Entertainment
The Max Priest Hit Song Originally Intended For Dennis Brown
The Billboard Hot 100 Reggae hit Just a Little Bit Longer was initially recorded by Dennis Brown and was already mixed and mastered when producer Gussie Clarke took the executive decision to withdraw the Crown Prince of Reggae’s version and give the song to Maxi Priest.
Clarke revealed that he shelved Brown’s version during a recent interview with Teach Dem, as he sought to advise music producers not to resile from making executive decisions that they know are in the best interests of the songs they produce.
“A point that all record producers who a watch need fi know: when you doing your project, no make no artiste tell you weh yuh caan do. If you believe that this song is not the right song for this project or this artiste – not because him love it – you must do what is best fi di song,” the Telephone Love producer began.
Gussie Clarke
“I give you a good example: Just A Little Bit Longer [by] Maxi Priest, was written fi Dennis Brown. Mix and mastered and everything, fi Dennis Brown. Wi have it still. We were doing well, and Maxi Priest manager call een… right, and like I just hear Maxi Priest… Maxi Priest voice the song and the rest his history. I made the right decision. We have done it multiple times, you understand, so you haffi know what is your responsibility. At the end of the day know, is where the money going matter to all parties concerned,” Clarke stated.
The lead track from Maxi Priest’s Bonafide album, Just A Little Bit Longer, was written by legendary producer and songwriter Handel Tucker. The song peaked at No. 62 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles charts. The Bonafide album, which peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard 200, went on to be certified Gold by the RIAA on January 30, 1991.
Bonafide was the Britist-Jamaican singer’s fourth studio album and was released in 1990 by Charisma Records. The album’s biggest hit was Close to You, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. The other songs on the 13-track album were Never Did Say Goodbye, Best of Me, Space in My Heart, Human Work of Art, Temptress, Peace Throughout the World, You, Sure Fire Love, Life and Prayer For The World.
In the past, Maxi who has described himself as a big fan of Dennis Brown, had venerated the singer as an inspiration to him. In January this year, Priest said that during his teenage years, Dennis had advised him to create his own style and “sing fi di girls dem”.
Priest collaborated with Brown and Shabba Ranks in 1991 on a remake of Little Willie John’s 1956 hit Fever. He also recorded a cover of Brown’s version of The Heptones’ Love Me Always in 2017.
Dennis Brown was born in Kingston in 1957 and grew up near Orange Street, where many of the recording studios of the day were located.
According to the National Library of Jamaica, Dennis, who was “blessed with a superb voice,” found himself immersed in the music scene and began performing with Byron Lee and the Dragonnaires at age nine.
Brown, who was hailed by Bob Marley as a personal favourite, scored his first hit at 11 with a cover of The Impressions’ No Man Is An Island. In 1970, at age 13, he released his first album, No Man Is An Island, under Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One label.
During his career, Brown worked with a long list of record producers in Jamaica, including Derrick Harriot and Joe Gibbs. However, according to the NLJ, “it was with Niney The Observer that he received international recognition with the release of several classic songs, among them, Westbound Train, Cassandra and Africa and his iconic signature tune, Here I Come.
After parting ways with Niney, 1977 to 1983, Dennis had worked almost exclusively with Joe Gibbs, where he recorded albums such as Visions, Words of Wisdom, Joseph’s Coat of Many Colours and Money in My Pocket. In 1983, Brown landed a record deal with the American label A & M Records, releasing three albums: Foul Play, Love Has Found Its Way and The Prophet Rides Again.
Throughout the 1980s, Dennis’s popularity soared as his talent gained recognition. His Jamaican compatriots also hailed him as the ‘Crown Prince of Reggae’.
The singer’s recording journey and popularity carried on into the 1990s, unaffected by the rise of Dancehall. However, on July 1, 1999, Brown passed away at age 42 at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Jamaica due to respiratory failure.
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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