The year 2014 would go down in the history of Nigeria’s entertainment industry as one of the most eventful for many reasons. From good to bad, beautiful to ugly, the industry saw it all as headline-grabbing events dominated the sector all year round. While tragic incidents such as deaths and collapsed marriages almost robbed the sector of a brilliant streak of successes, the formation of new marriages, arrival of babies and mega endorsement deals for some ensured 2014 wasn’t all about the gloomy news. Here in this piece, We highlight some of the most remarkable moments and incidents that rocked the entertainment industry in Africa’s most populous country over the last 12 months
Weddings
Tiwa Savage and Tunji ‘Tee Billz’ Balogun
It was one of the most talked about weddings in the year as the couple had a fairly tale ceremony under the warm embrace of Dubai’s alluring weather and scenery. The colourful occasion, staged earlier in February in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, was attended by close friends, family members and business associates. Though, weeks later, the rumour mill went agog that the marriage was on the brink of collapse, the Mavin Record First Lady and her hubby have waxed on stronger, slicing off wagging tongues. They are now expecting their number one baby.
Ibinabo Fiberesima and Uche Egbuka
The Actors Guild of Nigeria’s President, Ibinabo Fiberesima, recently tied the knot with her long time university friend – Uche Egbuka. According to the actress who admitted to have prayed and wept relentlessly in the search for a husband, her life changed since she met Egbuka whom she was finally married to last weekend.
Toke Makinwa and Maje Ayida
After an unstable relationship spanning over a decade, Toke and lover, Maje, decided to walk down the aisle in January. Prior to their wedding ceremony, there were rumours that the pair had gone their separate ways without hope of reconciliation. But ‘haters’ got a rude shock soon afterwards when the lovers became husband and wife.
Toke and Maje elected for a quiet, private ceremony with close friends and family members only in attendance.
Dr. Sid and Simi Osomo
In August, Surulere crooner, Dr. Sid of the Mavins crew, bade bachelorhood farewell. The gifted singer, a ladies’ man, shunned all the attention from other quarters to take Simi Osomo home. The marriage which held in Lagos, remains a reference point in the entertainment circle especially with the calibre and quality of guests on parade.
Celebrity births
The year was not all about marriages but their products as well. The family of popular singer and photographer, TY Bello, welcomed a set of twins after nine years of marriage without a child. The children came about less than a week after Bello released her second album. The former member of the all-girl gospel band, KUSH, was delivered of the babies in the United States of America.
Mercy Johnson
Award-winning Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson Okojie fondly called Mama Purity, gave birth to her second child – a baby boy. The 30-year-old actress gave birth to the boy in the early hours of October 15 at St. Joseph Hospital, University of Maryland, Baltimore, United States.
Helen Paul
On November 24, popular comedienne, television and radio host, Helen Paul, welcomed her second child, a baby boy, too. Helen and husband, Femi Bamisile, who got married in 2010 have a 3-year old son as well.
J-Martins
Popular hiplife musician, Martins Okey Justice, popularly known as J-Martins and his pretty wife, Nnezi Diana Mbila, welcomed their first child, a baby boy in the United States of America also in the year.
The bundle of joy came a few months after the couple got married in Lagos, the country’s commercial and entertainment headquarters. She was delivered at the Gwinnett Medical Centre, Atlanta, Georgia, on February 4, 2014.
The deaths
Amaka Igwe
The death of Amaka Igwe, one of Nigeria’s foremost film producers, a writer, director and leading player in the motion picture industry, came as a shock to her fans and stakeholders in the entertainment industry.
According to reports, the producer of popular television show, Fuji House of Commotion, had gone to Enugu with her husband for a pre-production preparation for a new soap when she suffered an asthmatic attack and was immediately rushed to a hospital. Unfortunately she died before help could reach her.
Kefee
The news of the death of gospel singer, Kefee, was one that dampened many hearts in 2014. Initially, speculations had it that the singer, who was said to be six months pregnant, suffered pre-eclampsia. But family members denied the reports, insisting instead that it was lung failure which took her life.
Kefee collapsed while on board a United States bound flight. She slipped into coma and was in a critical state for about two weeks before eventually losing the battle. Her painful demise remains one of the low points for the entertainment industry in 2014.
