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Breaking: Veteran Highlife Singer Orlando Julius Dies, Aged 79

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Veteran highlife singer Orlando Julius Ekemode has died.

 

The news of his death was announced by the Managing Director of Evergreen Music, Bimbo Esho who wrote that the wife of the deceased had reached her in the early hours of today, Friday, April 15 about his death.

The deceased’s wife, Lady Latoya, also confirmed the incident.

Julius was a saxophonist, singer and band leader. A native of Ijebu Ijesha, he evinced his musical talents at a young age, having been taught by his mother who was a musical teacher.

His musical career took flight in the 60s when Eddie Okonta invited him to join his band. Before then, he had been tutored by Highlife musician Jazz Romero.

With Okonta’s band, Julius performed in many gigs and opened for the American trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong. In subsequent years, he would play with other bands, including Hugh Masakela and opened for other high profile international acts. Julius also opened for the iconic American musician James Brown.

He released his first hit ‘Jagua Nana’ in 1965 and went on to tour West Africa. Julius formed the Ashiko movement and taught people his style of music although he did not stay in this position for long.

After spending some time in the United States, he returned to Nigeria in 1984. He quickly began recording tracks for the album Dance Afro-Beat, leading him to put together the 18-person Nigerian All Stars band.

In her eulogy while announcing Orlando Julius’ death, Esho wrote: “Bimbo Daddy has passed On…

“This was the message I stumbled on waking up at exactly 3am to peruse my WhatsApp page.. It was a message sent in to me by Orlando Julius beautiful and supportive wife Lady Latoya.

“Orlando Julius a native of Ijebu Ijesha succumbed to the cold hands of death and breathed his last few hours ago at the age of 79.

“We shall miss one of Nigeria’s fathers of Afro/Highlife Music , a gentleman and a fine Saxophonist.

“May daddy Orlando Julius soul journey well . To the entire Ekemode family may God give you the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.”

The cause of death is unknown as at the time of writing. He was aged 79.

 

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TikTok Star Peller Escapes Unhurt After Fire Guts Generator At Lagos Mansion

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Nigerian TikTok star and livestreamer Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller has narrowly escaped a fire incident at his new Lagos home in the early hours of Saturday.

The incident centered on his generator, which caught fire and was completely engulfed in flames.

Peller shared footage of the blaze on his Instagram page, appearing visibly shaken and calling for help as the fire raged.

The blaze, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, was eventually extinguished with buckets of water. While the generator was completely destroyed, the house and its occupants were unharmed.

In the footage, Peller appears visibly shaken as he calls for assistance to put out the flames.

He captioned the post, “This happen early this morning, my new generator almost burn down my new house, but God saved us, it take us over 30 minutes to off the fire, All I can say is God saved us”.

Fans and followers expressed relief in the comment section, attributing quick intervention for the fortunate outcome.

The incident followed a previous scare involving Peller on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, where he crashed his vehicle during a livestream.

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Regina Daniels Speaks Out On Children’s Welfare Amid Separation From Husband Ned Nwoko

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Actress Regina Daniels has publicly expressed deep concern for the safety and welfare of her two sons, Prince Munir (Moon) and Prince Khalifa (Kharly), following her widely reported separation from her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko.

In a message shared on her son’s school social media page, the actress commended the institution for its efforts and expressed pride in her son’s growth and achievements.

She also appealed to the school authorities to look after her children in her absence.

Regina described her son as the “blessed fruit of my womb,” assuring him of her unwavering prayers and constant watchfulness despite being away.

She wrote, “Oh my Moon! Blessed fruit of my womb! Mama is so proud! Grow in good health, my child! I will always watch and pray over you from afar. @LincolnAmericanAcademy I trust you to look after my babies well.”

Regina’s emotional statement came amid separation from estranged husband, Ned Nwoko and difficulty in having access to their children.

 

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2Baba Finally Addresses 2025 London Altercation With Wife Natasha Osawaru

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In recent a interview, music icon 2Baba (Innocent Idibia) has addressed the widely reported 2025 London altercation with his new wife, Natasha Osawaru, a member of the Edo State House of Assembly.

The music star made the revelation during an appearance on the Mic On podcast, where he spoke honestly about lessons learned from difficult moments in his life and career.

According to the father of six, there are several situations he wishes he had approached differently, especially those shaped by emotional pressure and stress.

While speaking on the podcast, 2Baba also revisited a controversial incident in London involving a disagreement with his wife, Natasha Osawaru, which led to his arrest in October 2025.

The singer took responsibility for the episode, admitting that his reaction at the time was fueled by anger.

“I was angry that day. It was an unfortunate incident,” the singer said.

He explained that managing personal challenges alongside public life has not always been easy, adding that some experiences have pushed him to reassess how he handles conflict and pressure.

The award-winning artiste further noted that emotional strain can sometimes cloud judgment, stressing that he now understands the importance of responding more carefully in tense situations.

“There are so many things I wish I could rewind and do better. As a human being, there are times when you are overwhelmed or don’t make the best decisions. My thick-skin is weaker now,” he said.

2Baba added that these life experiences have left him more reflective, teaching him valuable lessons about accountability, emotional control, and personal growth.

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