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BREAKING: ”Queen of rock ‘n’ roll’ Tina Turner dies at 83″

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American-born singer Tina Turner, who left a hardscrabble farming community and abusive relationship to become one of the top recording artists of all time, died on Wednesday at the age of 83.

She died peacefully after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, her representative said.

In the 1950s Turner began her career during the early years of rock and roll and evolved into an MTV phenomenon.

In the video for her chart-topping song “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” in which she called love a “second-hand emotion,” Turner epitomized 1980s style as she strutted through New York City streets with her spiky blond hair, wearing a cropped jean jacket, mini skirt, and stiletto heels.

With her taste for musical experimentation and bluntly-worded ballads, Turner gelled perfectly with a 1980s pop landscape in which music fans valued electronically-produced sounds and scorned hippie-era idealism.

Sometimes nicknamed the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Turner won six of her eight Grammy Awards in the 1980s. The decade saw her land a dozen songs on the Top 40, including “Typical Male,” “The Best,” “Private Dancer” and “Better Be Good to Me.” Her 1988 show in Rio de Janeiro drew 180,000 people, which remains one of the largest concert audiences for any single performer.

By then, Turner had been free from her marriage to guitarist Ike Turner for a decade.

The superstar was forthcoming about the abuse she suffered from her former husband during their marital and musical partnership in the 1960s and 1970s. She described bruised eyes, busted lips, a broken jaw and other injuries that repeatedly sent her to the emergency room.

“Tina’s story is not one of victimhood but one of incredible triumph,” singer Janet Jackson wrote about Turner, in a Rolling Stone issue that placed Turner at No. 63 on a list of the top 100 artists of all time.

“She’s transformed herself into an international sensation – an elegant powerhouse,” Jackson said.

In 1985, Turner gave a fictional turn to her reputation as a survivor. She played the ruthless leader of an outpost in a nuclear wasteland, acting opposite Mel Gibson in the third instalment in the Mad Max franchise, “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.”

Most of Turner’s hit songs were written by others, but she enlivened them with a voice that New York Times music critic Jon Pareles called “one of the more peculiar instruments in pop.”

“It’s three-tiered, with a nasal low register, a yowling, cutting middle range and a high register so startlingly clear it sounds like a falsetto,” Pareles wrote in a 1987 concert review.

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Ben TV Chairman , Alistair Soyode Nominated for African Business Awards 2026

The award ceremony , scheduled for 29 May 2026, recognises outstanding achievement and leadership within the creative, media, and entertainment industries.

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The African Business Chamber (AfBC) has nominated Alistair Soyode African – Growth – Diaspora – Engagement – Founder, Nigeria in Diaspora Leadership Forum & Chairman, Ben Television for the AfBC Creative, Media & Entertainment Industry Excellence Award.

The award ceremony , scheduled for 29 May 2026, recognises outstanding achievement and leadership within the creative, media, and entertainment industries.

It celebrates individuals, organisations, or enterprises that have demonstrated exceptional creativity, commercial success, and cultural impact across sectors such as film, television, music, fashion, digital media, publishing, advertising, and the performing arts.

Recipients are recognised for elevating African narratives, driving innovation, expanding global reach, and contributing meaningfully to economic growth, cultural influence, and industry development.

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How I met my husband, Olu Jacobs, on a movie set – Joke Silva

Joke Silva and Olu Jacob exchanged vows in 1985, with Silva being 24, and Jacob 44.

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Veteran actress Joke Silva has recounted how she met her husband, Olu Jacobs, on a movie set, revealing it wasn’t an instant attraction for her.

Joke Silva and Olu Jacob exchanged vows in 1985, with Silva being 24, and Jacob 44.

In an appearance on TVC’s ‘Your View’, Silva revealed that while Jacobs fell in love at first sight, she took time to warm up to him.

“Yes, we met on stage, and when we met on a movie set, everybody knew the great Olu Jacobs was coming, except me.

When he came, we got on very well, and I discovered his age only after we started dating because he looked so good. For him, it was love at first sight, but for me, it wasn’t,” she said.

Their union, which has produced two children, has lasted decades, with Silva crediting Jacobs’ understanding as a key factor in their enduring relationship.

“This older man allows you to get away with a lot of things”, she said.

Their union, which has produced two children, has lasted decades, with Silva crediting Jacobs’ understanding as a key factor in their enduring relationship.

“This older man allows you to get away with a lot of things”, she said.

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Nollywood’s Mercy Johnson Becomes Governor Okpebholo’s Special Adviser

Johnson-Okojie, in her new role as special adviser on public engagement and advocacy, would deploy her vast public influence, communication expertise and grassroots reach to strengthen citizens’ engagement with government policies and programmes.

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Mercy Johnson-Okojie

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has appointed prominent actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, as special adviser on public engagement and advocacy.

Johnson-Okojie was, in 2017, appointed as senior special assistant (SSA) on Entertainment, Arts and Culture to former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

This is disclosed by Secretary to Edo State Government, Musa Ikhilor, describing Johnson-Okojie as an accomplished Nigerian actress, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

“Johnson-Okojie, in her new role as special adviser on public engagement and advocacy, would deploy her vast public influence, communication expertise and grassroots reach to strengthen citizens’ engagement with government policies and programmes,” said the statement.

It said the appointment underscored Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to harnessing the expertise, credibility and public goodwill of distinguished Nigerians in advancing the administration’s vision for a prosperous and united Edo State.

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