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Rihanna digs Davido’s ‘Unavailable’, Emeka Ike, ex spar, Dejumo Lewis dies, other entertainment highlights this week

Rihanna is digging Davido’s song. But other Nigerian artistes are tearing into each other.

• December 24, 2023
RIHANNA, DAVIDO, IYABO OJO, NAIRA MARLEY, EMEKA IKE and SUZANNE
RIHANNA, DAVIDO, IYABO OJO, NAIRA MARLEY, EMEKA IKE and SUZANNE

This entertainment industry has been filled with arguments, losses, and music this week. Here are the highlights to keep you updated on what happened this week.

Mohbad: Iyabo Ojo’s N1 billion countersuit against Naira Marley

On Monday, Iyabo Ojo responded to Naira Marley’s N500 million defamation lawsuit with a one billion naira countersuit.

The actress’s legal representative, Maverick-Forte, expressed dissatisfaction with the delivery method of Naira Marley’s letter, highlighting its absence of proper address and the subsequent leakage to the press.

The countersuit accuses Naira Marley of intentionally disseminating false information, causing significant harm and financial losses.

Iyabo Ojo emphasises the importance of a sincere apology to address the perceived violation of professional ethics.

In a recent Instagram post on Sunday, Iyabo Ojo expressed her strong stance against bullying. She emphasised the importance of justice for the late singer, Illerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, who passed away on September 12.

Iyabo Ojo shared that witnessing her daughter being dragged online was heart-wrenching for her. She acknowledged the burden the constant criticism places on her children and urged everyone to strive for peaceful coexistence.

‘Village Headmaster’ actor Dejumo Lewis dies

The Nigerian actor known for his role as Kabiyesi in ‘The Village Headmaster,’ passed away at 80.

The news was confirmed by actor Saheed Balogun on Instagram, expressing condolences. Dejumo Lewis played a significant role in the long-running television soap opera from 1968 to 1988.

Fellow actors and celebrities, including Funsho Adeolu, Daddy Showkey, and Eniola Badmus, paid tribute to the late actor, remembering his iconic contributions to the Nigerian entertainment industry.

Arts curator Raphael James also acknowledged Lewis’s lasting impact on the ‘Kabiyesi’ character from the 1970s-80s.

Rihanna says ‘Unavailable’ is her best song of 2023

During an interview in Los Angeles, global music sensation Rihanna declared Davido’s latest single, ‘Unavailable,’ as her best song of 2023.

Rihanna, known for her fashion and beauty ventures, preferred singles to albums, specifically mentioning ‘Unavailable’ as a favourite.

Davido responded with gratitude, calling her ‘My RI RI’.

A viral video showed Rihanna dancing to the ‘Unavailable’ challenge.

The song received a Grammy nomination in the 2024 awards for Best African Performance. Rihanna also mentioned ‘Mnike’ by Tyler ICU as one of her favourite tracks of the year.

‘Fast and Furious’ star Vin Diesel in sex suit

Mark Sinclair, popularly known as Vin Diesel, faces a lawsuit in Los Angeles as his former assistant accused him of sexual battery in an incident dating back to 2010.

The ‘Fast and Furious’ star allegedly assaulted his assistant while she was working for him during the filming of Fast Five.

According to BBC, the assistant, Asta Jonasson, claimed in the lawsuit that Diesel forcibly overpowered her in his hotel suite despite her clear verbal objections and forced her to watch him engage in sexual activities.

She claimed that after she screamed and ran towards the nearby bathroom, the actor pinned her to a wall as he touched himself.

The suit claimed that “Ms Jonasson felt helpless, her self-esteem was demolished, and she questioned her own skills and whether a successful career would require her to trade her body for advancement.”

The lawsuit claims that just a few hours after the incident, the actor’s sister, Samantha Vincent, who oversees his production company One Race Films, contacted her and terminated her employment.

She is filing a lawsuit against both the actor’s sister and his production company for wrongful termination, asserting that the company let her go within hours of the reported assault.

Alongside the accusation of sexual battery, her legal action includes allegations of gender discrimination, unlawful retaliation, emotional distress, and wrongful termination.

Bryan Freedman, Diesel’s attorney, stated in writing to CNN on Thursday that Vin Diesel unequivocally denies the entire claim.

“This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly nine-day employee,” he said.

The actor has yet to say anything about the issue publicly.

Nollywood star Emeka Ike, ex-wife Suzanne Emma spar

Suzanne Emma, the ex-wife of popular Nollywood actor Emeka Ike, hits back at his accusations of property loss, giving her take on their estranged relationship.

During a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Suzanne Emma affirmed that Emeka Ike had subjected her to abuse over the course of their marriage.

The marriage lasted about 17 years before the divorce in 2017 and produced four children.

She detailed a particular incident during their child’s serious illness at the hospital, articulating how Emeka Ike verbally berated and physically assaulted her.

She explained how a heated argument in the hospital led the actor to punch her in the jaw.

She said, “And I went off into the car to sit down. Immediately, he was coming into the car; his punch was the first thing that I was seeing on my jaw.”

She also expressed how her ex-husband would take drugs such as “meth” and was against him taking marijuana because they were not financially stable at that time.

She said, “We couldn’t go ahead with our plans because of his drug use.”

During a “Rubbin’ Minds” interview with Channels Television, Emeka Ike attributed financial losses and restricted child access to his wife, citing the closure of his school due to a substantial investment loss.

While expressing frustration, he refuted domestic violence allegations, emphatically stating, “I never beat this lady,” and underscored the perceived connection between success and accusations of being a woman beater, asserting, “You have to be a very successful man.”

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