Entertainment

Why Islam forbids praying for late Murphy Afolabi – Cleric

Published

11 months ago

May 20, 2023

An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yelma’e said Islam forbids him from praying for the late popular actor, Murphy Afolabi because he mostly used his roles in movies to promote actions that are contrary to the values of Islam.

The cleric stated this in a video clip posted on YouTube on Thursday.

He said he would never pray for Afolabi because he usually acted as herbalist, among other roles forbidden in Islam.

The cleric noted that there was a need for religious teachers and students to start reflecting on the portrayal of actions against Islamic teachings.

According to him, praying for Afolabi’s departed soul especially when most of his roles in films contravened Islamic practice would amount to hypocrisy.

He said, “What we posted yesterday was that we cannot pray for (late) Murphy Afolabi because in the movies he usually acts, and particularly Yoruba movies, it has a lot of forbidden things including traditional sacrifices and it is rare for the actors not to be involved in such traditional sacrifices.

“They might be acting that way with the thinking that they are joking but anything that has to do with Almighty Allah should not be joked with. Acting like herbalist, witch, or wizard, is against Islamic teachings and Islam is against such actions.

“What will make a Muslim start using what nonbelievers do to make people laugh? It is common in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo films, but mostly in Yoruba films. I feel it is time for religious teachers and students to start looking into these issues.

“When any of these actors with a Muslim name acts like herbalist in Yoruba movies and later dies, it becomes hypocritical for people to expect us to pray for them. As for Murphy Afolabi, I won’t pray for him, and neither will I curse him because he might not know.”

Meanwhile, a lecturer in Film and Media Arts, Department of Theatre Arts and Music, Lagos State University, Dr Femi Olugboji, said scholars have argued that Islam forbids the portrayal of images of human beings whether through television, photography or the creation of statues.

He said they also argued about the importance of information whether through entertainment or news stories or other means.

He said, “They (scholars) said Islam does not forbid education through the portrayal of human images but what Islam forbids is the way human beings, especially women, are portrayed through their mode of dressing, and as well as the content that misleads the public.

“What is the intent of Murphy Afolabi’s acting roles in line with what the cleric mentioned? Is it to correct society? Were his actions in those films to correct the ills in society or was it to mislead the society? We need to be very objective by taking a deep look at his works to see what he was trying to achieve or achieved through the actions he displayed in his films.

“The cleric to some extent may be wrong; if for example I assume a role of an herbalist and through that role I used it to correct something wrong in society, does it mean I have committed a sin? What exactly does the cleric know about the media and media content? He is looking at the issue from his personal belief and not Islamic religion.”

Olugboji said there was a need for movie practitioners to understand the audience and what they want from the media, adding that entertainers and performers would want to satisfy the needs of the audience.

He said, “If the audience felt that Murphy Afolabi’s works during his lifetime were misleading, he wouldn’t have been as popular as he was when he was alive. This means that to a large extent, he achieved a goal in society through his works.

“We should understand that every individual in the society evolves from a socio-cultural and religious background and based on the background that we evolve from; we have enough that can build media literacy that can help us to judge or decide between what is good or bad in the media.”

Recall that the Nollywood industry was thrown into mourning over the death of the Osun-born actor, who died at the age of 49.

Entertainment

‘I Am Dead To My Father’ – Emeka Ike’s Son, Michael

Published

4 months ago

December 27, 2023

Ifunaya Emeka

Michael, son of the veteran actor, Emeka Ike has said that he is dead to his father and he does not need anything from him anymore.

Michael disclosed this during an interview with Chud on podcast, in reaction to his father’s video where he spoke about his family affair.

IKe’s son who stated that he was trying to make peace with his father said, “When I watched the video I was like God this is insane. Is this the person I want to form peace with? I was wondering what was going on. This family is trying to reason if they can get her to talk to him. I was thinking there is something we can get out of it.

