Entertainment
Harrods reacts as multiple women accuse former owner Mohamed Al Fayed of rape
Multiple female ex-employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the late billionaire and former chairman of Harrods, a luxury United Kingdom (UK) department store, of rape.
Fayed died last year at the age of 94.
The BBC said a documentary and podcast — Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods — gathered evidence that during Fayed’s ownership, Harrods not only failed to intervene but helped cover up abuse allegations.
One woman said Fayed raped her at his Park Lane apartment, while another, who said the late billionaire assaulted her when she was a teenager, described him as a “monster”.
“A sexual predator with no moral compass whatsoever,” she added, saying all the staff at Harrods were his “playthings”.
“We were all so scared. He actively cultivated fear. If he said ‘jump’ employees would ask ‘how high’.”
Fayed owned Harrods for 26 years and later owned Fulham Football Club and the Paris Ritz.
Former staff told the BBC that the businessman would regularly tour the department store’s vast sales floors and identify young female assistants he found attractive, who would then be promoted to work in his offices upstairs.
The assaults would be carried out in Harrods’ offices, his London apartment, or on foreign trips—often in Paris at the Ritz hotel, which he also owned, or his nearby Villa Windsor property.
On Friday, lawyers representing the assaulted employees said many of them were aged between 19 and 24 when they started working for Fayed.
Some were as young as 15 and 16, the lawyers added.
Fayed sold Harrods to the Qatar royal family in a deal reported to be worth around 1.5 billion pounds in 2010.
The new owners issued a statement saying they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Fayed.
“These were the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated, and we condemn them in the strongest terms,” the statement said.
“The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010, it is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do.”
The store offered its sincere apologises, saying it was prioritising settling claims in the quickest way possible to avoid “lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved”.
Forbes said Fayed’s net worth was around $2 billion when he died.
Entertainment
Spotify names Burna Boy as the most exported Nigerian artist of 2024
Spotify has released the data for the most streamed artists outside Nigeria in 2024.
On the list shared by Spotify, Grammy winner Burna Boy is the Nigerian artist with the most streams outside Nigeria. For the past couple of years, the hitmaker has been at the forefront of exporting Nigerian music globally.
Burna Boy’s feat is a testament to his global popularity which has made him the only African artist with 3 albums surpassing over 500 million streams.
Second on the list is Grammy-nominated star Ayra Starr who enjoyed a good year thanks to the release of her critically acclaimed sophomore album ‘The Year I Turned 21’ which enjoyed critical and commercial success.
The album features a star-studded lineup that includes Asake, Seyi Vibez, American singer Giveon and Coco Jones, and Brazilian star Aniita.
Rema is the third most exported Nigerian artist of 2024. His hit single ‘Calm Down’ continues to enjoy global success, especially in the United States where it became the first African song to garner 1 billion streams.
This year, Rema released his sophomore LP ‘HEIS’ which is one of the most talked about albums of 2024. The album buoyed by its upper tempo arrangement, pulsating production, and aggressive chest thumping delivered the bit records ‘Ozeba’, ‘Hehehe’, and ‘Azaman’.
Tems (4) and Omah Lay (5) rounds off the top 5. Grammy winner Tems enjoyed a successful year on the global front with the release of her debut album ‘Born In The Wild’ which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Global Album.
Top 10 exported Nigerian Artists on Spotify in 2024
1. Burna Boy
2. Ayra Starr
3. Rema
4. Tems
5. Omah Lay
6. Asake
7. Wizkid
8. Davido
9. Fireboy
10. Victony
Entertainment
I’m a hardworking businesswoman, more than just Wizkid’s baby mama, says Jada P
American talent manager Jada Pollock, popularly known as Jada P, has asserted that she is far more than just singer Wizkid’s “babymama,” a title often used by the media.
Speaking in a recent interview with BET UK, Jada P lamented that her accomplishments as an entrepreneur and professional in the music industry have been largely overshadowed by her role as the mother of Wizkid’s children.
Jada P highlighted her career achievements, noting that she has managed international artists such as Chris Brown, Wizkid, and Skyla Tyla.
She described herself as a dedicated businesswoman and music manager actively contributing to the growth of the industry.
“When Wizkid won a Grammy, I wrote a statement about how far afrobeat has come. They put the statement out, and the caption was ‘Wizkid baby mama.’ The narrative is not seen as you’re an entrepreneur and hardworking businesswoman. I’m not only a mother but also a manager, who has actively contributed to building a legacy,” she said.
She further emphasised her role in managing top-tier artists, adding, “Some of the artists I have managed are Chris Brown, Wizkid & Skyla Tyla, etc.”
Entertainment
Stop seeking human validation, Eucharia Anunobi advises fans
Eucharia Anunobi, the ace Nigerian actress, has advised her fans to stop seeking validation from people.
In an Instagram post on Friday, the actress urged her followers to embrace self-worth and resist the pressure of wanting to be liked by everyone.
She cautioned that the constant need for approval often leads to “emotional and spiritual imbalance”.
“Seeking to be liked by all is a sign that you are emotionally and spiritually imbalanced. Some people will hate you because to hate is what gives them joy because they are genetically wicked. So get used to not being liked. 1 John 5:19,” she wrote.
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