Entertainment
Lagos Honours Cape Town Festival Founder Rashid Lombard*
The Lagos International Jazz Festival (LIJF) will this weekend host a powerful tribute in honour of late South African cultural icon, Rashid Lombard, whose legacy shaped African jazz and global cultural activism.
The Tribute Showcase Jam Session, presented by Inspiro Productions, will hold on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at LIVE Lounge, 15 Idejo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, beginning at 5:00 PM. The event is free to the public.
Honouring a Giant of African Jazz
Rashid Lombard, a revered photojournalist, anti-apartheid activist, and founder of the renowned Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF), passed away on June 4, 2025, at the age of 74. Widely known as a chronicler of South Africa’s struggle and a champion of the arts, Lombard’s influence transcended borders.
His most enduring contribution remains the CTIJF, established in 2000 as a partnership with the Netherlands’ North Sea Jazz Festival. The event has grown into Africa’s largest jazz festival, drawing over 40,000 international visitors annually, and creating a vital platform for African and global jazz talents.
Global Tributes
Following his death, tributes have poured in from global leaders, musicians, and cultural institutions.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described Lombard as:
“A cultural icon who not only documented our history of struggle but made history in his own right. His fearless documentation of apartheid’s cruelty and his creation of Africa’s biggest jazz festival placed South Africa on the global cultural map.”
Lagos Pays Homage
In Lagos, the jazz community—led by Ayoola Sadare, CEO of Inspiro Productions and convener of the Lagos International Jazz Festival—joins the international outpouring of love and remembrance.
“For African jazz, and for me personally, Rashid Lombard was more than a pioneer — he was my mentor, my friend, my father figure,” said Sadare. “He gave so much of himself to nurture others. His vision lit the path for my journey in cultural production. I owe this to him.”
Sadare, who first met Lombard in 2005 through journalist Nseobong Okon-Ekong, credits the late icon’s mentorship as the spark behind LIJF. “He taught me that you’re never too old to dream again. His impact on my life and work is immeasurable.”
A Night of Jazz, Joy, and Legacy
Sunday’s concert promises a dynamic evening of live music, featuring some of Nigeria’s finest jazz and soul performers, including Bright Gain, Victor Ademofe, Gloria Ibru, Wale Adeyemi, Herbert Kunle Ajayi (HKA), Agba Joshu, Jesse Bangz, Samuel Ayunke, Zosu, Mikifa, A Stringz, and more.
“This is not just a concert — it’s a cultural statement,” said Sadare. “Rashid’s light continues to shine through every note, every rhythm, and every young artist he inspired.”
Pan-African Solidarity in Song
Lombard believed deeply in jazz as a unifying force for Africa. The Lagos tribute reflects this spirit, bridging two cities — Lagos and Cape Town — in a shared celebration of creativity, resilience, and African excellence.
“Admission is free. The memories are priceless,” reads the official LIJF invitation. “Join us as we celebrate the life, music, and legacy of a true son of Africa — Rashid Lombard — forever in our hearts.”
Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin has questioned the authenticity of an interim order issued by the Lagos State High Court on 2 September 2026, restraining her from publishing photographs of Priscilla Ojo’s one-year-old son, Rakeem Mkambala, and from posting editorials concerning the family on specified social media platforms.
Anjorin raised the issue during an Instagram Live session on Friday, 4 September, after Priscilla shared a copy of the court order online.
The actress argued that publicising court documents before formally serving the respondent undermines the case.
“Your case na dead on arrival. If you post court letter on any platform before serving person wey you wan go serve, that court case na fake court case,” Anjorin said during the live session.
Her comments came shortly after the High Court of Lagos State granted an ex parte application brought by Priscilla, her husband, Tanzanian singer Juma Mussa Mkambala, and their son, Rakeem.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya issued the interim order in Suit No. LD/ADR/6646/2026.
The order restrains Anjorin, as well as people acting under her authority, from publishing, posting, circulating, uploading or broadcasting photographs of Rakeem on specified social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok.
The court also directed Anjorin to cease publishing or broadcasting editorials concerning the applicants on the platforms covered by the order.
An ex parte order is made at an interim stage without the respondent being heard. The order is therefore not a final determination of the dispute and remains subject to further proceedings.
Priscilla shared the certified copy of the order on her Instagram Story on Friday, bringing the legal development into public view.
Anjorin’s reaction centres on the timing and manner in which the court documents were publicised. Her assertion that such publication makes a case “fake” is her own claim and is not a finding contained in the court order.
The development marks another chapter in the prolonged public dispute between Anjorin and Priscilla’s family, particularly Priscilla’s mother, actress Iyabo Ojo.
The disagreement has played out largely on social media and has previously resulted in legal action, including a ₦1 billion defamation suit filed by Iyabo Ojo against Anjorin.
In recent weeks, the dispute has also drawn Priscilla and her young son into the controversy, following public comments by Anjorin concerning the family.
Kesiena Tony Adjekpovu, popularly known as Kess, has said that participating in Big Brother Naija can make life harder, offering a candid reflection on the challenges that may come with the reality television experience.
The former Big Brother Naija housemate made the comment in a statement shared on social media, where he suggested that winning or simply taking part in the reality show does not necessarily make life easier after leaving the house.
“Big Brother makes your life harder,” Kess said.
The remark has drawn attention because life after reality television can bring a different set of expectations, particularly as former housemates adjust to increased public attention and the pressure that can accompany visibility.
Kess was a housemate on the seventh season of Big Brother Naija, which aired in 2022. He entered the show as a businessman and was among the contestants who competed for the season’s grand prize.
His time on the programme also placed him in the public eye, giving viewers an opportunity to follow his personality and relationships inside the house.
Kess’s latest comment offers a more reflective view of the reality TV platform, suggesting that the experience does not end when a contestant leaves the house.
However, he did not provide further details in the available post explaining which specific aspects of life after Big Brother he was referring to.
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