Entertainment

Seun Kuti’s travel lawful, won’t jump bail – Counsel

Published

11 months ago

May 26, 2023

Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Femi Falana and Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, who are both attorneys to Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, have said their client’s travel to Switzerland on Thursday amid his ongoing case with the police, is not unlawful or illegal.

The senior lawyers also noted that Kuti is currently not being prosecuted in court by the Nigeria Police Force or any other prosecuting authority.

The musician jetted out to Switzerland on Thursday to kick off his Europe tour in Zurich.

Mr Kuti confirmed this on his Instagram story on Thursday, while sharing a picture of himself on the plane with the caption, “Euro tour kicks off tonight in Zurich.”

This follows the singer’s release on bail on Tuesday night, following his nine days detention in police custody for allegedly assaulting a police officer.

Reacting to the development following an inquiry by our correspondent on Thursday, Falana said, “Seun Kuti will stand his trial. Also, the Magistrate has ordered the police to send the case file to the Department of Public Prosecution.

“Anytime he is required to stand his trial, he will appear in court. Seun Kuti is presumed innocent until the contrary is proven. As far as we’re concerned, once the state files a charge and a date is fixed for arraignment, he will be in court

“There’s nothing illegal about a person travelling out of the country while they’re on bail. The issue of depositing his passport was not one of the conditions for his bail. As far as we’re concerned, once the state files a charge and a date is fixed for arraignment.”

However, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, noted that Seun Kuti is currently not being prosecuted, adding that it was left to the DDP to make a decision on the matter once it receives the case file.

Olumide-Fusika said, “He will surely be in court on July 3, 2023, and on each day he’s required to appear. It should, however, be noted that Mr Seun Kuti is not being prosecuted in court whether by the NPF or any other prosecuting authority.

“The DPP, after receiving and studying the police investigation file will decide the offences Mr Kuti is to be charged with. It is after being charged with specific offences that Mr Kuti will be arraigned to take his plea. If he pleads not guilty, trial dates will be set, and the trial will take place. If he pleads guilty, he will be sentenced to appropriate punishment.”

The police had earlier prevailed on the court to grant it the right to prosecute Kuti, stating that Section 23 of the Police Act gives the police the right to not only arrest but also prosecute suspects.

On Wednesday, the police prosecuting team led by Morufu Animashaun applied to vacate the remand application presented in court on May 16 and arraign the defendant properly in order to focus on his prosecution.

However, the Yaba Magistrates Court of Adeola Olatunbosun on Wednesday ruled that the police cannot be the complainant and also the prosecutor at the same time.

Olatubosun said, “I need the advice of the DPP to know whether he should be prosecuted or not.”

She thus adjourned the case till July 3, 2023, for the DPP’s advice.

When contacted for comments, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

“I am not authorised to speak on Seun Kuti’s matter, please. Kindly contact the Head of Chambers, Nigeria Police Force, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Simon Lough, SAN,” Hundeyin said.

However, DCP Lough didn’t respond to phone calls and text messages by our correspondent on Thursday.

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.”