Nigerian actress, Hadiza Gabon, has been dragged before a Shari’a Court in Kaduna State, in the North West of the country, by a love-struck 48-year-old man, Bala Musa, for allegedly refusing to marry him after collecting a lot of money from him.
The complainant decided to take the action to compel the actress who is one of the popular stars in Kannywood, as the Northern Nigeria movie industry is called, to either return his money said to run into hundreds of thousands of naira, or to agree to marry him.
At the hearing on Monday before the presiding judge, Malam Rilwanu Kyaudai, Musa told the court that he had been in a love relationship with the actress and she had promised to marry him, which made him spend a lot of money on her, only for her to dump him.
“So far, I have spent N396,000 on her. Anytime she asks for money, I give her without hesitation with the hope that we will marry (sic).
“She also failed to show up in Gusau, Zamfara, where I live after I made all arrangements to host her,” the heart broken Musa narrated his plight in court.
Though Gabon was not in court, her defense counsel, Mr Mubarak Kabir, explained that his client was not sure of the authenticity of the summons for her to appear before the court, which led to her inability to make an appearance.
”My client’s position as a celebrity attracts different kinds of people with different intentions. She is very vigilant regarding her safety and security,” Kabir said.
Kabir prayed the court to give him more time to produce his client in court, which prompted Malam Kyaudai to adjourn the matter until June 13 for determination.
Ghanaian singer, Afua Asantewaa, on Saturday, began her second attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest singing marathon by an individual.
The sing-a-thon which began in the early hours of Saturday, December 21, at Heroes’ Park, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, will run until December 25, and will see the determined songstress perform non-stop, focusing exclusively on Ghanaian songs.
According to Asantewaa’s manager, Madam Gladys Osei Owiredu, the audacious initiative is aimed at showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Ghanaian music to a global audience.
Owiredu confirmed that preparations for the event had been extensive but expressed confidence in Asantewaa’s readiness to finally break the record.
“I can confirm that she is ready for the task ahead. It’s been challenging—by way of preparations—but I can say she is ready,” Owiredu said.
Asantewaa’s second attempt follows her first effort in December 2023, which fell short of surpassing the current record of 105 hours held by India’s Sunil Waghmare.
But despite the setback, her team remains optimistic about breaking the record this time with corporate sponsors including International Maritime Hospital, Ghana Gas, Nasco Electronics, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited rallying behind her, underscoring the importance of the attempt in amplifying the global significance of Ghanaian music.
Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two separate suits challenging the legality of one of the proposed anti-LGBT legislations awaiting assent into law by the president.
The separate suits were filed by two legal practitioners, Amanda Odoi and Richard Sky, challenging the bill, seeking to declare it illegal and prevent the president from signing it.
The two cases had challenged the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.
But in a ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously decided to dismiss the legal challenges to the new anti-LGBT legislation that has been criticised by rights groups.
The controversial bill was passed earlier this year by Ghanaian lawmakers with three years imprisonment for people identifying as LGBT and five years for forming or funding LGBT groups.
While dismissing the cases, presiding judge, Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, who delivered the ruling on behalf of the seven-member panel, said the cases were premature.
“Until there’s presidential assent, there is no act, the two cases were “unanimously dismissed,” she said.
The ruling is the latest blow to the LGBTQ community in Ghana and paves the way for the president to sign into law what many say is one of Africa’s most restrictive piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation.
President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term in office ends on 7 January, had delayed signing it pending the outcome of the Supreme Court challenge but the judges said the case could not be reviewed until it had been signed it into law.
It expected that incoming president, John Mahama, will sign the bill into law as he had always expressed his support for the bill during his electioneering campaigns.