Entertainment
Why I Begged God To Take My Life At 20 – Adekunle Gold
Nigerian pop star has revealed that when he was 20 years old, he begged God to take his life. The singer via an open letter to his fans explained the pains he went through during his childhood as a sickle cell anaemia carrier.
“It feels liberating to finally be able to share this part of my life with you, to finally be able to speak my truth. When I talk about how I struggled to get to where I am today, I need you to know that my struggle was real.
“I wasn’t able to join some of the most minor childhood play and liberating activities like going out in the rain. The times when I insisted and rebelled against my parents’ orders and went out in the rain, I would end up having a crisis.
The multiple award-winning singer further stated that he had the worst moments at night.
He said, “The nights were painful and lonely, nights that no one could help me get through. It was just me, God and my mind. The pains and shivers were unbearable.
“They always came in the night, when my family had no means to transport me to a hospital. We simply couldn’t afford the constant hospital bill so I had no choice but to endure the pain.
“My mum wanted me to be well. She did her best. She took me to all the churches she could find. I’m grateful for her because she saw the future in me. A future where no illness or sickness could hold me back from my purpose, from the life I was destined to live.
“Sickle cell disease took away my freedom, my childhood. I lost friends, a lot of them. Some didn’t understand the restrictions and rules I had to live by, some just didn’t want to deal with my illness or thought it was a nasty or contagious disease that they could catch. I was a burden for some, living with sickle cell is far from living a normal life.”
Taking a trip down memory lane, the singer recalled when he was 20 years old and during a moment of crisis, he begged God to end his life.
“One of the most intense crises I had was at the age of 20, I remember laying in my bed in the middle of the night asking for an end to it all. I begged God to take my life away because I couldn’t understand what I did to deserve the pain my body and mind was under. As usual with sickle cell after some days, the pain subsided and God asked me; “that end you begged me for, do you still want it?
“Of course, I said no and that’s when everything changed for me. That’s when I realized that I had been given another opportunity to live my dreams and to show those that mocked me that sickle cell anaemia was never going to end me; that it was never going to hold me back from my dreams and aspirations.
“My body caves in once in a while, some symptoms come back but what this disease has taught me is resilience. Sickle cell anaemia gave me hope, made me tough, gave me the discipline I needed to be who I am today, built my character. I mean I went through a whole 5 weeks of back-to-back performances and didn’t fall sick. Grace,” he said.
The father of one who is married to his colleague in the music industry, Simi, revealed that he shares his testimony to encourage anyone going through the pains he encountered while growing up.
“I’m sharing my testimony with you because I hope that you can find strength in my truth. Some ailments hold us back but I’m thankful this hasn’t. I want to encourage you in whatever it is you’re going through, know that there is hope. You are strong and you must not give up. You can do this. Victory lies at the end for you just as it did for me.
“If you know anyone going through any struggle, physical, health, mental, be kind! Show compassion! In fact, be kind to everyone, you just never know what they are dealing with privately. Be supportive, be gentle and love endlessly. If you are a sickler, know that the disease does not define you. Don’t allow it to limit your dream or cap your potential. Spread your wings and dream big! Hope to see you soaring in the big skies,” the singer said.
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has appointed popular Nollywood actress, Destiny Etiko, as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Youth Engagement and Creative Economy.
Etiko announced her appointment in a post on her Instagram page on Monday, November 9, 2026, expressing gratitude to the governor for the opportunity to serve in his administration.
The actress described the appointment as an honour and pledged her loyalty, dedication and commitment to the governor’s vision and the development of Enugu State.
“With profound gratitude and humility, I am honoured to announce my appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Enugu State on Youth Engagement and Creative Economy,” she stated.
Etiko expressed appreciation to Mbah for the confidence reposed in her, promising to discharge her responsibilities with dedication and a determination to make meaningful contributions to the state.
“My heartfelt appreciation goes to His Excellency, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for this confidence and opportunity to serve.
“I pledge my unwavering loyalty, dedication and commitment to your administration’s vision and the good people of Enugu State,” she said.