Clem Onyeka
The demise of this very promising actor is another tragedy the industry had to deal with this year. The actor died after being hit by a stray bullet while returning from a movie location in Asaba.
Onyeka bumped into the men of the underworld during a shootout with the police and was hit by bullets. He died in a hospital in October.
Taiwo Oshadipe
Also in October, the life of another promising talent, Taiwo Oshadipe, was cut short. The mother of one died a month after her birthday, leaving her twin sister, Kehinde, family members, close friends and fans as well completely shattered. Taiwo succumbed to death after a brief illness.
Marriage failures
Ini-Edo
Ini got married to America-based businessman, Phillip Ehiagwina, in November 2008. Since they tied the knot, there had been speculations that their marriage was not stable before it finally crashed this year. It was reported that the marriage broke down due to strong allegations of infidelity but the actress has since debunked those claims, describing them as mere insinuations.
Ehiagwina was said to have demanded for the bride price he paid to marry Ini and her people obliged him.
While announcing her break-up on twitter, the soft-spoken actress said, “I asked for a divorce from my ex-husband because of a lot of irreconcilable differences. I never cheated on my husband. There is a conscious and malicious attempt at tarnishing my image. This whole saga is familiar, let’s not forget the past. Thanks and God bless.”
Uche Ogbodo
Barely seven months after popular Nollywood actress, Uche Ogbodo’s engagement to America-based ex-footballer, Apo Arthur, the union collapsed.
Some years back, the actress concluded marriage arrangement with a Holland-based businessman fondly known as Cross, but the ‘project’ never saw the light of day.
However, Ogbodo said that her recent relationship was dissolved because it was based on lies and deceit.
The heavily pregnant Uche in an interview revealed that she wasn’t really married as it wasn’t fully formalised.
“We were still in the process of formalising it when all hell broke loose, so I was merely engaged. I walked into a no-win situation. All I can say is that barely one month into the engagement and in the process of planning a formal wedding, I realised I had made the greatest mistake of my life. The foundation of the union was based on lies and deceit, shocking lies,” she stated.
Lola Alao
Over the weekend, news went round that the one-year-old union between popular actress, Lola Alao, and her husband, Olawale Ajibola, had also crashed. It was alleged that the actress’ husband left her for one of her closest friends. She secretly tied the knot with Olawale last year August at a civil ceremony in Atlanta.
This is Lola’s second attempt at marriage. Her first marriage was to a US-based car dealer, Dare, whom she married in 2002. They separated after a few years. They both had a daughter, Omowunmi, who is now 10.
Politics
Desmond Elliot
Popular Nollywood actor, Desmond Elliot, decided to try his hands on politics and was lucky enough to clinch the ticket to contest for a seat at the Lagos State House of Assembly. Not many people knew the actor was from Lagos and when his posters surfaced, many people were surprised.
But interestingly, Elliot won the primary ticket and would represent Surulere Constituency 1 in the state assembly.
KSB
For KSB, who is also the Vice President of Kennis Music International, it has been an outpouring of consolation from her fans and fellow entertainers. She lost the ticket to represent Ikeja Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly to Kabir Lawal, son of the Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Lai Mohammed.
9ice
Another celebrity-entertainer who lost out after being widely considered as ‘the chosen one’ is Abolore Akande, popularly known as 9ice.
The singer vied for the ticket to represent Ogbomosho North/South/Orire Federal Constituency of Oyo State under the platform of the APC.
It is still not clear what really went wrong but 9ice has vowed to appeal his defeat at the party’s primaries.
Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye
On his part, celebrated on-air-personality, Dayo Adeneye, also referred to as D1, lost the APC ticket for Odogbolu Constituency in Ogun State.
Though D1 had a colourful declaration ceremony and was said to be very popular within his constituency, he lost to Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s ex-aide, Adebowale Ojuri.
Apart from the highlighted incidents, there were also dozens of historic events that made the Nigerian entertainment industry thick in 2014. It was a year that produced both winners and losers in equal proportion. But above all, the sector was better for it as the quality of entertainment improved from what was seen in previous years, leaving many practitioners laughing to the bank.
Source: The Punch