In a viral video, Anuku was seen holding a flag with the inscription ‘Hunger dey ooo’ (meaning ‘hunger is real’ in Nigerian pidgin English), highlighting the plight of many Nigerians struggling with food insecurity.

A Nigerian columnist, Betty Irabor, made this known in a message posted on her social media account on Sunday.

“Olu Jacob is well and alive.. please ignore all rumours of his passing. He is alive please,” she wrote.

The rumours of Jacobs’ death had earlier spread online without official confirmation.

This is not the first time such news about the veteran actor will trend online.

In June 2020, there was a similar report that trended on the then Twitter (now X) and Facebook.

The then spokesperson of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Monalisa Chinda-Coker, later debunked the news.

In August 2022, there was also rumour concerning the actor’s death.

His wife, Joke, later debunked the news and threatened legal action against those spreading the information.

The Executive Director/CEO  of  National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr Shaibu Husseini, disclosed this at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu on Wednesday, NAN reports.

The event was organised by the NFVCB and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

Movie producers, directors and actors drawn from different parts of the country, as well as leaders of various guilds and associations in the Nigerian film industry were present at the event.

Husseini said that today, we are facing an industry emergency requiring bold and ambitious actions from all parents, guardians and stakeholders.

“When my predecessor approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed on the need to make a subsidiary legislation to curtail the display of smoking in Nigerian movies, he saw the need to include money rituals.

“Others included in the regulation are ritual killings and glamourising other crimes in order to further sanitise the film industry.

“Today, I am delighted to announce to you that the  Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu  Musawa, pursuant to section 65 of the NFVCB Act 2004 has approved  the regulation.

“The minister has approved the Prohibition of Money Ritual, Ritual Killing, Tobacco, Tobacco Products, Nicotine Product Promotion and Glamorisation display in Movies, Musical Videos and Skits” Regulations 2024.”

“We have also forwarded the approved copy to the Federal Ministry of Justice for Gazette,” he said.

Husseini  said the sensitisation programme was to educate stakeholders on the danger inherent in consummation of smoking in Nigerian movies.

According to him, besides the health implications,  glamourising  smoking in films poses a negative influence on  teens and young adults who constitute the largest segment of Nigeria movie viewers.

He said that the board was set to undertake detailed enlightenment programmes in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith groups and other institutions.

“As you all know, the film industry occupies a central position in the entertainment and creative sector, and it is imperative that we continue to place the highest premium on the progress of the film industry.

“The NFVCB supports smoke-free movies and supports smoke-free Nollywood, and we therefore seek your collaboration to develop creative content that discourages smoking and promotes positive health messages.

“After series of engagements, the NFVCB in collaboration with the CAPPA decided to do a ‘subsidiary regulations’ to cater for smoking in movies since this aspect was not expressly spelt out in the extant Law.

“The NFVCB is well prepared to take leadership in this regard and has planned and began implementing innovative ways to achieve its mandate,” he said

NAN reports that it is the duty of the Board to register all films and videos outlets across the country, and to keep a register of such registered outlets among other functions.

The Guild released a statement on Friday, responding to netizens who called on the association to come to the aid of its ailing member.

In the statement delivered by the Guild’s Director of Communications, Kate Henshaw, it was disclosed that the association had rendered help to Okafor even before his condition became public knowledge.

“We are compelled to make this public statement in reaction to the vituperations of some netizens over the health of one of our respected and esteemed members, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu.

We are not here to join issues with anybody, but we want to set the records straight over the public outcry that the guild and his colleagues have abandoned him at his point of need. The guild has never abandoned any of its members in need, especially with health interventions. We have been at the forefront of providing necessary support to Mr Ibu even before his health conditions were ever made public, and this has been done with the full knowledge of his family members,” she said in the video shared via AGN’s Instagram page.

Henshaw also explained that the Guild does not publicise help rendered to its members as it is against the association’s “modus operandi”.

However, in a video making rounds on the internet on Saturday, Mr Ibu’s wife disputed the Guild’s statement, claiming that no help was rendered to her husband.

According to Stella, she had tried several times to contact the Guild’s president, Emeka Rollas, but he neither picked up her calls nor replied to her texts.

