Victor Umeh, the senator representing Anambra Central in the Senate, has protested the Senate’s decision to reject a motion that sought to honor late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe raised the motion in response to matters of urgent public importance, and it was co-sponsored by South-East minority caucus members who were primarily from the South-East. It recognized Professor Nwosu’s contributions and brave defense of the democratic electoral process during the 1993 presidential elections.
Senator Barau Jibrin, the session’s deputy president, noted that the motion was contentious and that the public had differed regarding Prof. Nwosu’s involvement in the presidential election that was postponed on June 12, 1993.
The “nays” had the day when the motion was ultimately put to a voice vote, effectively rejecting the idea.
Senator Umeh, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, said the events in the red chamber were incredibly undemocratic.
He said, “It’s a question of people not being fair to a man who has done so well, and we want to be uncharitable to him, even to death.” Because he will be buried on Friday, two days, this motion arrived at the most appropriate time.
Therefore, it is impossible to discuss his contributions to the parliament. Those who oppose his death should express their opinions, and those who oppose his death should also state their views. It is very undemocratic to stop the motion in the manner it was done this morning.
Senator Umeh argued that the Senate leadership should have allowed the lawmakers to discuss the motion, arguing that they do so regardless of what the opposition thinks of it.
He claimed that the late Prof. Nwosu, who he claimed gave his all to Nigeria, is unfairly criticized for rejecting the motion.
Palestinian journalists gathered in front of Khan Younis Hospital in Gaza to protest the killings of Mohammad Mansour and Hossam Shabat, both of whom were killed in Israeli airstrikes two days ago.
Olympic athlete Rebecca Adlington has previously spoken out about the abuse she has endured while being a woman in the public eye, revealing how it once caused her to burst into tears.
Rebecca Adlington has been supported by fans after giving a health update(Image: Getty Images)
Rebecca Adlington endured years of cruel taunts over her appearance and the vicious trolling left a lasting impact on her mental health. The BBC Sports presenter and Olympic gold medallist has today received support from fans after revealing she’d been diagnosed with coeliac disease – a condition that affects around one in 100 people in the UK.
In a video shared on Coeliac UK’s Instagram page, the 36-year-old explained how she was “newly diagnosed” and discussed the importance of gluten-free prescriptions for people managing the condition. In response, fans of the swimmer flooded the comments with support for Rebecca. “So good to have someone famous helping to raise awareness. Well done Becky,” wrote one. “Awesome to have @beckadlington backing the campaign! What a role model! Thank you Becky,” another added.
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READ MORE: Rebecca Adlington diagnosed with life-changing health condition as she begs for help
The Olympian has revealed that she’s been diagnosed with coeliac disease(Image: Getty Images)
Rebecca’s announcement has been met with kindness, but in the past she’s suffered a wave of cruel bullying online. It comes 10 years after she reportedly underwent cosmetic surgery to have her nose reduced in size and a bump removed, having previously endured years of vile torment. In 2014, the Celebrity MasterChef star allegedly underwent surgery at a top Harley Street clinic, having previously opened up about hating her looks. The sportswoman has never confirmed whether she got the procedure done, but told the Daily Mail: “If somebody else wants to know [that], well tough luck. It’s my life. Loads of women have loads of things that they do – like a Kim Kardashian or whatever – but I just think if you open yourself up in that way, there’s a lot more that happens.”
In 2012, comedian Frankie Boyle came under pressure to apologise to the Olympic star after sparking outrage on social media after writing a cruel tweet that read: “I worry that Rebecca Adlington will have an unfair advantage in the swimming by possessing a dolphin’s face.” Within minutes, some social media users demanded that he apologise to the swimmer. Frankie removed the message without explanation.
David Walliams came to Rebecca’s defence, saying: “I have met and spoken on the phone to Rebecca. She is a beautiful woman, inside and out. It is disappointing that anyone would want to be mean about her appearance. Rebecca’s an absolute inspiration, and a really lovely lady.”
While starring on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2013, the gold medal Olympian broke down in tears over her appearance as she spoke to soap star Lucy Pargeter. During a conversation, Lucy explained that she believed the pressure on young girls to look a certain way made her “ill” when she was younger.
