Davido, the Afrobeats star, has opened up about coping with loss and finding strength.

Reflecting on losing loved ones, including his mother Veronica at age 11 in a recent interview with Mystery Fashioniest, the 31-year-old Grammy-nominated singer credited his strength to faith.

“I have lost a lot of people. I lost my mum at eleven. I am just being strong. I did a song called ‘Stand Strong’,” he said.

“I feel like strength and obviously, my faith.”

On his personal life, Davido said growing up in a large family has shaped his connection with the public.

The music star, however, added that some people misjudge him as being “too accessible” or “unapproachable”.

“I think sometimes, people think I am not approachable. Another misconception is that people also think I am too accessible,” he said.

“I grew up in a big family, I’m used to having people around me. My talent and success is God-given.”

Davido lost his mum in March 2003. She passed away at age 39. In 2017, Tagbo Umeike, his friend, died from excessive consumption of alcohol.

Ogbeide Tijani Olamilekan, Davido’s bodyguard of 11 years, also passed on in 2020 after battling an undisclosed illness.

In October 2022, Davido lost Ifeanyi, his son with his wife Chioma Rowland. Last year, the singer shared his grief following his son’s demise.

“I miss him every day, there’s tears coming out of my eyes every morning, you don’t have to see it,” he had said.

“I look at myself in the mirror and I said apart from it just being about me, I know how many people love me, I know how many people are depending on me.

“My son up there is looking down at me. Apart from me being strong for his mom, which is my primary responsibility, I have to be strong for the world.”

Madam Saje and Kanayo O Kanayo will receive the ‘lifetime achievement’ honours at the 2024 Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards.

Seun Oloketuyi, the founder of BON Awards, announced the honours in a statement on Friday.

The award event is scheduled to be held on November 24 at the Sugar Factory Film Studios in Ilorin, Kwara.

Speaking about the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award, Oloketuyi said there is a need to celebrate film heroes while they are still alive.

He also expressed excitement about Kwara’s role as the host state of this year’s ceremony.

“Why must we wait till our film heroes are dead to give them awards? Posthumous awards are good, but it is better the recipient is alive to receive the awards,” he said.

Feranmi Olaoye, the executive producer of BON Awards, said Kanayo and Madam Saje, born Fausat Balogun, are “people we grew up watching and they deserve to be celebrated”.
“They inspired the generation we watch now, and they still maintained their stand in the industry. That’s why we have chosen them as this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winners,” Olaoye said.
Other actors who have won the ‘lifetime achievement’ awards include Adebayo Salami, Toyin Adegbola, and Madam Kofo.
The BON Awards ceremony was first held in December 2009, in Ikeja, Lagos.

It has since continued to be a creative strata for the Nigerian movie industry.

In February, the organisers announced their partnership with Group 8 Ltd, the media firm, for the next five editions of its awards.

Maggie Smith, the Hollywood actress known for her role in ‘Harry Potter’, has passed away at the age of 89.

In a statement, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, her sons, disclosed the film star died “peacefully” in the hospital in the early hours of Friday.

Stephens and Larkin said Smith’s passing left them “devastated and sad” while describing her as an “extraordinary person who is intensely private”.

“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” the statement reads.

“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September.

“An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.

“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”

Born in Ilford, England on December 28, 1934, Smith delved into acting in 1952. Her career spanned over 60 years in television, film, and theater.

She featured in over 50 films and won several awards. She won two Oscar awards, eight BAFTA awards, four Emmy awards, two Academy awards, three Golden Globe awards and a Tony award.

In 1967, Smith tied the knot with Robert Stephens. However, they divorced in 1975.

She then married Alan Beverly Cross and remained with him till he died in 1998.

In 1990, Smith was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to the performing arts.