The actress further pledged to embrace the responsibility with humility and work towards creating more opportunities for young people while advancing the state’s creative economy.
“I embrace this responsibility with pride, humility and a determination to make a meaningful impact,” she added.
Etiko concluded her message by calling for collective efforts to translate the talents of young people into opportunities and the state government’s vision into reality.
“Thank you, Your Excellency. Thank you, Enugu State. Together, let us turn talent into opportunity and vision into reality!” she said.
Nigerian rapper Tochukwu Gbubemi Ojogwu, popularly known as Odumodublvck, has accused the man who filed an assault case against him of presenting a falsified hospital report before the court.
The rapper made the allegation during an interview with NewsCentral TV on Friday, where he recounted his version of the incident and explained why he rejected his lawyers’ advice to settle the dispute out of court.
The suit was filed in November 2025 by Levi Ogbogiri, also known as Kraziecent, who accused the rapper of assaulting him at a public event on December 16, 2024.
Ogbogiri alleged that the incident occurred while he was taking photographs and videos and resulted in physical injuries, emotional distress and damage to his iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Veteran Nollywood actor Diewait Ikpechukwu has died at the age of 71.
The actor reportedly passed away on Thursday, November 5, 2026, following a prolonged illness, according to family sources.
Ikpechukwu was a respected figure in the Nigerian film industry, with an acting career spanning more than 25 years.
Before venturing into Nollywood, he played professional football before later working as a business office manager in Nike.
He subsequently established himself in the movie industry, featuring in several Nollywood productions, including The August Meeting, Royal Palace (2005), The Guilty (2006), Across the River (2006), Python King (2007) and Ìjé Love (2022), among others.
Beyond acting, Ikpechukwu reportedly owned a communications company and was passionate about mentoring young talents in the entertainment industry.
He regularly encouraged upcoming actors to remain dedicated to their craft, avoid desperation and guard against exploitation in the movie industry.
Details surrounding his death remained sketchy as of the time of filing this report.
His death marks another loss to the Nigerian movie industry, where he spent more than two decades contributing to the growth of Nollywood.
Entertainment
Soludo’s Wife Denies Son Campaigned for Peter Obi, Threatens Legal Action Over Viral Video
The wife of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Dr Nonye Soludo, has denied claims that her son, Ozonna Soludo, produced a viral video campaigning for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.
The disputed video, which has circulated widely on social media, shows Ozonna, a social media personality, dancing to a song promoting Obi, with the former Anambra governor’s photograph and the NDC logo inserted into the clip.
However, Mrs Soludo, through her media aide, Daniel Ezeigwe, described the video as doctored, insisting that it did not originate from her son.
In a statement, she alleged that the video was deliberately circulated to create the false impression that Ozonna was involved in Obi’s political campaign.
“The video being mischievously circulated and falsely attributed to Ozonna Soludo, son of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, did not originate from him. Any attempt to associate him with the video is false, malicious, and entirely unacceptable,” the statement read.
The statement also identified one Kelechi Simon, reportedly a medical radiographer based in Delta State, as a person allegedly connected to the creation and circulation of the video.
Mrs Soludo warned those responsible for circulating the video to desist, threatening legal action against anyone found engaging in misinformation, defamation or other unlawful conduct.
“Those peddling this misinformation are hereby warned to desist immediately. The laws against misinformation and libel remain in force, and anyone who engages in unlawful conduct should be prepared to face the full consequences.
“The internet is not a lawless territory, and political desperation is no defence against the law,” the statement added.
She also urged members of the public to verify information before sharing content on social media, warning that deliberate attempts to spread falsehoods could attract legal consequences.
The statement, however, acknowledged the right of individuals to support political candidates of their choice, express political opinions and participate in legitimate political discussions.
It cautioned against using fabricated content to misrepresent individuals or advance political interests.
“Everyone is free to campaign for their preferred candidate, express political opinions, and engage in legitimate political debate. However, such freedom must not be abused through fabricated stories, malicious propaganda, or deliberate falsehoods,” the statement said.
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.
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