Entertainment
90% of my secrets are with my mum in her grave –Chioma Akpotha
For popular Nollywood actress, Chioma Akpotha, every May 22 of each year would forever be a day she would set aside to celebrate the life of her mother who died about five years ago.
In a recent chat with the actress, she told Saturday Beats that she was so close to her mother as the first daughter that her mother went to her grave with 90 per cent of her secrets.
With teary eyes, she recalled the way her left-handed mother used to deal with her whenever she erred but despite all the slaps and beatings she received, it never affected the love she had for her mother.
“It has been five years that my mother has died and till date, I still miss everything about her. Being the first daughter, she was my best friend but whenever I misbehaved, she hardly used a cane on me, instead, she would use her hand, slippers, pestle, among other things.
“She was left handed but I always forgot that aspect whenever she was beating me, so there were times that I would expect the slap on the right cheek and would have guarded the right side of my face only for the slap to land on the left side.
“I miss her a lot. My mother went to her grave with about 90 per cent of my secret and that is how close I was to my mother. She was practically my backbone. When I had my first son, my mother stayed with us for about a year. Although she had a restaurant at the time, she abandoned it to look after my child and would accompany me to the various movie sets I had to attend. She was running her business from the movie location. I miss everything about her. “There is a saying that Igbo people have which states, ‘the day you lose your mother is the day you lose your God. Her death has thrown me into the open but I believe she is now an angel who watches over me from up above and she is fighting for me,” she said.
The screen diva told Saturday Beats that although she was flogged several times by her mother, it was not because she was a stubborn child. She further stated that although she joined the Nigerian movie industry as a teenager, she never dared to embrace any vice because of the kind of upbringing her mother gave her.
Akpotha said, “I was not mischievous per se but I did not believe that you could cheat me out of what is mine. If my mother did not have any other job, she probably would have been a soldier. I am the first daughter and as an Igbo woman, the first daughter had to be an example of what a good home would be like, so I could not have indulged in any bad vice during my early years in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
“Also, when it comes to my personal hygiene I am allergic to smoke among other things. I get ‘high’ easily and I act in silly ways but I like to comport myself in public hence when you see me, you tend to think I am uptight.
“I had friends that took alcohol and tried to cajole me into taking some but I always refused because if you know who you are, why succumb to peer pressure?”
*Punch
Entertainment
From Bomb Blast to Praise: Maureen J’s Miracle Song
–Lagos bomb blast survivor tells her story through soul-stirring gospel track
From the ashes of one of Nigeria’s most devastating tragedies has emerged a powerful testimony in song. “How Do I Kelee Gi?” — a soul-stirring blend of English and Igbo meaning “How do I thank You?” — is the heartfelt anthem of Maureen Onwuka, popularly known as Maureen J, a survivor of the January 27, 2002 Lagos bomb blast.
The blast, which rocked the Ikeja Cantonment area, left hundreds dead and thousands displaced in an unforgettable moment of national grief.
For Maureen, then a young evangelist, it marked the beginning of an emotional and spiritual journey that would change her life and eventually give birth to a song of thanksgiving.
On the day of the explosion, Maureen had stepped out for routine evangelism when she was caught in the chaos. Fleeing with a panicked crowd, she found herself at the edge of a canal near Ajao Estate. She couldn’t swim. Before she could react, the surging crowd pushed her into the water.
“I found myself stepping on bodies. People who had already drowned. It was like walking on human carpet, and I didn’t even know at first,” she recounts, her voice heavy with emotion. “Some were grabbing at me, trying to come up, but every time someone held my leg, I felt myself going under.”
Maureen screamed out a desperate prayer: “Lord, remember me! I was just out telling people about You! Please show me mercy!” In that moment, a stranger appeared in the water — a man who swam to her, pulled her to safety, and vanished without a trace. “I don’t know who he was. I believe he was an angel,” she says.
She escaped with her life, but the images of that day, especially the lifeless bodies of children, women, and men, remained etched in her memory. In the aftermath, she made a solemn vow to God: to tell the world what He did for her.
That vow found its fullest expression in “How Do I Kelee Gi?” — a song she describes as a sacred offering of gratitude. “Words weren’t enough to carry my story. I had to pour it into music,” Maureen explains. “Mixing English and Igbo was intentional — what God did for me was too great to explain in just one language.”
Though the song was written two to three years after the tragedy and initially recorded with little fanfare, Maureen never stopped sharing her story. Encouraged by those who’ve heard the track and urged her to push it further, she is now relaunching the song with renewed purpose.
“This song is my flagship,” she says. “It’s time to tell the world. I want people to not just hear my voice, but to know the miracle behind it.”
Maureen, who hails from Umukparo, Mbala Isuochi, in Abia State, has always been musically inclined, serving in choirs from her youth. But the 2002 experience gave her voice a new purpose. “After the blast, music became more than a gift — it became a mission,” she says.
Inspired by gospel icons like Mercy Chinwo, Sinach, and Nathaniel Bassey, Maureen hopes to reach hearts and stir worship through her sound. “Their songs move me toward God. That’s what I want mine to do too.”