She said: “And it’s also making me very, very insecure that I have to look a certain way. For me, I was an athlete, I wasn’t trying to be a model, but pretty much every single week on Twitter I get somebody commenting on the way I look.” The swimmer was comforted by her fellow campmates, with EastEnders’ Laila Morse telling her that she was beautiful.
Meanwhile, speaking to the Daily Mail following her stint in the jungle, Rebecca discussed the hurtful comments she received regarding her appearance. “Every day I look in the mirror and go, ‘God, I’m not pretty, I’ve got a very big nose. Thats what most of the negative comments on Twitter are about – my nose,” she explained. “People say, ‘Oh God you look like a dolphin,’ or ‘I didn’t realise they let whales into the Olympics, but at least you should be able to swim faster with a nose like that.”
Months later, in April 2014, Rebecca addressed her rumoured nose job for the first time. “If somebody else wants to know [that], well tough luck,” she told the publication. “It’s my life. Loads of women have loads of things that they do – like a Kim Kardashian or whatever – but I just think if you open yourself up in that way, there’s a lot more that happens.”
She also revealed that maturing had helped her realize that the people making the comments were strangers who had never spoken to her, despite trolling having once caused her to “burst into tears.” She continued, “I’m undoubtedly happier with how I look now.
Rebecca has previously opened up about the trolling she’s experienced(Image: Getty Images)
“But I shouldn’t be too happy,” I suppose. When you look in the mirror, you’ll always see the same thing, in my opinion. Many people believe that as you get older you become more at ease with yourself, and I still have a lot of growing up to do.
More recently, Rebecca, who was awarded an OBE in the 2009 New Year Honours list, spoke to Judy Murray in 2021 about being a woman in the public eye. “To be honest I didn’t realise [the impact] until I’d fully retired from swimming. You’re in such a bubble in sport, when you’re in it you just live and breathe performance. I was able to bat things off a lot more because I was performance driven,” she said on Sky Sports’ docuseries Driving Force.
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“I saw a therapist last year, and they said they could help me adjust things until I sat down with someone outside and spoke to them directly. I’d like to call therapy the best choice I’ve ever made, in my opinion.
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French film star Gerard Depardieu has been defended by former co-star Fanny Ardant as he stands trial on allegations of sexual assault, which he denies
Fanny Ardant defended Gerard Depardieu
One of the most celebrated leading ladies of French cinema today has stuck up for Gerard Depardieu as the actor is accused of sex assault.
The 76-year-old star has denied all the charges made against him as he appears in court this week. However, if he is convicted, the actor could face a prison sentence of up to five years. Now, Fanny Ardant, 76, has came to his defence as said: “I know you can say no to Gérard”. Ardant, was speaking on the third day of her former co-star’s criminal trial for alleging abusing two women.
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Depardieu is accused of attacking an assistant and a set designer. Both plaintiffs say they they were repeatedly sexually assaulted by Depardieu during the filming of The Green Shutters (Les Volets Verts) in 2021.
However, speaking to the court on Wednesday, Ardant said: “I, Fanny Ardant, have never seen a gesture that I found shocking.”
The pair starred together in François Truffaut’s 1981 romance titled The Woman Next Door (La Femme d’à côté). It was one of the most successful films of the era.
Fanny Ardant stood by former co-star Gerard Depardieu(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Describing Depardieu, as ‘my lifelong friend,’ Ardant added: ‘I’m a woman, I’ve known things like that [sexual assault]. I’ve given out slaps, I’ve fought, but I never saw him [Depardieu] do anything out of line.’
She claimed she was determined to speak up for him, because others were ‘too scared to do so, for fear of losing a job, of not being able to make any more films.”
She admitted she thought her former co-star had “a big mouth,” saying “he swears, and he likes playing the fool”. However, she added: “But such behaviour was all relatively harmless. She said: “The world has changed. The references are no longer the same. There are tolerable things that are no longer tolerable.”
