Entertainment
Assault: Seun Kuti Apologizes, Compensate Officer With ₦12,000
In light of the recent incident leading to the arrest and detention of Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti, he has expressed his remorse and provided a sum of ₦12,000 to the assaulted officer to repair his damaged vehicle.
Reliable sources familiar with the matter confirmed this development to our correspondent on Monday.
The officer had trailed Seun Kuti to his residence in Akin Osiyemi, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, after the musician collided with the officer’s vehicle on the Third Mainland bridge.
According to a source, Seun Kuti was responsible for the collision, and the officer followed him to address the situation. However, upon exiting his car, the musician slapped the officer, as captured in the trending video. Subsequently, the officer reported the incident at the Police Command in Ikeja.
“The officer was alone. After the altercation, he followed Seun Kuti to his home in Ikeja, where the musician apologized and gave him ₦12,000 for the repair of his damaged vehicle,” another source disclosed.
The officer then reported the incident at the Area F Police Command in Ikeja and submitted the ₦12,000 at the counter while providing a written statement regarding the altercation.
Presently, Seun Kuti is being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, also known as Panti, in Yaba, Lagos State, following his visit to the FCID (Force Criminal Investigation Department) concerning the alleged assault.
Accompanied by a lawyer representing Falana and Falana Chambers, the law firm of renowned human rights activist Femi Falana, SAN, the musician was seen in handcuffs during a parade by police officers at the SCID, Lagos, as depicted in video clips and pictures obtained by our correspondent.
In response to an inquiry about Seun Kuti’s apology and compensation, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident during a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday.
He stated that Seun Kuti apologized to the officer on Saturday and gave him ₦12,000 for the repair of his damaged vehicle after the officer followed him to his residence in Ikeja following the altercation.
“Although the investigation is still ongoing, your correspondence is correct. Seun Kuti apologized to the officer on Saturday and gave him ₦12,000 for vehicle repair after the officer followed him to his house in Ikeja after the altercation. Fortunately, the officer had already reported the incident at the Area F Police Command and deposited the ₦12,000 there before the video of the assault went viral on social media,” Hundeyin explained.
Previously, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had ordered the arrest of the musician and called for a swift and thorough investigation into the alleged assault, with subsequent prosecution of the suspect. In a social media post obtained by our correspondent on Saturday night, Seun Kuti claimed that the police officer in question attempted to murder him and his family.
However, in another Instagram post following the IG’s order for his arrest, Seun Kuti welcomed the investigation and expressed his willingness to fully cooperate. He also prayed that anyone at fault would face appropriate consequences.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has demanded the immediate prosecution of Seun Kuti, stating that no one has the right to assault a police officer in uniform and on official duty, regardless of the officer’s offense. The PSC Chairman, Dr. Solomon Arase, a retired Inspector-General of Police, emphasized that Seun’s arraignment would serve as a deterrent to other citizens.
Renowned Nigerian artist Wizkid recently released his highly anticipated album, Morayo, but the project has ignited a storm of opinions online.
While some fans hailed it as another masterpiece, critics like popular Twitter commentator Daniel Regha have called the album a disappointment, labeling it “quantity over quality.”
In a scathing review posted hours after the album’s release, Daniel Regha rated Morayo 3.5/10, citing repetitive tracks, uninspiring lyrics, and a lack of emotional depth. Regha argued that the album appears designed for TikTok virality rather than offering meaningful musical content.
Key Criticisms from Daniel Regha
Regha pointed out that tracks like “Bend” felt shallow and overly simplistic, while collaborations such as “Bad Girl” featuring Asake failed to live up to expectations. According to him, the standout tracks “Pray” and “Kese (Dance)” provide a glimpse of originality, but they aren’t enough to save the album. He further criticized Wizkid for not dedicating any song to his late mother, an omission many fans found surprising.
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Regha concluded by suggesting the album would have been better off as a four-to-five-song EP, stating, “Wizkid needs new musical ideas.”
