|
LISTEN TO THIS THE AFRICANA VOICE ARTICLE NOW
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Nollywood Mourns Comedy Legend Amaechi Muonagor
Veteran Nollywood actor and comedic talent Amaechi Muonagor passed away on Sunday at the age of 61. Family members confirmed the news to local media outlets, stating that Muonagor had been battling kidney failure and undergoing dialysis treatment.
The news comes just a week after Muonagor appeared in a social media video pleading for financial assistance to cover a kidney transplant abroad. This follows the recent passing of another Nollywood legend, John Okafor (Mr Ibu), who also faced health struggles.
Tributes have poured in for Muonagor, remembered for bringing laughter to countless African households. Tributes on social media highlighted his exceptional screen presence and the joy he brought through his performances. Many fondly recalled his role as the father in the popular film “Aki and Pawpaw.”
The actor’s health struggles became public last November when news of his kidney disease emerged. Muonagor’s passing, alongside Mr Ibu’s, has raised concerns about the lack of healthcare security for many Nollywood actors. Operating on a project-to-project basis, many actors lack health insurance or the means for consistent payments. While the Actors Guild of Nigeria has reportedly secured an insurance plan with a company, participation remains low.
Schoolchildren Freed in Nigeria After Kidnapping
Over 130 Nigerian school children abducted by gunmen earlier this month were Sunday morning freed unharmed, according to officials. The news brought relief after a harrowing ordeal that sparked national outrage.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state credited the bravery of security forces for the operation, which took place early Sunday morning. However, a discrepancy emerged between the reported number of kidnapped children (280 according to school authorities) and the 137 hostages the military claimed to have freed. Officials have yet to address this difference.
Previous kidnappings have seen captives escape during long treks to forest hideouts. A government official anonymously revealed to BBC that one abducted teacher tragically died during the 17-day captivity.
This is one of six mass abductions plaguing northern Nigeria this month, despite a recent downward trend in such attacks. Kidnap gangs frequently target people in the northwest, often demanding ransoms for their release.
The kidnappers of the Kuriga children, aged 8-15, requested $690,000, but the government refused to negotiate.
Governor Sani hailed the children’s release as a “day of joy” and praised President Bola Tinubu’s leadership in securing their safe return. The military revealed that 76 girls and 61 boys were rescued from neighboring Zamfara state. Photos released by the military depict the freed children, visibly exhausted, on buses. A security source reported the students were located in a forest and would undergo medical evaluations before reuniting with families.
The mass abduction occurred on March 7th during a school assembly. Witnesses recounted gunmen arriving on motorcycles and abducting 187 students from secondary and primary schools. It remains unclear how many teachers were taken. Thankfully, 25 students managed to return on their own, but tragically, one 14-year-old student died after being shot by the kidnappers.
In 2022, Nigeria passed a controversial law to deter kidnappings by criminalizing ransom payments. However, with a 15-year minimum sentence and no reported arrests, the law’s effectiveness remains in question.
LEAVE A COMMENT
You must be logged in to post a comment.