Ardent also labelled Depardieu ‘a genius’ and said that ‘all forms of genius have something extravagant, untamed, dangerous about them. She went on: “Everyone can identify with the roles Gérard offered them. No one can identify with Monsieur Perfect.’
After giving her testament, Ardent blew a kiss at Depardieu. He had agreed that he made ‘crude remarks,’ and enjoyed ‘old world’ sexist banter, but denied being ‘a groper or a rapist’. He said: ‘I’m not from the same generation as the young. I have my own world. I swear, I make crude comments.’
Gerard denies all allegations made against him(Image: Getty Images)
One of his accusers also addressed the court on Wednesday. She said she was assaulted ‘three times’ by Depardieu. “The first time, he put his hands on my bottom,’ she told the court. “I didn’t react. I didn’t understand what was going on. I told him to stop. I was petrified, shocked – it had a huge impact on my quality of life.”
She claimed she had waited two-and-a-half-years before filing a legal complaint ‘out of shame and fear,’ adding: “I said nothing. I didn’t want to cause problems during the filming. There were no witnesses.”
Depardieu was first placed in police custody on April 29, 2024, and accused of the sexual assaults. He was then bailed to appear in court, where he faces up to five years in prison, and a €75,000 (£62,000) fine.
Depardieu is also set to stand trial at a later date for allegedly raping French actress Charlotte Arnould, 29. Her decision to go public led to up to 15 women reporting Depardieu for alleged crimes that could also end up in court.
It was also announced last month that Depardieu is under criminal investigation for tax fraud and money laundering.
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The current Depardieu trial is expected to end on Thursday, although the verdict may be withheld until later in the year. The trial continues.
On the 25th anniversary of Ian’s passing, Blockheads guitarist and keyboard player Chaz Jankal remembers his friend, the “Godfather of Punk,” by saying, “Ian’s spirit is on stage with us all the time.
When The Blockheads, Ian Dury’s band, hit the music scene in the 1970s, he was like no other lead singer.
Growling lyrics to songs like Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick with a razor blade dangling from his ear, Ian Dury was like no other lead singer when his band The Blockheads burst on to the 1970s music scene.
Disabled by polio, aged 7, causing paralysis on the left hand side of his body, he was dubbed ‘ the Godfather of Punk. ‘ His style was just as distinctive as Dury himself, blending punk rock, funk, reggae, new wave, jazz, and rock and roll.
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The Blockheads’ debut single Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll in 1977 was named Single of the Week by music bible the NME, but was banned by the BBC who thought it was distasteful and offensive.
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Today (Thursday, March 27), Ian Dury passed away from liver cancer at the age of 57 after topping the top 40 hits with Rhythm Stick, What a Waste, and Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3.
Still performing with The Blockheads, friend and co-writer Chaz Jankel, 72, tells The Mirror: “When we started there was no other band that I knew of in the late 70s that played such a wide range of music, from soulful funk to music hall.
Our music resembled punk’s raucous English RnB, which was the original form of the genre. Before Sid Vicious, Ian was known as “The Godfather of Punk” because he was the first to hang a razorblade from his ear. His spirit is still in everything we do because his lyrics are so poignant even today. “
Ian Dury pictured in his graffiti painted room at his London flat in 1992(Image: Mirrorpix via Getty Images)
Nearly 50 years ago, Ian Dury and the Blockheads first dominated the UK music scene. The band he formed is currently touring the UK with Chaz Jankel on guitar and keyboards, John Turnbull on guitar,, Mick Gallagher on keyboards, John Roberts on drums and Mike Bennett as lead vocalist.
And despite the addition of some fresh tracks, the crowd-freaks with the classic hits. According to Chaz, if Ian were still alive today, he would have turned 83 on his birthday. He’d see we have three generations of fans – granddads, their sons and daughters and their children.
When we mention his name at one of our shows, the audience is enthralled, even though half of them have never seen him play because they are too young. Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3 and Sweet Gene Vincent always have a good time. But if you were to measure using a Clapometer, it would probably be Clevor Trever. Every time we play, I say thank you to Ian.
