Joann Kelly, the daughter of R. Kelly, has alleged the imprisoned singer sexually abused her as a child.

In a new two-part documentary series for the TVEI Streaming Network, Joann, also known as Buku Abi, said she first reported the alleged abuse to her mother Drea in 2009.

“He was my everything. For a long time, I didn’t even want to believe that it happened. I didn’t know that even if he was a bad person he would do something to me,” the 26-year-old detailed in an episode of the documentary titled ‘Karma: A Daughter’s Journey’.

“I was too scared to tell anybody. I was too scared to tell my mom.”

In a new two-part documentary series for the TVEI Streaming Network, Joann, also known as Buku Abi, said she first reported the alleged abuse to her mother Drea in 2009.

“He was my everything. For a long time, I didn’t even want to believe that it happened. I didn’t know that even if he was a bad person he would do something to me,” the 26-year-old detailed in an episode of the documentary titled ‘Karma: A Daughter’s Journey’.

“I was too scared to tell anybody. I was too scared to tell my mom.”

Although Joann did not share details of the alleged abuse, she said she believes the 57-year-old singer’s jail sentence is well-deserved.

“I really feel like that one millisecond completely just changed my whole life and changed who I was as a person and changed the sparkle I had and the light I used to carry,” she continued.

“After I told my mom, I didn’t go over there anymore; my brother [Robert] and sister [Jaah], we didn’t go over there anymore. And even up until now I struggle with it a lot.”

The documentary trailer also includes emotional interviews with Abi’s siblings, Jaah and Robert Kelly Jr. and Drea, their mother, who said: “What he did to me, he did to me. But you didn’t have to do it to my damn kids”.

However, Jennifer Bonjean, Kelly’s lawyer, issued a statement to PEOPLE “vehemently” denying the allegations.

“Mr. Kelly vehemently denies these allegations. His ex-wife made the same allegation years ago, and it was investigated by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services and was unfounded…. And the ‘filmmakers,’ whoever they are, did not reach out to Mr. Kelly or his team to even allow him to deny these hurtful claims,” the statement reads.

Abi is one of Kelly’s three children with ex-wife Drea. The pair was married from 1996 to 2009.

In February 2023, the R&B singer was sentenced to 20 years in prison on child pornography and enticement charges.

The three-time Grammy award winner will serve the years concurrently with a prior 30-year prison sentence from a separate case in New York on July 29, 2022.

The singer, best known for the 1996 smash hit ‘I Believe I Can Fly’, has consistently denied wrongdoings.

Amid the recent hike in the fuel price in Nigeria and economic crises, Nigerian actor Yul Edochie has taken to social media to encourage Nigerians that all would be well.

On October 11, 2024, the actor posted his encouraging message to Instagram, alongside a picture of him in his well-known dress with Tinubu’s face on it.

He wrote, “lt will be well with our country. It’s a difficult time in Nigeria. Many are angry and losing patience. But I believe things will change positively soon. Good things take time to mature. Certain good policies take time to yield results. Let’s be patient. I believe in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialasiwajubat and I believe He will fix Nigeria.”

Though well intended, his post was not met in good faith by his followers and many other Instagram users, who berated him for his support for the president.

An Instagram user wrote, “Try Dey keep quiet. I know u r trying so hard so stay irreverent. Go and put on ring light and dance with Judy.”

“They told us the youth are the leaders of tomorrow. But Yul is saying that a great-grandfather will fix Nigeria? How?” asked another.

Another person wrote, “Report just came in now that someone just got out of his cage I think we need to get him back to the cage as soon as possible, Report him if found Please cho cho cho because you get small change for hand na why oponu.”

It is worth noting that Edochie is a staunch supporter of President Tinubu and has, on different occasions, received backlash for voicing his support.

Bob-Manuel Udokwu has shared his thoughts on Idris Elba‘s casting as Okonkwo in the upcoming TV adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s classic novel, ‘Things Fall Apart’.

Elba, the British actor, will reprise the iconic role previously played by ace Nigerian actor Pete Edochie in the 1971 and 1987 adaptations.

But in an interview with Channels TV, Udokwu said he believes Nigerian actors could bring a deeper understanding to the role.

“There is this conversation about Idris Elba being cast to play the role of Okonkwo in Hollywood’s make of ‘Things Fall Apart’,” he said.

“I don’t have anything against that as an actor but I think we have top-class actors in Nigeria who can play the role even better, knowing where the story is coming from.”

Udokwu emphasized the importance of collaboration between Nollywood and international film industries to expand the country’s global reach.

“We need more collaboration. I said this years ago that Nollywood has come of age. We don’t have to do anything more to prove to the world we the world-class talents,” he said.

“…What Nollywood needs now is collaboration and it beginning to happen. We need to have more and more collaboration with our counterparts in Europe and North America.

“That is the path to follow now and I believe that it is beginning to happen gradually and we will eventually get there.”