Entertainment
YEMI FAROUNBI: A COLOSSUS/IDEALIST @80
It is extremely difficult to find words suitable enough to describe this man named AKINYEMI FAROUNBI, but who always prefers to be simply called Yemi Farounbi. I came in contact with this man in 1977 through an uncle, late Babatunde Oyerinde, when he offered me a freelance job that would start me up in life. That was almost five decades ago. We thank God that this generous and amiable “youth” of that period has today joined the octogenarian club. How time flies!
I must say that applying my pen to compose a tribute to this highly celebrated man, Dr Yemi Farounbi, who is not only a boss, but a father-figure to me, is a most arduous task. How best can I, in a single write up, describe him or his numerous accomplishments and impacts on humanity?
Yemi, as he was fondly called by the Late Cicero of Esa-Oke, Uncle Bola Ige, is like a sprawling road: the more you travel on it, the more it extends. Yemi Farounbi is like the elephant explored by a blind man, with each part touched forming an impression and describing the massive beast, based on the part of it he experienced.
Yemi Farounbi in his forte – the media, either as a practitioner; administrator and/or as a teacher, is an all-rounder and a doyen in Communication Arts. A very distinctive personality with the frame and revolutionary posture of
the famous Cuban President, late Fidel Castrol. Sitting under his mentorship was like brooding under the eagle watch of *Orisa nla* . It is not an hidden fact that his revolutionary bent impacted his mentees so profoundly as to provoke the sobriquet – “Radical- in – chief” by a section of the young media entrepreneurs.
Yemi, reputed as an administrator per excellence, was conferred with the national honour of OON by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. His brilliance and outstanding performance at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), earned him this unique recognition. His credentials in Philippines where he served as Nigerian Ambassador also speaks volumes about his ability to maneuver unknown landscapes.
Dr. Yemi Farounbi is a man much sought after by those who love to drink from the reservoir of knowledge that God had bestowed on him.
1992, as a Regional Correspondent of the defunct Champion Newspapers for the West, I was mandated to Osogbo to cover the Social Democratic Party primaries in the newly created state Osun state that produced the late Isiaka Adeleke as the first Executive Governor.
Akinyemi Farounbi presided over the conduct of the party primaries with the full support of the National leadership of the party under Ambassador Baba Gana Kiginbe. I travelled round the 30 local governments in the state to monitor the conductt of the primaries it was an herculean task. I arrived Osogbo late in the evening and headed straight to the party Secretariat along St.Charles Grammar school road. Osogbo township road had been deserted due to tension generated by the party stalwarts in the fierce context that almost thrown the state into political tumoil. Security had been beef up by then Militay Adiministar Col. Leo Ajiborisa and mobile policemen stationed at stategic locations at the state capital. Movement were also restricted except for those on essential duty could move. Commuters and public transport sent off the road to restrict movement with those on essential duty walking long distances. I suffered the same fate. Trekking between 15 to 20 kilomtres before getting to party Secretariat where the results were being collated.
The state received many visitors and virtually all the hotels were fully booked. On my arrival at the party Secretariat another task to get round the security check is another daunting task but for the intervention of Dr. Farounbi who sighted me afar off sent words the police to allow me in that I’m on official assignment to cover the primaries. Since the was on the outskirt of the town, there was no electricity an indication that they to close early. I became apprehensive efforts to secure accommodation failed the hotels are fill to the brim He sensed there was no place to stay for the night since I came from outside the state, he allay my fears when he announced I should come with him we both slept on the same bed with a statement to tease Lanre, you would be my companion and a guard angel for the night…”, the statement was completely lost on me. Not knowing the Master strategist had been tipped off on the plans by politicians to trapped in hotel and lobbied him to play ball by switching ballots. It was an intensive one which lasted hours forth and back deal. All the talks YF as his younger Muyiwa usually reference him refused to be drawn into falsification of results in dispute.
The announcement of the results of the Osun State SDP governorship primary was an intensive one which lasted several hours. In all the talks, Yemi Farounbi, usually fondly referenced as YF by his younger brother, Muyiwa, refused to be drawn into the planned falsification of the results of the primary.
The trump card was quickly dropped to send the lobbying politicians away: Yemi Farounbi announced that he had a journalist guest inside the hotel who should not hear that he was been lobbied to tampered with the rules. This last joker sent off his guests as they all scampered away, in disappointment.
I witnessed the above live and direct; it enabled me see the other side of Yemi Farounbi. Wearing his usual grinning smile on his face, he refused to go under the pressure mounted on him. The full story is for another day.
I hereby seized the opportunity of the occasion of his birthday to call him by his first name, Yemi, the incorruptible politician.
Happy birthday, my incorruptible Oga.
Ogundipe Former President,
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)
and African Union of Journalist(AUJ)
writes from Abuja
Erling Haaland will follow in the footsteps of David Beckham and Vinnie Jones by taking his first steps into the acting world, with the Norwegian striker set to make his film debut.
The Manchester City striker will voice a character described as ‘an animated version of himself’, in the upcoming animated film Viqueens.
