son Of Grace brand embodies David’s desire to combine his artistic career with humanitarian service, youth empowerment and positive social impact.
Through the Son Of Grace Charity and Humanitarian Initiative, he seeks to contribute to the welfare and development of vulnerable members of society and use his growing platform to inspire young people.
BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT
David’s ambitions extend beyond music, acting and performance.
Together with his sisters, he is involved in The 3 Gees (Good Children Series), a talk-show podcast that focuses on issues affecting children and young people.
The platform addresses subjects such as drug abuse, kidnapping and other social challenges confronting the younger generation.
Through the project, David and his siblings aim to create conversations that educate, inspire and encourage young people to make positive choices.
His work demonstrates an ambition to use his voice not only through music but also through advocacy and public engagement.
THE HIGHER HIGHER CHAPTER
On 1 October 2026, coinciding with Nigeria’s Independence celebration, David released his latest album, “Higher Higher.”
The project represents another chapter in his evolution as an artiste and creative personality.
The album features tracks including “Dropping Bars,” “Midnight Rain (Anti-Xenophobia Vaccine)” and “I Dey Shine.”
Following its release, the album has attracted reviews, views and airplay in Nigeria and beyond, further increasing David’s visibility and strengthening his aspirations for an international career.
With Higher Higher, David is seeking to demonstrate that his artistic identity has moved beyond the early days of impersonation into a developing career built around his own music, message and creative direction.
FAMILY, HERITAGE AND INFLUENCE
David comes from a family with strong connections to creativity, enterprise, community service and leadership.
His father, High Chief Amb. Christopher Columbus Onukwugha Geoman, is a craftsman, community leader, entertainment personality and healthcare support worker associated with RoyalTv247 UK.
His late grandfather, Geoman Ekeji Ebereuche, is remembered by the family for his pioneering contributions to radio technology and broadcasting.
David also carries the Igbo chieftaincy title Afunwaechetanna, reflecting his connection to his cultural heritage and traditional identity.
These influences have contributed to the young creative’s understanding of culture, service, leadership and personal responsibility.
A LEGACY STILL IN THE MAKING
At 16, Amb. David Obama Onyekachi Christopher Geoman has already experienced a journey that spans entertainment, music, acting, songwriting, humanitarianism, youth advocacy, public speaking and brand development.
From the three-year-old child whose father discovered an unusual talent, to the young performer known as the African Michael Jackson, and from The Green Panther to Son Of Grace, David’s story has been one of continuous transformation.
His journey demonstrates the possibilities that can emerge when talent is identified early, supported consistently and combined with discipline and purpose.
Yet, despite his accomplishments, David considers himself only at the beginning of his journey.
His ambition is to become a global creative personality while using his influence and future resources to inspire young people, support humanitarian causes and contribute positively to society.
His philosophy is rooted in a simple message: difficult circumstances should not determine the future of a young person. Through talent, discipline, faith, perseverance and purpose, he believes that young people can overcome limitations and create better futures for themselves and their communities.
At 16, The Green Panther — Son Of Grace — is still writing his story.
And if the journey so far is any indication, the next chapter could be even bigger.
By Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU — Nollywood movie, Ikenga: The Last Festival, has grossed more than N100 million in cinema revenue within one month of its release, its Executive Producer, Anita Odiakaose, has disclosed.
Odiakaose made the disclosure on Tuesday in Enugu at a media briefing organised to celebrate the film’s commercial success and highlight its role in promoting Igbo language, culture and heritage.
According to her, Ikenga opened in cinemas nationwide on August 21 and crossed the N100 million mark while still running in cinemas.
She said the movie was, as of Saturday, recognised as the highest-grossing Igbo film in West Africa, describing the feat as a major milestone for culturally driven Nigerian cinema.
Odiakaose said the movie was deliberately produced to promote Igbo identity, language, traditions and cultural heritage through entertainment.
She explained that the filmmakers blended fiction and non-fiction with an Igbo cultural festival and a love story to create a production capable of attracting both local and international audiences.
“About 90 per cent of the language in the movie is Igbo, with subtitles, while about 90 per cent of the cast and crew are Igbo,” she said.
The film features veteran and contemporary Nollywood actors, including Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwor, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Zubby Michael, Jidekene, Beverly Osu and others.
The producer said the film’s performance had demonstrated that audiences were interested in stories that reflected their culture and identity.
She, however, expressed concern over the declining use of the Igbo language, noting that even she could not speak Igbo fluently despite being an Igbo woman.
Odiakaose challenged filmmakers to become more deliberate in promoting indigenous languages and cultural values through their productions.
She said, “We need to do more as filmmakers. We need to be deliberate about using Igbo names, Igbo language and Igbo cultural elements in our films.”
According to her, culturally rooted films could also help Nigerians in the diaspora reconnect with their heritage and expose younger generations to their language, traditions and cultural practices.
Odiakaose disclosed that Ikenga was not her first production, saying she had produced about 70 films for YouTube and other platforms, but that the movie marked her first cinema production.
She said the success of the film had encouraged the production team to take it beyond Nigeria, revealing that international screenings were being planned for the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.
She disclosed that the United States premiere was scheduled for October 30, while screenings in the UK and Canada were planned for November and December respectively.
Odiakaose said the commercial performance of Ikenga had shown that films built around indigenous culture could attract large audiences while also generating substantial revenue in the cinema market.
Veteran Nigerian actor and film executive Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
His son, Olusoji Jacobs, announced his death in an Instagram post on Wednesday, describing him as “The Lion of Lufodo.”
Olusoji said the family was grateful to God for the life their father lived and appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect the family’s privacy.
Olu Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most respected veteran actors, with a career spanning theatre, television and film.
Born on July 11, 1942, Jacobs trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He began his acting career in British television before featuring in international productions and later returning to Nigeria, where he established himself as a major figure in the country’s film industry.
He appeared in numerous Nigerian films and was recognised with several industry honours, including the Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Africa International Film Festival.
Jacobs was also involved in film production and the development of the performing arts in Nigeria. Alongside his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, he was associated with the Lufodo Group.
His death marks the loss of one of the most recognisable figures in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Nigerian dancer and entertainer Iweh Odinaka, popularly known as Poco Lee, has been granted bail in the United Kingdom ahead of his scheduled appearance at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
According to court information, Odinaka was granted bail on September 11, with a plea and trial preparation hearing scheduled for September 15.
“The Defendant has been granted bail on the 11th September 2026,” the court stated, adding that “There is a plea and trial preparation hearing on the 15th September 2026.”
The bail decision clarifies the entertainer’s current custody status following earlier reports about his release.
However, the granting of bail does not mean the criminal proceedings have been discontinued or that the allegations against him have been resolved.
The Crown Prosecution Service had previously confirmed that the case remained active and that Odinaka was due to appear before Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Odinaka is facing five sexual offence charges, including attempted rape, two counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration.
He has denied the allegations and maintained his innocence. The charges remain before the court and have not been determined.
In a video shared on Instagram by social commentator Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, Poco Lee said he remained confident because he knew he had not committed the alleged offences.
He said: “If I were inside there and I did what I was accused of, I would have felt I was paying for my sins, but since I knew I didn’t do what I was accused of, my mind is pure.”
The case followed Poco Lee’s visit to the UK for the Davido and Friends concert at the Crystal Palace Bowl in London on August 14, 2026.
Poco Lee has not been convicted of any offence. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
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