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Tears flow as Dejo Tunfulu is laid to rest in Lagos
Popular Yoruba Comic actor Kunle Adetokunbo, also known as Dejo Tunfulu, was On Friday, April 1, 2022 buried in Ikorodu, Lagos State, according to Islamic traditions, amidst weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Even as his colleagues and well-wishers flocked to his residence to pay their last respects to the humorous actor, the deceased’s children appeared to be in shock at his death.
Junior, his first son, indicated that his father had an unfulfilled desire in the films he had produced but had yet to see the light of day.
In his words “My dad believed in me that I can act. I used to be nervous and scared. He had four children. He was sick before he died. He told my younger brother that we should not fight the doctors before he passed on. He was taken to Ikorodu General Hospital where his colleagues showed up and they really tried (their best for him).
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I appreciate their efforts because they stood by him. I pray my dad’s soul will rest in peace. My dad already created some things for us (his children) before he died. Some of his films have not been produced, and he was supposed to release them before he passed on. I just have to make him proud wherever he is. That was what he told me last year.”
Another of the late actor’s children, Victoria, stated that they would appreciate whatever help they could get, particularly from the government. She said, “In any way the government can support us, they should. Even if it is school fees, house rent or job opportunities, we would appreciate. Three of us (siblings) are still in school.”
Corroborating his brother, one of the deceased’s sons, Muiz, said, “My dad had a movie he was supposed to release in April. He had finished producing it.”
In his tributes, actor and president of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria, Bolaji Amusan, aka Mr Latin, said, “He was a brother, a co-comedian, an active industry player, a very talented actor, and we were very close.”
On what caused Dejo’s death, Mr Latin said, “I learnt he was sick yesterday (Thursday) and he was rushed to the hospital where he died. His last moments on earth were fulfilling. He was at a function three days ago, and was on location about two days ago. It was a huge shock that we could lose somebody like him.”
Actor, Yomi Fabiyi, said, “Dejo Tufulu was a raw actor par excellence with serious respect for professional ethics. I never saw him come late to set or rebel against anyone. He was always supportive and reasonable. He was a good man.”
Actor, Kunle Afod, also said “He was a close friend and a senior colleague.”
On how he feels that much is now being said about the late actor unlike in the last days of his life, Afod said, “I celebrate him every time. I don’t know about those that don’t talk about him. Anyway, that is life for you.”
He also said that it was too early to say if there were plans to immortalise the late actor. He added, “I don’t think that is what we should be talking about now. It is a step after another. That is too early. I spoke to one of his children not long ago.”
On social media, fans and colleagues have also expressed their condolences.
Embattled Nigerian pastor and founder of SPAC Nation, Tobi Adegboyega, has defended his opulent lifestyle, claiming it serves to inspire young people rather than flaunt wealth.
This statement comes amid a UK Immigration Upper Tribunal ruling ordering his deportation over visa violations.
Adegboyega, 44, faced accusations of overstaying his visitor visa, which expired after he arrived in the UK in 2005.
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He had applied to remain in the country on human rights grounds. The tribunal, however, ruled against him, citing his failure to regularize his status.
The pastor’s luxurious lifestyle, including designer clothing and expensive cars, was a focal point of the case.
Addressing the tribunal, Adegboyega stated that his lifestyle is fully funded by his wife, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 annually at AON.
He said, “I live with my partner, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 per year working for AON. I spend my time working for the church, for which I am unpaid. I am entirely supported by Mary. I have a first-class law degree from Nigeria, but I have ‘sacrificed’ my legal career to help those who cannot help themselves.”
Defending his appearance, Adegboyega emphasized the importance of projecting success to his young congregation.
The court noted, “For instance, people have pointed to the fact that he wears designer clothing and drives expensive cars. He was adamant that all of his personal possessions had been paid for by Mary.
“He believes it is important for him to dress the way that he does because he needs to inspire these young people – they need to understand that there are legitimate ways of making money, for instance through entrepreneurship.”
Despite the ruling, Adegboyega dismissed the deportation concerns as insignificant.
“I’m right here at home, no cause for alarm. Naturally, I will dismiss things that have to do with retrogression; every Nigerian should be proud of me. Living in the UK, a city that is well known for pulling people down, I have survived all sorts, so the matter that they are propagating is the smallest matter,” he said.
He further expressed confidence in his resilience. “No panic, I love London city, it is my city, and nobody can do anything. Of all the people of colour you know here – pastors and leaders – I have survived everything. I’m here, I am at home, nobody should panic for me.
“I succeeded well in this country despite all challenges, and I’m in the league of people you look up to. I have survived that well; nothing has changed, nothing will change,” he added.
Amid the growing controversy surrounding the detention of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Aare Afe Babalola has publicly addressed the defamation allegations leveled against Farotimi.
The legal action stems from claims made in Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which Babalola asserts contains false and defamatory statements about him and his law firm, Afe Babalola & Co.
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In a petition dated November 19 and submitted to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, Babalola accused Farotimi of making “criminally defamatory” statements about him, his law firm, and two senior lawyers at his firm, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro.
The defamatory remarks are tied to the Supreme Court case Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
Babalola revealed that the allegations came to light when one of his lawyers purchased Farotimi’s book while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport.
After reading the book, the lawyer immediately brought its contents to Babalola’s attention.
Other members of his firm reportedly did the same, prompting the senior lawyer to take legal action.
In his petition, Babalola pointed to specific passages in Farotimi’s book that accused him of corruption and unethical conduct. The petition reads:
“I write to report the criminal defamation of myself, my law firm Afe Babalola & Co., and my lawyers, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro, by one Dele Farotimi in his book titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’, published by Dele Farotimi Publishers, in respect of Suit No. SC/146/2005: Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
“Sometime on 2/11/2024, one of our lawyers, while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport, bought a book by Dele Farotimi titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’. He read the book and immediately brought it to my attention. Many of my lawyers also bought the book and read it.”
“The defamatory statements are as follows:
- That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his client.
- That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro, and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co. (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had, when they went back to the Supreme Court and got the Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-abnegation.”
Babalola strongly denies the allegations, claiming that they are false and damaging to both his personal reputation and the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
Nigerian author and activist Dele Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, has surged to bestseller status on Amazon amid a legal battle with prominent lawyer and businessman, Afe Babalola.
The controversy surrounding the book has captivated public attention, driving both online and offline demand.
The book, which critiques systemic corruption in Nigeria’s judiciary and highlights alleged misconduct by key legal figures, saw modest sales following its release in July 2024.
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However, Farotimi’s arrest on Tuesday, following a petition filed by the 93-year-old Babalola, triggered a wave of public curiosity.
By Thursday evening, it had climbed to the top of Amazon’s bestseller rankings, according to checks by Vanguard. Bookstores across Nigeria also reported a significant uptick in demand.
Biztellers reports that Farotimi was detained in Lagos by armed police officers and transported to Ado Ekiti, about 300 kilometers northeast of the city, where Babalola is based.
The senior lawyer alleged that the book accused him of compromising Nigeria’s judiciary—a claim that has sparked heated debates about freedom of speech and accountability in the legal profession.
On Wednesday, Farotimi was arraigned in an Ekiti court, where the judge ordered his remand pending a bail hearing scheduled for December 10.
Farotimi’s legal team has vowed to contest the charges, framing the case as an attack on intellectual freedom.
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