This is according to the Hollywood Reporter, who say that the 25-year-old is playing a Viking called Haaland in the motion picture.
The adventure-comedy is directed and co-written by the award-winning Harald Zwart, the Norwegian director known for The Karate Kid and Agent Cody Banks.
‘As a Norwegian storyteller making a Viking adventure for a global audience, having Erling Haaland join feels incredibly exciting,’ said Zwart.
‘Erling has already become a kind of real-life Viking icon around the world – powerful, fearless and uniquely Norwegian.
‘Bringing him into this universe as himself gives the film an unexpected energy and authenticity that felt completely right for this story.’
Solveig Langeland, managing director of Sola Media, added: ‘Erling Haaland transcends sports – he’s a global cultural figure.
‘His involvement brings another exciting dimension to a film that already combines international adventure, humour, and emotional storytelling in a way we believe will resonate with audiences everywhere.’
He follows the likes of Beckham and Jones, who have already hit the cinema screens around the country.
Beckham made his silver screen debut in his pal Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur back in 2017 alongside film stars Charlie Hunnam and Eric Bana, playing hardened battleguard Trigger in the flick.
Meanwhile, Jones is known for portraying gangsters on screen, and as recently as 2024 played gamekeeper Geoff in Ritchie’s series The Gentlemen, featuring Theo James.
He famously also played Coach Dinklage in She’s the Man, and was The Juggernaut in X-Men: The Last Stand.
Haaland may need a while before he becomes the big actor that Jones has become, though, with plenty of years on the pitch still ahead of him.
The striker’s focus will currently be on winning the Premier League with Manchester City, as they look to hunt down Arsenal, who are two points ahead at the top, with two games to go.
Haaland will next be in action on Tuesday night as they travel to Bournemouth.
Popular television host Frank Edoho has opened up about his deepest personal fear, saying he does not want to die because of emotional pain caused by a woman.
Edoho made the revelation during an interview on the YouTube channel Outside The Box, released on Saturday, where he reflected on male vulnerability, silent struggles and how he hopes to be remembered.
“I don’t want to go to the gates of heaven and they ask me what killed me and they say it’s a woman. Whether that woman be my daughter, my wife, my mother, I don’t want that. I don’t want that to be my way out of this portal,” he said.
The broadcaster, best known for hosting the Nigerian edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, said he hopes to leave the world having made a positive impact on others.
“I want to die with a smile on my face saying that all the people I met, I tried to put a smile on their face, and to have the only regret that I wish I did more good. Not that I wish I had more time, that’s all,” he said.
Frank Edoho also spoke about the pressures men face and the tendency to endure emotional pain without seeking help.
“The task of manhood is very daunting. Men don’t speak. Men go through a lot. Whatever a man is going through, he’s just silent. He doesn’t say it. He holds it to himself. And some of them go to the grave with it. Too many, actually,” he said.
He disclosed that he went through a difficult personal period for two years without telling anyone.
According to Edoho, his years in broadcasting taught him how to hide personal struggles while maintaining a calm appearance on air.
“For two years, there was a couple of years back I was in a very dark hole but nobody knew. I couldn’t call you guys. I just said, you know what, this is a journey I have to make on myself to reorganise myself. And I’m happy I did. But at the time, I thought that the walls were caving in,” he said.
“Broadcasting taught me how to have a poker face. No matter what you’re going through, when it’s time to go on air, ‘Hi, good evening, welcome, I hope you’re having a nice time’, the only reason you’re not there is that you’re dead. If you’re alive, it doesn’t matter what you’re going through, you have to be there doing just that.
Madonna, Shakira and K-pop megastars BTS will headline a Super Bowl-style half-time show at the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA said Thursday.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin is curating the show, which is a first for a football World Cup final but has raised concerns about how long half-time will be.
The biggest-ever World Cup, with 48 teams, kicks off on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced in March last year that there would be “the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final”.
He did not say at the time who would be performing or how long the show would last.
“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world,” he said on Instagram.
The move mirrors the show held during the final of the 2024 Copa America in Miami, when Colombian star Shakira performed at half-time at the Hard Rock Stadium.
There was also a half-time show at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final, also at MetLife Stadium, which stretched the break in excess of the regulation 15 minutes.
Infantino added that FIFA also planned to “take over” New York’s Times Square on the final weekend of the World Cup.
The half-time extravaganza will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise $100 million for children worldwide during the World Cup.
Shakira last week teased the new official song for the World Cup, releasing a brief video of the track filmed at Brazil’s iconic Maracana Stadium.
In the 67-second video, Shakira appears on the pitch at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, where she performed in a free concert at the city’s Copacabana Beach before two million people.
Holding the “Trionda”, the official match ball of the 2026 World Cup, Shakira performed excerpts of the song in English, joined by dancers dressed in the colors of teams including the United States and Colombia.
The song was produced with Nigerian artist Burna Boy and is set for official release on Thursday. The clip, also shared by the FIFA World Cup account, ends with the message: “We’re ready!”
Shakira has a long association with the World Cup, performing at the 2006 and 2014 World Cup finals in addition to producing “Waka Waka” for the 2010 tournament.
AFP
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