Entertainment
Veteran Nollywood Actor, Lari Williams Is Dead
Veteran Nollywood actor, Chief Lari Williams, has died at the age of 81 following a protracted illness.
Williams, who was famous for his roles in hit soap operas such as Village Headmaster, Ripples, and Mirror in The Sun, died peacefully on Sunday at his home in Ikom, Cross River State.
This was disclosed in a statement made available to our correspondent by the family.
During his lifetime, Williams was a poet, playwright and celebrated actor both in live theatre and on screen, earning him a prestigious national honour; Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2008.
Chief Williams was the first president of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria and had a career that spanned over five decades.
After studying Journalism at the London School of Journalism, he proceeded to study English at Morley College and then drama at the Mountview Theatre School and Stratford E15 Acting School, England to become a professional actor.
“He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends. Burial arrangements will be announced soon,” the statement read.
R&B star, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has recounted the early-career challenges she faced, revealing that she was once booed out of the stage while performing at a school event.
Speaking in an interview with Newsmen, the Crazy Tings crooner shared that she wasn’t only booed but was also harassed with plastic bottles.
“I remember one time I was going to perform at my school as an up-and-coming singer and I thought I was going to receiving a standing ovation.
“But I got booed. They even threw plastic bottles at me,” she recalled.
Tems explained that despite the embarrassing incident and other such rejections, she remained determined to pursue a career in music.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Tems admitted that some of the initial rejections she faced could be due to her conviction to stick to her originality instead of doing covers or familiar sounds like most of her peers.
The Grammy-winning singer said looking back now, she is glad that she didn’t compromise her style despite the initial pressures.
A close associate of late singer Mohbad, Primeboy, has appealed for the artiste’s burial nearly three years after his death.
According to him, Mohbad’s body remains in the mortuary since September 12, 2023, pending burial arrangements.
The Tide Entertainment reports that in a statement Primeboy urged the family, public, and government to permit the burial, stating, “It’s been almost three years since Mohbad left us. His body is still in the mortuary. I’m begging the family, I’m begging the public, I’m begging the government, please let’s bury our brother. He deserves a befitting burial.”
It would be recalled that Mohbad’s death sparked public outrage, protests, and investigations. Ongoing autopsy examinations, police inquiries, and legal proceedings have delayed burial arrangements amid family disagreements and public scrutiny.