“I’m not happy at all,” she said in the video “Look at the situation of things now and the AGN people are coming online to say they are supporting my husband from the beginning. Why would they come out to say they are supporting him when they are not? They have not done anything.

“I contacted Emeka Rollas, I sent him a message which he read and did not reply. The message is still there, I called him and he did not answer my calls. So why would they come out and be blabbing? To come and say what they did not do. What kind of thing is this?”

Mr Ibu shared a video via his Instagram page on Wednesday, seeking financial aid from Nigerians to help him treat “a strange and dangerous illness.”

In the clip, the 62-year-old actor revealed that the unnamed ailment was severe and doctors had recommended the amputation of his legs if the situation gets worse.

He said, “As I speak to you, I am still lying down in the hospital; the medical director of this hospital said that the best solution is, in case his new idea didn’t work, the best idea is to cut off my leg.

“Just see me, if they cut off my leg, where do I go from here? Please pray for me, talk to God Almighty, and I don’t want my legs to be cut off. Thank you so much. God bless you.”

The news of her demise was shared by her daughter, Bisi Aisha, through an Instagram post.

She revealed that her mother had been confronting an undisclosed illness and succumbed to it on Wednesday.

While specific information regarding the cause of her death remains undisclosed, Bisi Aisha confirmed the unfortunate news of her mother’s passing.

She wrote, “It is well with your soul mummy, RIP. Wurami. Rest in peace.”

Agoro was said to have breathed his last on Thursday after a prolonged illness.

Before his demise, Agoro was 7ft 4in tall.

The intimidating height of the deceased, who was featured in some movies, attracted stares wherever he went.

Community Development Association, the community where the actor resides, Segun Adesanya, confirmed his demise.

“Afeez Agoro lives on Community Road and it is sad we lost a promising young man. May his soul rest in peace,” Adesanya told The Nation.

Agoro, who was also a TV personality and has a show called ‘I am Agoro’ airing exclusively on Linda Ikeji TV, had in May 2023 solicited for N5 million for treatment.

He solicited N5m for his chronic hip arthritis treatment, which will see his ball and socket joint replaced.

The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jinachun, has called for collaboration between Nollywood and Asian film industries, to produce works that would promote harmony, peace and unity between both continents.

One of his sons, Dan Nkoloagu Jr, confirmed the death of the actor in an exclusive interview with The Punch.

According to him, the actor had been in and out of the hospital for over a year before he died on January 22, 2021, after complaining of severe body aches.

“My father had been sick for over a year; he had been in and out of the hospital. He had so many health challenges and it eventually led to his death. He had been battling with arthritis, some prostrate issues and other complications. There will be some times we will take him to the hospital and before you know it he will be out and active, shortly after, he will fall sick again.

“It is quite unfortunate that on January 22, he woke up with severe pains. He was also battling with some health issues so we rushed hospital and around 12 noon, he died.  He was 84 years old when he died,” he said.

Famous for his role as an herbalist in films, Nkoloagu Jr said the actor of the opposite of what he acted, stating that his father did not believe in voodoo.

“In real life, my father frowned against voodoo. It was a no-no for him. He does not believe in voodoo and all that. He also acted in other roles, not just the voodoo roles, it just happened that those roles were how he made his landmark in the industry. That was how people knew him. His input In the movie industry is a direct opposite of his lifestyle,” he said.

The news of her delivery was announced around 1pm by the actress brother via his Instagram page.

Although the actress is yet to officially announce the news of a newborn baby, fans and well-wishers have responded to her brother’s post with congratulatory messages.

“Officially an uncle you know? Congratulations my diamond It’s a bouncing baby boy. Iyanu ti sele,” the brother wrote.

See Instagram post below:

View this post on Instagram

OFFICIALLY AN UNCLE YOU KNOW? Congratulations my diamond ? It’s a bouncing baby boy Iyanu ti sele ?? @regina.daniels @regina.daniels Gods the greatest ❤️

A post shared by ?❤KVNG❤️️??™ (@sweezzy1) on Jun 29, 2020 at 4:33am PDT

The actor died in the early hours of Friday, May 22, after he was rushed to the hospital on Thursday night. He was said to have been suffering from chronic back pain for some months before his death.