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Sadiq Daba had oxygen machine while acting in ‘Citation’ — Kunle Afolayan

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Kunle Afolayan, Nigerian film producer, says Sadiq Daba, the late actor, had an oxygen machine with him while featuring in ‘Citation’, a 2020 film.

Daba breathed his last at the Lagos state university teaching hospital (LASUTH) where he had been undergoing treatment last Wednesday. He had battled prostate cancer and leukemia for years prior to his demise.

Speaking about his memories of the deceased film star during an Arise TV show on Friday night, Afolayan said Daba had his oxygen close when they were filming ‘Citation’.

“I think God gave him those last few years for him to reconnect with people and for people to reconnect with him. And so he can be documented properly. Before I found him, he wasn’t doing anything,” he explained.

“When we were prepping for the film, his name came to mind. I went online, looked for him, and saw an interview he did two years ago (2012). I reached out to the journalist who wrote the article and she gave me his number.

“After that, he featured in a few other films. God brought him back after we did ‘October 1’ but I can tell that, even when we were shooting ‘October 1’, he was a struggle. Uncle S is fragile. Sometimes he’d be sick and we had to wait.

“But when we were doing ‘Citation’, if you check our videos, he had his oxygen machine under the table. When I was casting him, a lot of people had reservations like, ‘Look, Uncle S is not fit, what if he’s not able to finish?’

“I said, ‘I can’t go wrong. If this is the last film he’d to do, I’ll do it.’ We brought him, when he is uncomfortable, I tell him let’s take time out. In all the clips where he’s dancing, I played the songs to put him in good mood.”

On how he met Daba, Afolayan said his name had come up when he sought someone to fill a role for ‘October 1’.

“I experienced him when I was really young in the 80s and 70s. I saw a lot of his works as a broadcaster and journalist on NTA. Our paths crossed because I was looking for someone to fit into a particular role in ‘October 1’,” he added.

“His name came to mind. I was so glad that it happened also because he won the ‘Best Actor of the Year’ at the African Movie Academy Awards. In 2018, we did a documentary and I had to bring him aboard.

“A lot of these people, when you keep them going and give them a reason to appreciate their existence, it means a lot to them. A year ago we did ‘Citation’. Three to four weeks ago, I spoke with him over the phone.

“And we were talking about how much people accepted the movie. When I heard he was gone, I felt we lost an amazing guy. I think he lived a great life and his name will be remembered forever.”

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Simi Welcomes Second Child With Adekunle Gold

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Popular Nigerian music star, Simisola Bolatito Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has welcomed her second child with her husband, singer Adekunle Kosoko, widely known as Adekunle Gold.

She shared the news on Instagram on Wednesday evening.

In her post, Simi revealed that the baby was born on March 10, 2026.

She posted maternity photos and addressed earlier rumours that she had given birth to twins in January, making it clear that this is her second child.

Simi referred to herself as “mommy of two,” while Adekunle Gold responded in the comments, calling himself “Daddy of two.”

She wrote, “+1. 3.10.26. God bless my little family. Mommyof2.”

The couple did not disclose the baby’s name or gender.

 

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Bill Cosby Ordered To Pay $19m Over Sex Abuse Case

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A woman who said she was drugged and sexually assaulted by veteran US entertainer Bill Cosby was awarded more than $19 million on Monday after a civil hearing in California.

Donna Motsinger said she was working as a waitress more than 50 years ago when the performer began to target her.

In the civil case decided in Santa Monica, the suit stated that the comedian had initially come into the restaurant where the now-84-year-old Motsinger worked.

According to court filings, one day, when he picked her up in his limousine, Cosby gave her a glass of wine and what she thought was aspirin.

She began slipping in and out of consciousness, and the next thing she knew, she was waking up at home, wearing only her underwear.

“She knew she had been drugged and raped by Bill Cosby,” the suit said.

Attorneys said Cosby, 88, did not remember any sexual contact with Motsinger, but that any that had occurred had been consensual.

The jury took three days to deliver its verdict, ordering Cosby to pay $19.3 million, a figure that could increase if they add punitive damages.

The case was heard in the same courthouse where a 2022 jury ordered Cosby to pay $500,000 in damages to Judy Huth after finding that he had molested her in 1975 when she was just 16 years old.

The man formerly known as “America’s Dad” was jailed in Pennsylvania for drugging and molesting a woman in a separate criminal case in 2018, but was freed in 2021 when his conviction was overturned on a technicality.

Cosby was a towering figure in late 20th-century American popular culture, including for his starring role in “The Cosby Show,” which ran from 1984 to 1992.

Dozens of women have accused Cosby of being a calculating, serial predator who plied victims with sedatives and alcohol before assaulting them over four decades.

AFP

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Funke Akindele’s Record-Breaking “Behind The Scenes” Hits Netflix On April 3

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Funke Akindele’s blockbuster film, which broke box office records in West Africa, will premiere on Netflix on April 3.

This follows a successful theatrical run that grossed over N2.7 billion, making it the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time.

The film’s streaming debut marks Akindele’s return to Netflix since “Omo Ghetto: The Saga”, highlighting her consistent cinema-first approach and record-breaking annual December releases.

“Behind The Scenes” features an ensemble cast, including Scarlet Gomez, Uzor Arukwe, and Tobi Bakre, and explores themes of generosity, family, and personal responsibility.

Produced by Akindele and Wendy Uwadiae Imasuen, the film’s success extends beyond Nigeria, with notable performances in the UK, Ireland, North America, and Canada.

It became the first Nollywood film to cross the N2 billion mark and achieved N512 million within its first 12 days.

The film’s distributor, Filmone, announced its Netflix premiere, stating, “From shattering box office records to streaming in YOUR HOME and on the go! The record-breaking title, Behind The Scenes, is coming to you on NETFLIX.

“After shattering records with over 2.7 billion at the Box Office, Behind The Scenes will be available for streaming from April 3rd. Watch Behind The Scenes on Netflix from April 3rd”.

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