Fans and Critics React
Regha’s critique sparked divided opinions on social media, with some fans agreeing and others fiercely defending the album. A Twitter user, @AdegboyeBodunde, echoed Regha’s sentiment, comparing Morayo unfavorably to projects by rising artists like Fola Baloranking and Minz. “Honestly, the album is so below average. Even new artists are coming out with bangers back to back,” he tweeted.
However, others were quick to dismiss Regha’s comments, questioning his authority to critique music. @africanvogue lashed out, saying, “Why give this wicked boy a voice? He knows he will get a response from Wizkid’s fans. @DanielRegha has never done anything of worth but pulls down the hard labor of others for his profit. That is criminal!”
Another user, @akinmusi, questioned Regha’s qualifications, writing, “What certifications does he hold in music? Has he authored any scholarly work, thesis, dissertation, or conducted research in the field? I’m genuinely curious.”
Is Morayo a Hit or Miss?
Despite the backlash, Morayo is expected to perform well commercially, driven by Wizkid’s loyal fanbase and widespread hype. The album experiments with new sounds and features top-notch production quality, which Regha himself acknowledged as one of its redeeming features.
However, the larger question remains: Is Wizkid delivering music for artistic growth, or is he leaning too heavily on commercial trends? The polarised reactions to Morayo suggest that Wizkid’s latest project will be a topic of debate for weeks to come.
The release of Morayo highlights the ever-present tension between artistic expression and fan expectations in the music industry.
While critics and fans continue to clash over its quality, one thing is certain: Wizkid remains one of the most talked-about artists in Africa, capable of commanding attention with every move he makes.
Award-winning Nigerian singer and activist, Yemi Alade has accused Cool FM Nigeria and Clout Africa of blacklisting her music after she failed to perform at an event organized by the platforms in December 2023.
The singer, in a series of tweets on Thursday night, alleged that her music has been removed from the stations’ playlists for nearly a year, despite her efforts to resolve the misunderstanding.
Alade explained that she was invited by Cool FM to perform at their December event but couldn’t attend.
According to her, she apologized for her absence in January 2024 but faced a cold reception from the management.
She claims this eventually led to her entire music catalogue being banned from the station’s playlists.
“Mr Serge and Mr Joseph, this life is not hard like that. WE SEE YOU… I SEE YOU @cloutafrica @CoolFMNigeria. This world is a small village. My God will fight for me… Una dey form gatekeepers in 2024,” she tweeted, referring to Cool FM and Clout Africa executives Serge Noujaim and Joseph Adamu.
Alade expressed shock at what she described as a deliberate attempt to sabotage her career by refusing to play her songs. She accused the station of barring both her old and new music from the airwaves.
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“Since December 2023. I personally reached out in January. You are still refusing to play my music and giving my team a hard time. You’re not gatekeepers, and you are not God, Mr Serge Noujaim and Mr Joseph Adamu,” she wrote.
She further criticized the lack of communication from the management regarding the issue.
“The common decency to reach out and clear out any misunderstanding borne out of sheer carelessness on your path for a whole year, and your next move is to place an embargo on my songs? Remove my whole catalogue,” she added.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has congratulated his nephew and global music icon, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido on the occasion of his birthday, describing him as a superstar Osun State is proud of.
This was revealed in a statement by his Spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, where he cited Gov Aeleke as pointing to Davido’s consistency, energy and passion yielding the result he has recorded not only in his music career but also in his life as a person.
Gov Adeleke, stated Rasheed, prayed for progress, more success and achievement for Davido, while commending his continuous outreach to the orphanages and less privileged, which he described as ‘a noble act every blessed hand in Nigeria must emulate’.
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He said, ” I want to rejoice with my nephew, David Adeleke, Davido, on the occasion of his 32nd birthday, I am very happy we are all alive to witness it.
“Davido is a global super star that Osun State is very proud of. The consistency, energy and passion he has inserted into building his music career is evident in the result he has recorded not only in his career but also in his life as a person.
“I pray for him for progress, more success and achievement in long life, prosperity, sound health and mind.
“I equally want to commend his continuous outreach to the orphanages and less privileged. I must say that this is a noble act every blessed hand in Nigeria must emulate.
“Once again, Happy Birthday to Davido”.
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