“I told my sister to get to understand how things should play out. I’m not trying to dictate but my father felt I was dictating for him. I was trying to tell him what should happen in this incident. There should be peace somewhere.”

Michael then expressed his displeasure with the way his father was talking about their private affairs.

“I told him we need to talk. I added that I’m not happy about the way you’re talking about our private affairs. Can you just stop it? And I had to tell him the disrespect he left on the family. I decided that this not the kind of person I should have respect for,” he said.

Michael who condemned his father attitude noting that Ike told him he will never prosper.

“The next morning I create ten minutes film. He sent mail to me, it’s not the first time, he had always sent mail to insult me. He said, ‘you’re doing music, you will never prosper. Don Jazzy will never see you. If I see you on the side of the road, I will spit on you”, he disclosed.

Asked what he wanted from his father, Michael retorted, “I’m dead to my father, I don’t need anything from him.”

Emeka Ike’s marriage to Suzanne Emma faced allegations of battery, leading to its dissolution by a Lagos Island Customary Court in 2015.

Emeka Ike, while speaking during a live interview on Rubbin Minds, Channels TV, asserted that his marital issues got him depressed for a very long time.

He revealed how his ex-wife, Emma, made him lose all his properties.

“My secondary school, St Nicolas College on CMD road, Magodo, was shut down, over N480m investment shut down that year, and all I heard was constant battery.

”I was always saying, common I never beat this lady, I went on air, called her, ‘saying babe, do I beat you, but then they said, you are a star and they can always manipulate things and all that.”

“Later I discovered that she was actually the one behind the whole thing”.

“You have to be a very successful man to be a woman beater, , because no carpenter or poor man is a woman beater,and there are people like Iyabo ojo to back them up,” he added.

While speaking with journalists, Emeka Ike opened up about challenging moments in his life, including struggles in his marriage and clashes with fellow Nollywood actors.

Entertainment

What Lagbaja Did When I Told Him I Was Leaving His Band – Ego

Published

4 months ago

December 25, 2023

Ifunaya Emeka

Singer and actress Ego Ihenacho has revealed that Lagbaja was supportive when she told him she was leaving his band

Ego, who left the band in 2006, disclosed this in an interview with the QEDNG publisher, Olumide Iyanda, in which she spoke about her experience working with the masked musician and her journey as a solo artiste.

Speaking on why she left the band and how Lagbaja supported her when she told him she was leaving, Ego said: “I just felt I needed to move on and it wasn’t as dramatic as people thought it was. There was nothing and it wasn’t something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.

“So, it was probably a month after, it just came to my mind, my gut feeling said okay that was the time to move and I told him sometime in October and I mean, it was expected, I wouldn’t stay there forever, as passionate as I am and as ambitious as I am about music.

“In fact, I’m surprised I even lasted that long. You know, so he was very supportive, he was happy-sad you know, he was like ‘Okay, I always knew you had this in you so when do you want to?’ and I was like ‘Okay, we just started the new year, December will be like my graduation, so that was like a farewell show and that was it and I moved on.”

Ego added that working on her own was tough and she had to fight for her place as a solo artiste but that she was able to succeed with the help of those who supported her.

“Musically, it’s been good, tough, but like I always say, I took some things for granted. It’s not Lagbaja anymore, it’s me with my band. So, you’ve seen me with a band so it’s not going to be hard for you to call me for shows but it didn’t happen that way.

“I really had to fight for my place as a band and it was encouraging, I had people who supported me by calling me for shows and it was great. I got the Glo ambassadorship and other opportunities. It was just a mix of the good and bad and here I am, also as an actor, so I’m grateful for the journey,” she said.

When asked if she missed the monthly show at Lagbaja’s Motherlan’, the Wura actress said: “I miss Motherlan’ a lot. Like I said, it was just a vibe. There was something to look forward to. we had everybody and there was just that common thing for everybody at that time, you know, the jokes, the music, we had the old, the young it was just amazing. It was just a nice vibe so I miss that.”