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Will Smith saga: Nigerian comedians and artists share their thoughts on snide jokes
Eunice Oluwafunmilayo
The slap Will Smith delivered to comedian Chris Rock in an apparent effort to defend his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, has become the most talked-about highlight of the 94th Academy Awards.
On Monday evening, a global audience watching the much-anticipated awards saw the incident when Smith stepped up to the Oscars stage and smacked Rock, after a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.
While some praised Smith for standing up for his family, others, including the Academy, were critical of his actions.
However, following his behavior at the event, the actor issued a public apologies.
Nigerian entertainers among others shared their views on the incident while noting that comedy shouldn’t be used to disrespect people but to correct social vices.
Notably among the reactions was that of ace musician, Paul Okoye, aka Kingrudy, who said Smith’s action had opened doors for some people in Nigeria.
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Using his handle, Iamkingrudy, he said, “Naija comedians go calm down a bit. Will Smith don open doors for some people. Pls do not allow yourself to be used as Naija version of the Oscars.”
Similarly, media personality, Ubi Franklin, called out popular comedian, Abovi Ugboma, aka Bovi, for referencing his children while making a joke on national TV.
He said, “This is the way now, you yab me we get on it straight. Or you yab me and I yab you with receipts of the things the world don’t know right on my page here and we will go anywhere you want from there.
“Comedy should not be used as a decoy to disrespect people on National TV. BOVI, you did this at last year’s “Headies” and I sent your friends and close (allies) to warn you, do not try it again. I am struggling with stuff and trying to put myself together and you go on live TV to talk about my kids? BOVI? Until next time.”
Reacting to the development, comedian, Otaghware Onodjayeke, popularly known as Igosave, described comedy as a tool used in correcting social vices.
He said, “I am not a fan of very sensitive jokes and I don’t support violence in any way. Sometimes, as a comedian, you try to use present happenstances to make joke. I want to commend Will Smith for standing for his family.
“Yeah the joke might be below the belt but Chris and Williams are friends. If I were in his shoes, maybe I would have waited for the show to end and tell him I don’t like this kind of joke, you know my wife is going through this but you know human beings differ. He (Smith) couldn’t hold it.
“But some of our celebrities that have not trended for long, they are beginning to come out, to tweet and instigate Nigerians against Nigerian comedian. They said with what has happened, hope Nigerian comedians have learnt and that nah to dey slap comedians now.”
While acknowledging Rock’s professionalism for not retaliating against Smith’s attack, the comedian, however, noted that if he was attacked in such a manner, the show would end abruptly.
He added, “One of our friends even brought up an old issue about a comedian making joke about his children. A comedian made a joke of you two years ago and na today you remember to talk am because you want to trend and be in the news so that brands can endorse you.
“Comedy is what we use in correcting social ills, so if you give girl belle and you abandon the girl and the girl con born and you didn’t support the girl and you abandon her with the child, we must use you to crack joke.
“So that next time other people wey suppose be like you, wey go con born children come life con abandon dem, dem go use condom and una wey dey say nah to dey slap comedian for stage, it is wrong to incite people against comedians.
“If you are saying that that means Buhari go don kill all of us because everybody don curse Buhari that he is sick and not fit and has gone to London. Yes, I appreciate Chris Rock sey e no retaliate, but for me, show go close o, dem go just do closing prayer make everybody go house.”
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Music Icon Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91
Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, composer, and cultural icon whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91.
Jones died peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Renowned for his unmatched versatility, Jones collaborated with some of the greatest musical talents of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Will Smith. He played an integral role in producing Jackson’s groundbreaking albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which catapulted the pop star to global superstardom and earned Jones worldwide acclaim.
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Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’ journey into music began early. His childhood introduction came from a neighbor’s piano playing and his mother’s singing. After moving to Washington state following his parents’ divorce, he honed his skills in his high school band and began playing with a young Ray Charles in Seattle’s vibrant club scene.
Jones’ career took off in New York, where he played trumpet in Elvis Presley’s early TV performances and worked with bebop legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By 1958, he was working with Frank Sinatra, arranging for the singer’s band at the request of Princess Grace Kelly. Their partnership flourished, spanning several projects including Sinatra’s final album LA Is My Lady in 1984.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’ talents extended into film and television scores, composing music for films such as The Italian Job, In the Heat of the Night, and the acclaimed The Color Purple, for which he earned three Oscar nominations. He also scored hit TV shows including The Bill Cosby Show and Roots.
In 1985, Jones produced and co-conducted the charity anthem “We Are the World” alongside Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, raising millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Despite personal and professional challenges—including surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974—Jones’s career continued to thrive.
Jones’ influence wasn’t limited to music. In 1990, he founded Quincy Jones Entertainment, the company behind the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith. His media ventures also included the creation of Qwest TV, an on-demand music streaming service, and the magazine Vibe, which celebrated Black music and culture.
Over his career, Jones earned 80 Grammy nominations, winning 28—making him one of the most decorated artists in the award’s history. Tributes poured in following news of his death. Actor Michael Caine, who shared Jones’ birthdate, called him “a wonderful and unique human being.” Music artists such as LL Cool J expressed gratitude, saying, “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed one. Music would not be music without you.”
Jones is survived by his seven children, leaving behind an indelible legacy that will resonate through generations to come. His life’s work transformed music, television, and culture, proving that there truly was no limit to what Quincy Jones could accomplish.
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Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians
Singer and rapper Jesse Jagz has called on Nigerians to rethink their approach to religion.
Jagz suggested that African traditional religious gods have become ineffective, attributing this to the excessive alcohol given to them during rituals, which, according to him, has made them obese, diabetic, and unable to aid their worshipers.
Speaking on the ‘Big Talk’ podcast, the rapper also criticized followers of foreign religions for relying solely on prayer and expecting miracles without putting in the necessary effort. He stressed that prayers alone cannot provide essential social services or infrastructure.
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“When you go to a shrine and you see the priest pouring gin on the gods, Google how much a bottle of gin was in slavery. 40 slaves.
“Our gods are drunk on alcohol and meat. They are obese and diabetic.
“They can’t help us do anything. Prayers do not build roads or buy books for children. We have forgotten humanity,” he said.
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Presidents Invite Me To Dinner Wherever I Go – Davido Boasts
Renowned Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, known by his stage name Davido, has stated that he receives special treatment globally due to his celebrity status.
The Afrobeats sensation mentioned that he is frequently invited to presidential dinners in nearly every country he visits, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom.
In a recent interview with Kiss Fresh London, Davido confidently shared that his fanbase includes influential figures such as the World Bank president, presidents of powerful nations, and other notable personalities.
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“Every country we go to, the President invites us for dinner except London [United Kingdom] and the United States of America.
“It’s beautiful to see. I mean, leaving my country, Nigeria, and people welcoming me like the president in other countries, shows how well Nigeria is doing around the world in terms of music and cultural impacts,” he said.
Davido has expressed that he feels most respected in Africa, which is why he cherishes his African tours more than those in Europe and America, even though the latter bring him greater financial rewards.
He shared that his Jamaican collaborator, YG Marley, was astonished by the immense admiration from fans when he visited Nigeria for the video shoot of their joint hit, ‘Awuke.’