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James Earl Jones, voice of Mufasa in ‘Lion King,’ dies at 93

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James Earl Jones, a versatile and award-winning American stage and screen actor who used his booming deep voice to bring the iconic “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader to life, has died, his representatives said Monday. He was 93 years old.

From the works of Shakespeare and August Wilson, to his indelible voiceovers in the blockbuster space saga and as Mufasa in the Disney classic “The Lion King,” Jones earned fans with his ability to play both the everyman and the other He won three Tony awards including a lifetime award, two Emmys and a Grammy, as well as an honorary Oscar, also for lifetime achievement.

In 1971, he became only the second Black man nominated for an Academy Award for best actor, after Sidney Poitier.
All of these accolades were hard-won, as Jones, who was born in segregated Mississippi on January 17, 1931, had to overcome a childhood stutter that often led him to barely speak at all.

“Stuttering is painful. In Sunday school, I’d try to read my lessons and the children behind me were falling on the floor with laughter,” Jones told the Daily Mail in 2010.

Reciting his own poetry, at the prodding of an English teacher, helped him to gain control of his voice, which would later be used to strike fear among millions in “Star Wars” as Darth Vader.

Jones did not physically portray the character — David Prowse wore Vader’s black cape and imposing face mask, while Jones offered the voice, oozing the evil power of the Dark Side.

“I am your father,” Vader tells Luke Skywalker, portrayed by Mark Hamill, in a pivotal fight scene in “The Empire Strikes Back” — a twist etched in cinema history.

“He created, with very little dialogue, one of the greatest villains that ever lived,” “Star Wars” creator George Lucas said in 2015 at a ceremony honoring Jones in New York.

▪︎AFP

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Entertainment

Davido Releases ‘Already Falling’ Video Featuring Chioma

The release reunites Davido and Chioma with Alabi, who directed them in ‘Assurance’, Davido’s 2018 song dedicated to Chioma.

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Afrobeats singer Davido has released the official music video for ‘Already Falling’, featuring his wife, Chioma Adeleke, in a production combining French chateau scenery, elaborate costumes and Nigerian-inspired styling.

Directed by Meji Alabi, the video opens with Davido arriving at a chateau in a horse-drawn carriage.

Other scenes feature dancers, grand interiors and the couple in different settings.

Chioma appears in a navy-blue gown with gold embroidery and a matching gele.

The video concludes with a lakeside scene in which Davido kneels before her, and opens a ring box.

The release reunites Davido and Chioma with Alabi, who directed them in ‘Assurance’, Davido’s 2018 song dedicated to Chioma.

She also appeared in ‘1 Milli’, released in 2020 with a wedding-themed music video.

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Sultan of Sokoto to Honour Peter Igho as Kakakin Daular Usmaniyya

The ceremony is expected to be witnessed by prominent Nigerians from all walks of life, and across the country, serving to further cement cordial relations and national unity among the diverse peoples of Nigeria.

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• Peter Igho

The Palace of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, has announced that the formal turbaning ceremony of Chief Peter Igho as Kakakin Daular Usmaniyya will take place on November 1, 2026.

Chief Peter Igho is a legendary Nigerian broadcaster, television producer and media icon.

A former Executive Director at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), he is best known as the Producer/Director of timeless classics such as Cock Crow at Dawn and other pioneering programmes that defined Nigerian television.

He is a recipient of numerous national and international awards for broadcasting excellence and has mentored generations of media professionals.

Chief Igho, who hails from the Niger Delta, is also a respected cultural ambassador and community leader noted for his philanthropy and commitment to national integration.

The prestigious traditional title was conferred on Chief Igho by His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on September 10, 2025, in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the development of the Sultanate Council, Sokoto State, and Nigeria in general.

The ceremony is expected to be witnessed by prominent Nigerians from all walks of life, and across the country, serving to further cement cordial relations and national unity among the diverse peoples of Nigeria.

The Sokoto Caliphate, also known as Daular Usmaniyya, was founded in 1804 by the great Islamic scholar and reformer, Shehu Usman Dan Fodio.

It remains one of the most significant empires in African history, renowned for its scholarship, administration, justice and promotion of Islamic values.

At its peak, it was the largest state in West Africa.

Today, the Sultanate Council, under the Sultan of Sokoto, remains the pre-eminent custodian of its heritage and a central institution for Islamic leadership, peacebuilding, and national cohesion in Nigeria.

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Davido, Kirk Franklin, to hit airwaves with new song ‘Hope In You’

The project also features American musicians GloRilla, Jelly Roll and Tobe Nwigwe, bringing together artists from different musical backgrounds.

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Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido, and American gospel singer Kirk Franklin will on Friday, October 30, 2026, release a new song, titled ‘Hope in You.’

The song will feature on Franklin’s forthcoming 14-track album, I Am What I Am, which blends gospel music with contemporary sounds.

The collaboration was previewed at an album listening event in Atlanta, United States, on October 12, where Davido reportedly performed a verse and joined the choir.

The project also features American musicians GloRilla, Jelly Roll and Tobe Nwigwe, bringing together artists from different musical backgrounds.

The collaboration marks a meeting of Afrobeats and contemporary gospel, with the two artists bringing their distinct musical styles to the project.

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