“How Do I Kelee Gi?” is currently available on Audiomack and CD Baby, with plans for a full official launch slated for August this year.
From tragedy came a testimony. From near-death, a new life’s mission. And through it all, Maureen J stands — a living witness that miracles still happen, and when they do, the only fitting response is to sing.
Entertainment
You’re a priceless gift: Gov Mbah Celebrates Jim Nwobodo at 85
… Nwobodo: Mbah is a Success, reports SANDRA ANI
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, at the weekend, led other who-is-who in the state to celebrate elder statesman and a former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo
Speaking during the 85th birthday anniversary celebration event in honour of Nwobodo at his Amechi Awkunanaw, Enugu, country home, Friday evening, Mbah recalled the octogenarian’s outstanding service to Enugu State, old Anambra State, Nigeria, and humanity in various capacities, describing him as an epitome of excellence.
“It will be difficult to find words that amply capture the true essence of what Dr. Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo represents. Your life is a living proof that the true value of existence is selfless service.
“Nothing endears one to his people than selfless service. That is what you epitomise. The men and women gathered here today to celebrate you is a reflection of that selfless service that you have provided for the people of Enugu State and Nigeria.
“Today, we celebrate an extraordinary journey. We celebrate 85 years of impactful life.
“As Governor at 39 years, you left bold legacies that are still evident today. As a Minister of Youth and Sport, your record remains unbeatable; and it’s still a heartwarming reference point in this country. As a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you were an epitome of courage and patriotism. We are indeed very proud of you.
“You are a priceless gift to humanity and to Enugu State and indeed our dear country. We are so blessed to have you. You have also provided a shoulder on which countless leaders stand on. You are a charismatic, yet unassuming leader; a man of all seasons,” the governor stated.
He wished him many happy returns in sound health and cherished moments so that the new generation of leaders could continue to benefit from his fatherly counsel and wealth of experience.
In his remarks, Nwobodo enjoined leaders to utilise the opportunities God had given to them to work for the people, citing the Mbah example in Enugu State.
“Today, Peter (Mbah) is a success. Whether anybody likes it or not. He is a success because the results speak for him. Whatever he is in Enugu today was God’s design from time. God gave it to him. God inspires all that he is doing in Enugu today.
“Governor Mbah also listens. He really does. I suggested something to him not long ago. He reflected on it and told me that he would do it. Today, he is already doing it. That is how your know a leader that would go far,” the elder statesman said.
While thanking the governor for organising a state event to mark his birthday, Nwobodo said that Mbah had underscored the need to celebrate people while they are alive.
“I did not expect an elaborate celebration as this. But the governor insisted on celebrating me so well. He maintained that it was better to celebrate people when they are alive, to say all the beautiful things to their hearing. So, Governor, I thank you for this show of love and thank all of you, who came out in your numbers to celebrate me,” he added.
Also, at the event were the former governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; members of the Enugu State Executive Council; serving and former federal and state lawmakers, Council Chairmen under the leadership of the Chairman, Enugu State chapter of ALGON, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, as well as the traditional rulers led by the Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, His Majesty, Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu, among a host of others.
The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of Christian faith. In commemoration of this, the Love of God in Christ (LOGIC) Church is hosting the first edition of the Jesus + Nothing Worship, an uplifting evening dedicated to expressing the message of the death, burial and resurrection in music.
This event will be held on, Friday, April 18, 2025, by 4PM, at The LOGIC Church headquarters in Lekki, Lagos.
The event offers worshippers an opportunity to connect with the essence of the Gospel in worship.
The Lead Pastor and Apostolic Head of the LOGIC Church, Apostle Flourish Peters, asserts that worship is a significant part of the New Testament believers’ experience in Christ.
“As a Christocentric faith community, this event is a great way to celebrate the gift of Christ, who laid down his life for our redemption. Good Friday is a great time to have a worship celebration like this,” notes Peters.
On the context for the event, he notes, “Nothing speaks to the culture of a people like the music they listen to.
Jesus + Nothing Worship will contribute to shaping and mainstreaming a culture of christocentric worship, where the Gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection is platformed through worship.
With Nigeria’s young demography heavily influenced by the music and the arts, Christocentric music is a powerful tool in pointing this generation to Christ,”
Guest ministers expected include; Ministers Neon Adejo, Greatman Takit, Victor Thompson, Timi Dakolo, Samuel Giveson (SMJ), Noble G, Steve Hills, and Lily Perez. Others include Ministers Joxie, Anderson Qozan, Pastor Victor Paul, EmekaSongz, Flo, Dorcas Moore, Magpsalms, Mera Owili, Gerald Bishung, Phebe Lion, and the vibrant Evolution Children’s Choir.
The Jesus + Nothing Worship is a free event and attendees are guaranteed an unforgettable experience.
For more information, visit the official website: https://thelogicchurch.org/en/ and follow on YouTube at @TheLOGICChurch and on Instagram at @thelogicchurch.
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