(L-R) Davey Payne, John Turnbull, Ian Dury and Norman Watt-Roy.(Image: Daily Mirror)
Both Dury’s parents, William, a former boxer, and Peggy, a health visitor, were Harrow’s children’s caregivers and Rolls Royce bus drivers. He spent three years at the Chailey Heritage Craft School in East Sussex, a hospital for disabled children known for toughening them up, before enrolling at the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe. He found his feet at Wathamstow School of Art in east London, where he befriended pop art legend Peter Blake, before studying for an MA at the Royal Academy of Art.
Chaz continues: “Sex, drugs and Rock n Roll was an observation of the world and a reflection of the time he lived in rather than him saying ‘that’s what I want’ He liked the attention of the opposite sex – there’s no doubt about that – but he wasn’t a womaniser. I think he always needed a female companion by his side but there were two prominent women in his life.”
Dury – who was in a band called Kilburn and the High Roads before The Blockheads – was first married to Elizabeth Rathmell, known as Betty, who he had children Baxter, now 53, and Jemima, 56, with. However, he claimed in an interview that our marriage was ended by The High Roads. I was never there, primarily because I was out drinking, using drugs, and drinking groupies.
Chaz Jankal still plays for the Blockheads and they thank Ian Dury during every gig
My daughter claimed that she once experienced a little loneliness. More so because it appeared in the papers when I was being a hysterical success. She was aware of my being alive without me being there. Chaz recalls his friend as being a “complex character,” noting that his personality changed after he had a drink. He had Dutch courage and, occasionally, the frustration that had been building up in his sobering hours, which could turn into a little vindictive if he didn’t hold his alcohol well. He’d find somebody’s Achille’s heel and he’d go for that. “
Dury never had a musical career; instead, he worked as an illustrator and taught art students at Canterbury College of Art while earning his MA. When he realized he couldn’t be as great as Rembrandt, he turned his hand to music, recalls Chaz.
“But Ian was an artist who painted with his words – he loved to paint characters. The greatest talent of Ian was as a writer, out of all the other abilities he had, such as being a great entertainer. He was a fantastic poet who was completely real and authentic. There was a great modesty and a realism that came from him that allowed him to be a true artist”.
Chaz will never forget when he first met Ian when they were just finishing a “loud and raucous” set with Kilburn and the High Roads in a London pub. Ian told Chaz to “everybody off,” believing that he was just a customer getting in the way.
1970’s pub rock band ‘Kilburn And The High Roads’, with founder member singer songwriter Ian Dury second from the left. (Image: Getty Images)
When I first saw them perform, Chaz recalls, “I was utterly amazed, perplexed, and hypnotized.” “He was the king of the pub circuit, mischievous, wise and rebellious. I was invited to join them for rehearsals. Although I don’t recall exactly when I was wrong, I did go. It ended up being an audition and I got the gig”.
However, Dury, who struggled with his disability, didn’t have a simple path to becoming a rock star. He lived in a third-floor apartment, but “rhythm was like his exercise,” says Chaz. “Life on the road was difficult. “He loved to sit behind a drum kit and put out a 4/4 drum beat. We wrote Spasticus Autisticus together, and the rhythm embodied that same spirit of resilience. Moving forward is the theme of the song, but it must be struggled.
Spasticus Autisticus was penned in 1981 as a protest against the International Year of Disabled Persons, which Dury considered to be patronising. The “anti-charity” song, which is frequently compared to a battle cry and an appeal for understanding, was inspired by repeated requests to get involved in charitable causes.
We knew each other so well that when we came together, it would just fit like a glove, Chaz says of his bond with Dury. It made my hair stand up on the back of my neck”.
Singer Ian Dury’s children, Baxter (left) and Jemima (right)(Image: Alamy Stock Photo)
However, the singer claimed in a BBC documentary, “I only started a band to support my artwork.” “I started a band using three of the students from Canterbury, The Kilburns”, he said. In order to support my paintings and earn a living that wasn’t teaching, I began playing the band. When I saw bands, I thought they were terrible and that I could do better. But I never thought of myself as a singer, I always thought of myself as a performer”.
