GRLife
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Talks Battling Depression After His Mother’s Suicide Attempt
By Alanna Vagianos
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is not afraid to open up about his battle with depression.
“I reached a point where I didn’t want to do a thing or go anywhere. I was crying constantly,” the actor recently told British tabloid the Express.
Johnson, 45, said that when he was just 15 years old, his mother, Ata, attempted suicide right in front of him. He said that to this day, his mother does not remember trying to kill herself.
“She got out of the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic,” he said. “I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road.”
The professional wrestler-turned-action star said that although he and his mother have both moved on from that painful time, they use the experience as a reminder to be kind to other people.
“We both healed but we’ve always got to do our best to pay attention when other people are in pain,” he told the Express. “We have to help them through it and remind them they are not alone.”
Johnson retweeted the story on Sunday, writing in part: “We all go [through] the sludge/shit and depression never discriminates. Took me a long time to realize but the key is to not be afraid to open up. Especially us dudes have a tendency to keep it in. You’re not alone.”
A fan thanked Johnson on Twitter, telling the actor that his words “will help a lot of people.”
True to form, Johnson responded with a ton of love and support: “Hey man I get it. We all go thru the sludge and shit. Stay strong and make sure you’re talking to good people about it. Us men have a tendency to hold it in. No shame in getting help and wanting to be better.”
By Alanna Vagianos
Women’s Reporter, HuffPost
The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has commiserated with its member, Mr. Olatunde Abatan, publisher of Newdawn Online, over the passing of his beloved wife, Mrs. Desola Amoke Latifat Abatan (née Adewunmi).
Mrs. Abatan died on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, after a brief illness.
A press statement by the publicity secretary, GOCOP, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, quoted the guild leadership in a condolence message, signed by the President, Ms Maureen Chigbo and Secretary-General, Mr. Olumide Iyanda, said the loss was not only to her immediate family, but to the online publishing community.
“On behalf of the entire GOCOP family, we extend our heartfelt condolences to you and your family during this difficult time. The loss of a life partner is an indescribable pain, and we can only imagine the depth of your grief,” part of the condolence message read.
The guild prayed for the repose of her soul and asked God to grant her family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
GOCOP further assured Mr. Abatan of members’ prayers and support during this trying period.
Sports
Portugal Football Club Signs on 19-Year-Old Nigerian- born Footballer, Yaqub Usman-Malah
Reporter: Sandra Ani
Brito Sporting Club of Portugal, a football club founded in 1956, has signed an official contract with a United Kingdom-based highly-talented, young Nigeria-born footballer, Yaqub Usman-Malah.
The official unveiling of the young promising footballer was carried out on Saturday, January 4, 2025.
Yaqub, born in Nigeria in 2006, is a budding Nigerian talent with unquantifiable promise and potential.
Prior to his official contract with Brito Sporting Club of Portugal, he was a student and a trainee player with the Brooke College Football Academy in the United Kingdom.
At Brooke College Football Academy, Yaqub had an impressive goal average of 17 goals in 32 matches with no injuries in 116 training days, cumulating into 2, 270 minutes of on-field action.
A clear testimony of his outstanding performance at the Academy was provided by the lead coach of the Under-17B team Yaqub played with.
The lead coach, Tomasz Wasylik, described Yaqub as a ‘well-liked person’ and a role model to his teammates due to his professionalism and unmatched work rate.
The Lead Coach further stated that Yaqub has played in National School Cup competitions against other colleges and programmes in the 2023/2024 session and is a good ‘tactical player’, ‘technically good” and can ‘play in multiple positions on the field’.
It is expected that Yaqub will live to the potential and promise identified by Coach Tomasz Wasylik of the Brooke College Football Academy and achieve greatness in his new club.
“While looking forward to the display of his unarguable skills and boundless stamina, we wish Yaqub a successful career and a place in the halls of football greatness across the globe,” Yaqub’s father, Mr Usman Malah said in a statement issued to the media, on Wednesday 8, 2025.
Spotify today announced the launch of its ‘Detty December’ hub with playlists for December, a celebration of the vibrant festive season in West Africa and South Africa. The hub is a one-stop shop for all things Detty December, with curated playlists featuring the biggest hits and emerging sounds of the season. Users can find everything from Afrobeats and Amapiano anthems to chilled-out vibes for those much-needed recovery days.
“Detty December is a special time for our users in West Africa and ke Dezemba symbolises South Africa’s spirit of celebration,” said Phiona Okumu, Head of Music at Spotify Sub-Saharan Africa. “We’re excited to be part of their celebrations with this dedicated hub and playlists, bringing them the best music to soundtrack their festive moments.”
This unapologetic season of street jams, back-to-back concerts, and endless summer fun has developed its own culture that draws diaspora and local fans alike. The curated sounds of Spotify’s Detty December hub will pay homage to the Lagos rooftop lounges, Accra’s beachside festivals, and South Africa’s township tunes that keep people grooving.
In addition to the hub, Spotify has also launched a new playlist called ‘Songs of Detty December’. This playlist is a curated list from Spotify Africa’s editors on the songs predicted to dominate this year’s Detty December. From DJ Skelm’s Afro Tech sounds to Flytime Fest’s tour of songs that tell Africa’s aspirational stories, the hub will be the home of takeover playlists that display Africa’s diverse talent. Barrier-breaking Amapiano talent Kamo_ww has taken over a South African Summer playlist too.
Spotify is also supporting Jerk x Jollof, a popular event making its way to Africa for the first time, through its Frequency program. Held at The Ostrich event space, the Jerk x Jollof Cape Town takeover will feature DJs and artists such as TxC, DBN Gogo, Spinall, Sarz and Odeal, merging the spirit of Detty December and ke Dezemba experiences and bringing South and West African cultures and artists together.
“We’re committed to supporting African music and culture,” said Okumu. “We believe that music is a powerful way to bring people together, and we’re excited to be part of the Detty December celebrations.”
You can keep the good vibes going as you make your way to the hotel, beach or next Detty December party with Spotify’s curated and immersive sound selection. Discover something new or run the year’s best party anthems back on your app today.
The ‘Detty December’ hub is available now on Spotify.
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