Entertainment
Things fall apart as Davido’s family squabbles deepen
There is no doubt that a popular singer, David Adeleke, aka Davido, is very fond of his first child, Imade, as he has never failed to show it over the years.
Despite his busy schedule as an artiste, Davido never fails to shower her with love and affection, whether it’s in a private father-daughter moment, or on stage in front of a multitude of fans.
Imade has also appeared in some of her dad’s music videos, such as ‘Wonder Woman’.
Since his daughter’s first post on Instagram, Davido has consistently engaged with the posts on her page, liking and dropping adorable comments.
He also makes out time to play with her and her best friend, Jamil Balogun. In a video in 2017, when she was just two years old, Davido could be seen all smiles as he plastered her face with kisses. That same year, she shared the stage with him during his ‘30 Billion’ concert, which was held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. She was also spotted on stage with Davido during his ‘A Good Time’ concert, which held two years later at the Energy City in Eko Atlantic, Lagos in 2019.
Just as Davido never hesitates to celebrate Imade, she also sends heartfelt wishes to him whenever she can. She often celebrates him on his birthdays, and does not forget to send good wishes on special occasions, such as Father’s Day. When her dad celebrated his 10 years on stage anniversary, Imade wrote on Instagram, “Celebrating 10 years on stage with my father, the legend.”
However, the relationship between the duo seems to have taken a downward spiral, as Imade did not make any social media post about him in 2023. The last time the duo was spotted together in a jovial mood was on Father’s Day in June 2022, when Imade made a post, wishing her dad a happy Father’s Day followed by a picture of Davido giving her a piggy-back ride.
This has led to speculations that the relationship between the duo is no longer what it used to be. This is even as Tiwa Savage’s ex-husband, Tunji Balogun, popularly known as Teebillz, claimed in a recent Instagram post that the ‘Unavailable’ crooner had missed two Christmas and one birthday celebration with his daughter.
Imade, Jamil’s bond threatened?
Despite the current tension between their parents, there is no doubt that there has been an enviable bond between Imade Adeleke (daughter of pop star, Davido and Sophia Momodu), and Jamil Balogun (son of songstress, Tiwa Savage and her ex-husband, Tunji Balogun, aka Teebillz).
With the recent development of Savage calling out Davido for harassing her, many are wondering if the strain in their relationship won’t affect their children.
Apparently, the bond between the children had also had a positive impact on their parents, as it was believed to have brought them closer when the going was good.
As a matter of fact, the relationship between the duo has captured the hearts of many over the years.
While Imade was born on May 14, 2015, Jamil was born two months later on July 22. They attended preschool together at Parkview International Kindergarten and School in Lagos. During their time at the school, they participated in different activities together. In 2019, they attended the Annual Karate Championship where they both won medals. They have also participated in numerous school activities together, including dress-up, recitations, competitions and school parties.
Outside the classroom, cute videos of the two young friends having fun have often made the rounds on the Internet, causing fans to gush over them.
In 2023, they celebrated Easter together at a party. But, just like many friendships, the duo also has their fights. In 2023, a funny video that captured them arguing elicited lots of reactions from fans. They could be seen arguing, because Imade refused to call him her brother. Jamil had said, “Imade, I already told you I am your brother and you said I am not your brother, and I already said that two times. If you keep on saying that, I will not let you come to the beach with me.”
Imade later apologised.
The duo also participated in a snack challenge in 2020. The snack challenge was a trendy Instagram challenge, where parents left snacks in front of their children and left the scene but instructed them not to eat it, after placing a secret camera to film their reactions.
In addition, the friends are very fond of each other, and do not hesitate to celebrate and show up for each other, especially on their birthdays and other special occasions.
PUNCH
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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