He added that fame was never something he had an interest in. I go on stage to feel appreciated or useful rather than just to soak up the applause. I’ve had a fulfilling life since I was a young sprog”, he said. I was aware that art school was a program I could attend. Because I liked the idea of the Bohemian way of life, I decided to pursue an art degree.
” I thought I might be a painter one day – it was a way of life that appealed to me – it was the freedom, the style, the glamour of not being normal. More than most people realize, I’ve had a lot of success in life. It would be much harder for me to cope with it if I was angry, unrecognised, or unfulfilled. But I don’t feel any of that stuff, I feel very lucky. Almost as though my life has been blessed, really.
His legacy continues to be as strong as ever 25 years after his death on March 27, 2000, both on the music scene and in those close to him. Blockheads keyboard player Mick Gallagher tells The Mirror:” Ian had a magnetic personality. People were drawn to him, whether or not they knew why, just like moths do around candles. He was consistently “interesting.” We celebrate his life and work at every show. God’s blessings on him.
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Liberty, a new song from The Blockheads, is available.
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On the occasion of his tenth anniversary of his departure, Zayn Malik sung Night Changes in a touching tribute to One Direction during his performance in Mexico.
During his performance in Mexico, Zayn Malik paid a fitting tribute to One Direction.
Zayn Malik “almost cried” as he paid tribute to One Direction 10 years after quitting. The 32-year-old singer was performing in Mexico on his Stairway to the Sky tour and opened the show last night with a rendition of One Direction’s hit ‘Night Changes’. After the performance – which has been shared on social media – Zayn said: “It’s the first time I sang that song in 10 years. Thank you, that was f****** amazing. I almost cried at one point. This is insane.”
The performance fell on the 10th anniversary of the day Zayn quit One Direction after five years in the group alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and the late Liam Payne.
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In a Facebook statement on March 25, 2015, the Pillow Talk hitmaker wrote: “My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. “I’d like to apologise to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart.
During his performance in Mexico, Zayn Malik paid a fitting tribute to One Direction.(Image: WWD via Getty Images)
“I’m leaving because I want to be a typical 22-year-old who can unwind and enjoy some quiet time away from the spotlight,” I said.
At Liam’s funeral, he and his bandmates Harry, Niall, and Louis reconnected late last year.
He paid tribute to Liam in an emotional statement following his friend’s tragic death, which occurred on October 31.
He wrote on Instagram: “Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives.
I never received a thank you for keeping me company during some of my life’s most difficult times.
The star nearly breaking down while singing Night Changes on the 10th anniversary of his departure(Image: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Zay)
You would always be there when I went missing as a 17-year-old child, letting me know I was loved and that you were my friend.
You were always more sage than me, headstrong, opinionated, and never cared to tell people they were wrong, even though you were younger than me.
Zayn made a heartfelt tribute to his former bandmate Liam Payne(Image: Getty Images for ABA)
“I always secretly respected you for it, despite the fact that we occasionally butted heads because of it.” According to Zayn, Liam “knew nothing in comparison” to the musicians in One Direction.
He continued, “You were already a professional and I was a novice child with no experience.” No matter what transpired on stage, I was always relieved to know that you could always rely on you to decide the direction to take the ship the next.
Just last month, Zayn dropped a massive hint at a potential One Direction reunion(Image: Getty Images)
Just last month, Zayn dropped a massive hint at a potential One Direction reunion. Zayn took to Instagram to share a voice note sampling a new rendition of One Direction hit That’s What Make’s You Beautiful. Uncaptioned, the simple recording added fuel to the already-sparked rumours of the beloved band reuniting.
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The recording sharing Zayn’s emotional version of the 2011 global song elated his 53.8 million fans who have been speculating the remaining four members reuniting after Payne’s death. Swarming to social media, one fan wrote that “the bare thought of Zayn randomly singing 1D songs makes my heart swell;” a fan account of Malik adding: “I NEEDED THIS TODAY, thank you for blessing my ears”. Many have guessed that this must be a hint towards the band coming back together in in 2025 – something that has been supposedly in the works for years.
