It has been a very eventful yet sad week in the social media space. A veteran Nollywood actor, Ojo Arowosafe, died during the week and the death of Costa Titch, a South African artist who slumped and died while performing on stage in Johannesburg has dominated the social media space this Sunday.
Similarly, the BRT-Train collision that left many injured during the week and the fire that razed over 200 shops at the auto spare parts market in Lagos is still fresh in the memories of many Nigerians.
As Nigerians prepare for the gubernatorial elections, it is unsurprising that the social media space is rife with political conversations. However, we will not bring you only political stories as this social media roundup curates some of the top gists that caused conversations among netizens.
Costa Titch slumps on stage
Costa Titch, the South African artiste, has slumped and died while performing on stage in Johannesburg.
In a tweet on Sunday, Phil Mphela, the entertainment commentator, confirmed Titch’s demise.
“RIP: Costa Titch. Nelspruit-born artist and dancer, real name Costa Tsobanoglou, has passed away. He was 27.” he wrote.
Titch was performing for fans at the Ultra Music Festival at the Johannesburg Expo Centre. A nor-viral video shows that he slumped twice; when he fell the first time, one of his aides shouldered him up. However, he was rushed off the stage after falling for the second time.
The cause of his death is still unknown, but tributes have poured in for the talented artist. May he rest in peace
Black Thursday in Lagos
According to eyewitnesses, a BRT bus carrying civil servants of the Lagos state government attempted to run through the rail tracks while an incoming train was approaching. Apparently, this is a norm for motorists in the area, but the driver miscalculated and risked the lives of innocent Nigerians.
Well, the worst happened, the bus got hit and dragged by the train before it came to a stop after extensive damage had already been done.
This incident was one of the most talked about events on the social media space as messages of sympathy from online users and even government representatives flooded the sphere. Many netizens blamed the government for several things including the absence of barricades and the slow response of first responders.
Others saw it as a wake-call to eradicate the present government, a debate for the most competent candidate for the forthcoming governorship elections, and also a need to end the tribalistic bigotry that has been going on in the political sphere in Lagos since the presidential elections.
The 2023 gubernatorial elections postponed till March 18th
Three days remained until the eagerly anticipated gubernatorial and state assembly elections of 2023 when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decided to move the voting dates to March 18.
The agency claims that the delay is necessary to allow enough time to modify the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) before the gubernatorial elections and state assembly elections. INEC has asserted that the BVAS’ performance during the presidential elections was superbly carried out.
This, however, does not sit well with many Nigerians who believe that the reconfiguration is in light of the court case between the top three parties for the presidential election against the electoral malpractices and material dysfunctionality by INEC.
Despite all of the citizens’ demands for action, some claim that the agency is biased in this case about the 2023 presidential election that took place on February 25. Others felt that this change would make it easier for parties who intended to rig the system to do so, which could have severe consequences for the outcome.
INEC postpones 2023 governorship elections to March 18 over BVAS ‘drama’
Legend Nollywood actor, Fadeyi Oloro has passed away
Veteran Nollywood actor, Ojo Arowosafe, popularly known as Fadeyi Oloro, died on Tuesday after an illness. According to public sources, the popular Yoruba actor, synonymous with a herbalist character, had been battling this illness for a long time.
The death of the 66-year-old Ekiti-born veteran was confirmed by actor and comedian Bayegun Oluwatoyin aka Woli Arole, in an Instagram post saying,
“So happy I reached out to you sir, so happy we played our part, so happy we laughed together, so happy we were able to show our support. Rest in Peace, the Legend ‘Fadeyi Oloro’.
It is still unsure what the illness was, but Punch reported that last year the actor solicited financial aid from Nigerians to help with his condition. His death is a major tragedy in the Nigerian entertainment industry, and social media has been filled with condolence messages for the popular actor.
Many Nigerians have taken to the space to remember his great acting skills, his resilience, his fun nature, and his impact on their childhood memories. For some, maybe it is high time the industry provided an established trust fund for veteran actors and their well-being.
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