Entertainment
Celine Dion Down With Rare Health Condition, Cancels Shows
Well-known Canadian singer, Celine Dion, has disclosed that she has Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological condition with autoimmune disease-like characteristics.
She described how she has been finding it difficult to sing and walk in an emotional video that she posted on Instagram today. She also mentioned how the health condition causes her muscles to spasm out of control.
She stated how the uncommon illness, which affects roughly one person in a million, has an impact on every aspect of her life and interferes with her ability to go about her everyday tasks normally.
The singer also disclosed that she had canceled eight of her Summer 2023 performances and postponed her Spring 2023 performances.
Her speech reads in part, “Hello everyone, I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reach out to you. I miss you all so much and can’t wait to be on stage talking to you in person.
“As you know I’ve always been an open book and I wasn’t ready to say anything before but I’m ready now. ‘I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time and it’s been really difficult for me to face my challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through.
She continued, “Recently I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff person syndrome which affects 1 in a million people.
“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all the spasms I’ve been having. These spasms affect every aspect of my daily life sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.
“It hurts me to tell you today that this means I won’t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February. I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better and my precious children who are supporting me and giving me help.”
Entertainment
‘I Died And Went To Heaven’ – Actress Doris Ogala Shares Remarkable Near-Death Experience
Actress Doris Ogala has opened up about a profound near-death experience, revealing that she died and visited heaven before being sent back to Earth.
In an emotional Instagram post shared on Thursday, Ogala described her otherworldly journey, where she was told by a divine presence that her time had not yet come.
“I may not have much time now. I have to speak up. I died a few days ago. God gave me a second chance,” Ogala wrote, recounting the surreal event that she says occurred recently.
She shared a brief video, giving a glimpse of her experience and recounting her vivid recollections of heaven.
READ MORE: RMD’s Radio Voice Debuts In Lagos, Showcasing Nollywood’s Brilliance
The actress described heaven as a peaceful and serene realm, where she felt liberated from all her earthly burdens. “I saw myself in heaven. Very peaceful. All my burdens were lifted. I didn’t want to come back. It was so cool and smooth.
“The feeling is out of this world. I was a queen. I had servants and gold coins everywhere. Believe me, this is what I saw,” Ogala recalled.
Despite the tranquility and beauty of her heavenly surroundings, Ogala was guided down a “beautiful passage” and told by a divine force that it was not yet her time to remain.
“God said to me, my child go back, it’s not your turn yet,” she explained, expressing her reluctance to leave the blissful experience behind.
Nollywood star and politician, Funke Akindele, has opened up about the emotional and psychological toll of recent events in her life, revealing that she nearly broke down completely following a series of personal and professional setbacks.
Speaking in an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the actress detailed how the death of her mother, the collapse of her marriage to Abdulrasheed Bello (popularly known as JJC Skillz), and her defeat in the 2023 elections left her deeply depressed.
“I do not like to mourn. I remember when my mom passed on, I just wanted to get out of it quickly. I like to get out of the situation quickly. I do not allow myself to break down, and it affected me after my mom’s death. And I almost died,” Akindele said.
READ MORE: How Male Celebrities Shine At Funke Akindele’s Movie Premiere
She also addressed her ongoing struggles as a single mother, alleging that her estranged husband has failed to take responsibility for their twin boys, born in 2018.
“I lost my mum, my marriage fell apart, I lost in politics, I have to get back to work, I have to earn a living. I have children I’m raising alone and you are stressing me,” she said.
Recall that Akindele and JJC Skillz were married in 2016 and ended their union in 2022.
The music producer announced their separation in a post on Instagram, stating:
“I’m making this announcement to clear the public that we both are pursuing separate lives. We still have issues such as the custody and wellbeing of our children to be addressed, as well as business interests which need to be disentangled, but I have no doubt that these will be resolved in one way or the other.”
However, Akindele’s recent comments suggest that the issues concerning co-parenting remain unresolved.
In the interview, she recounted a moment when online criticism pushed her to the edge.
“My heart was aching and something happened online. For the first time I took my phone, I went live on social media and I’m like, you all should leave me alone. Do I know this person? No, this person came to act in my movie, got paid, and left. Why are you accusing me of something I didn’t do wrong?” she said.
“Do you know what I’m going through?… So, for the first time, I cried. I broke down for weeks,” she added.
Nigerian street-hop sensation Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has withdrawn from his planned celebrity boxing match with fellow artist Darlington Achakpo Okoye, aka Speed Darlington.
The controversial singer made the announcement in a video shared on his Instagram, where he declared that he no longer wished to face Speed Darlington, calling the rapper an unworthy opponent.
Portable took it a step further by challenging former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, to a match, demanding a prize purse of 100 million naira.
READ ALSO: Singer Portable Arraigned In Ogun Court Over Alleged Assault On Officials
“I’m not fighting Speed Darlington again; I want Anthony Joshua with 100m,” Portable boldly declared in the viral clip, which quickly gained traction online.
In the video, Portable also accused Speed Darlington of using the planned boxing match as a publicity stunt to promote his upcoming show set for April.
He further asserted that his standing in the Nigerian music scene is far superior to that of Speed Darlington, who had recently made headlines after his release from Kuje Prison in January, where he was detained for allegedly defaming Afrobeat star Burna Boy.
The announcement comes just days after Speed Darlington began training for the match.
In a mocking video, the rapper was seen buying a coffin, which many interpreted as a taunt toward Portable, before heading to the gym with his trainer to work on his fitness for the planned showdown.
The boxing event was originally scheduled to take place on April 18, 2025, at the Balmoral Convention Center in Lagos State.
However, Portable’s sudden withdrawal has cast doubt on the future of the fight, leaving fans uncertain about the prospect of seeing the two entertainers in the ring.
For now, the anticipated celebrity clash seems to be off the table — at least until another twist in this ongoing drama emerges.
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