Today marks the end of 2016 and indeed, the entertainment industry has had so much drama and events that trailed it this year. Saturday Beats brings you some of the exciting episodes in the industry this year.
Funke Akindele and JJC Skillz
Popular Nigerian actress, Funke Akindele, gave love another shot this year as she tied the knot with her musician beau, Abdul Rasheed Bello, in a quiet wedding ceremony in London. The star actress who was once married to Kehinde Oloyede said that she and her hubby opted for a quiet wedding because it was “right by them” and further apologised to friends and family.
Monalisa Chinda and Victor Coker
Delectable actress Monalisa Chinda also got hit by cupid for a second time this year as she got married to Victor Coker. According to the actress, she had known her husband since she was 14 years old. While they held the traditional wedding in Port-Harcourt, the white wedding took place in Greece and it was attended by family and close friends of the couple.
Kalu Ikeagwu and Ijeoma Eze
Nollywood fine boy, Kalu Ikeagwu, who used to be the most eligible bachelor, in town broke so many ladies’ hearts when he got married this year. Ikeagwu got married to the love of his life Ijeoma Eze. They started the wedding journey in Enugu State where they had their introduction ceremony and the beautiful couple had their white wedding ceremony in Lagos.
Seun Akindele and Toun Olorunjedalo
On July 9, 2016, Seun Akindele and Toun Olorunjedalo tied the knot in an elegant wedding ceremony which officially made them husband and wife. It was a fun filled event that was well attended by Nollywood stakeholders, family and friends of the couple.
Blossom Chukwujekwu and Maureen Ezissi
The wedding ceremony of Nollywood actor, Blossom Chukwujekwu and Maureen Ezissi was star-studded. This beautiful couple had been friends for a long time; they took their love story to another level by celebrating their wedding in grand style this year.
Tiwa Savage and Tee Billz
Nigerians woke up to a rude shock on April 28, when they saw what Tee Billz had written on his Instagram wall. He literally x-rayed his marriage to Tiwa Savage and gave hints that their marriage was troubled. While Nigerians were trying to digest all what he had vomited, the news of Tee Billz trying to attempt suicide filtered into town before he was reportedly rescued by Peter Okoye and Banky W. Days after, Tiwa released a tell-it-all video that showed the couple had been patching things up for a long time. The news of the couple making a comeback has been flying around but nothing official has yet come up. Tiwa and Tee Billz got married at a well-attended destination wedding in Dubai on April 26, 2014.
Afeez Abiodun and Mide Martins
This household would not forget 2016 in a hurry as it was a year that tested the strength of their love. The union of this couple was on the brink of crashing but for the quick intervention of family and friends, everything is back to normal. But that does not mean that one would forget all that was posted online mostly by Mide. The actress claimed her husband moved out of their matrimonial home abandoning her and their two children. However, the issue has since been resolved and their 13-year-old marriage is still intact.
Ubi Franklin and Lilian Esoro
Although none of the duo has come out to publicly speak up about the state of their marriage, according to their gestures especially online, it seems all is not well with the household. Recently, Lilian removed her husband’s name from her Instagram account and reverted to her maiden name. Even though the union has produced a lovely child, it was alleged the couple started having marital issues almost as soon as they got married. Ubi and Lilian got married on November 1, 2015.
Muma Gee and Prince Eke
The drama between this couple became public a few weeks ago when the husband posted on his Instagram page that his wife abandoned him and their children to frolic in Abuja. Shortly after, he posted a picture with his children with the caption ‘single father’.
Subsequently, his wife also posted her picture and her children with her husband conspicuously absent. Not just a few deduced that all may not be well with their marriage.
Kenneth Okonkwo
Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo and his wife, Ifeoma, welcomed their first child – a baby boy in the U.S on Friday, May 6, 2016, after nine years of marriage at the St. Joseph Medical Centre, University of Maryland.
De Don
Nigerian comedian, Iruvwe Okeremute, popularly known as ‘De-Don’ welcomed his second child on April 12, 2016. The humour merchant gave birth to a baby girl at the Prince George County in Maryland, USA.
Ushbebe
Nigerian comedian, Ushbebe welcomed his first child, a baby boy on March 15, 2016 with his wife, Annette Nuagbe. The baby was born in Atlanta, United States of America.
Tonto Dikeh
Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh gave birth in the US on February 17, 2016.
Mr Ibu
The wife of Nollywood comic actor, John Okafor better known as Mr Ibu, Stella Maris, gave birth to a baby boy in February.
VC Perez
Nigerian music producer, VC Perez and his wife, Lilly Perez had their first child together, five years after getting married on Saturday, January 23, 2016.
Bukky Ajayi
Veteran Nollywood actress Bukky Ajayi died on July 6, 2016 after an unsuccessful battle with heart-related issues. Her big break into Nollywood was her role in the Village Headmaster in the 70s. She died at the age of 82.
Henrietta Kosoko
Nollywood actress, Henrietta Kosoko, wife of veteran actor Jide Kosoko died in June, 2016 at the age of 56. She died due to complications from diabetes. She became famous after her lead role in the Nollywood film, ‘Omolade’ which was produced by her husband.
OJB
The light eventually dimmed for Babatunde Okungbowa, popularly known as OJB after a long battle with kidney-related disease.
OJB died in June and he was mourned by so many people, including his family and friends.
Nomoreloss
It came as a rude shock to so many people in March when the news of the death of Muyiwa Oshinuga hit the airwaves. Popularly known as Nomoreloss, the celebrity musician allegedly died of typhoid. His friends and fans were devastated by his demise.
Fred Ebhoria Ekata
This actor was known for his role as an elder in any village community and he was often one of the bad guys involved in voodoo. Fred died on May 17, 2016 from a kidney-related disease which plagued him for a year and left him bed-ridden.
Burna boy
Earlier in the year, a lady, Uju Stella, came out to claim that she was carrying the popular singer’s baby. Although Burna Boy never came out to deny or accept the fact, in a mock song, he mentioned that he had sex with the young lady only once.
Wizkid
In April, a young Guinean American model, Binta Diamond Diallo, blew the whistle that she had a baby that was fathered by Wizkid and to show proof, she posted a picture of a DNA test on her Instagram page to confirm her claim. So far, the singer who already had a child from another woman has not spoken on the issue.
Runtown
Just when his fans were glad that the singer had dedicated his life to Christ by posting on Instagram pictures of him in church and a message that he had stopped smoking, a young lady came out claiming that the singer impregnated her. To show proof of her claim, she further posted a picture of the baby scan.
Olamide/Don Jazzy fight
The year actually started on an eventful note in the entertainment industry with the drama between Olamide and Don Jazzy.
The controversy actually started at the Headies which was held early in the year and both artistes hurled insults at each other.
However, Olamide apologised to Don Jazzy and they sort of made up.
PSquare break up
Whether it was a publicity stunt or not, the supposed break-up of twin singers, P Square, made headlines this year. The guys at different times came up with stories on their social media handles suggesting all wasn’t well in their household.
Their brother/manager Jude, wasn’t left out in the drama as one of the twins, Peter, insisted that Jude wasn’t their manager again.
Anyway, the guys probably realised they were better off as one than two as they almost lost so many fans. To show they are united, they released a hit, ‘Bank Alert,’ which is ruling the airwaves at the moment. – Punch.
